Chapter 3

They had walked for hours, twisting and turning to rough roads so disappointing Orion would be hard-pressed to even call them roads, and most places the grass protruded into the area that compacted dirt of the road should be. To him it seemed like it meant either trade was so little that grass grew where it should not or award of this land that the absolute bare minimum to ensure people could get to and from whatever they wanted to go. In the hours since they started travelling with their new group where open fields could be occasionally seen dotting the area around them disappeared and in return a thick forest was in place. Less and less that he or Brandon recognize the creatures and plants that surrounded them. He could’ve asked the women that they now traveled with but with Keira besides for that exchange earlier did not speak to them instead any questions they may have had Claire would answer.

Since she was only one that would answer neither of them asked any questions and that was because when she asked how they were planning to get to the nearby town Orion told her about his plan to follow the most set of footprints in a given direction. When he said that Claire laughed at them saying it if they had done that they would have most likely ended up in the country that was now sieging the city that they were trying to help save and where his brother was trapped. When Claire stated that fact to them her smile looking down on them like they were so pathetic, that they were children who seemingly had a good idea and when they told their parents they could only be laughed at.

It had been less than a day and both he and Brandon were sick of the woman called Claire. The woman’s insults slowly built up inside of him and he knew that if he didn’t work off his feelings it would cause a problem later. In fact the only good things so far it happened to either he or Brandon was that Brandon had unlocked a new passive skill called ‘Thought Process’. When he explained it to Orion it allowed for clearer thoughts during chaotic environments such as a battlefield or high tension situations. When Orion asked what the requirements were for getting such a skill it was clear who answered

“You have to be paranoid about your surroundings or impeding danger for long periods of time and think of a way you can get out” Claire answered smugly.

It’s no doubt to me this is in more ways than one a dangerous situation Orion thought focusing his anger toward her.

That’s why he decided that tonight he would go hunting alone in order to burn off access energy fueled by his anger. As they walked longer and longer neither of them recognized the new creatures and plants that surrounded them as they made their journey, in fact there is only one creature that they recognized that was one only partly: it was some species of the armored deer they had been hunting before but they were different. When Orion examined one of them when it was passing by its level was 31, twice the level of the armored deer they hunted before and that wasn’t all that set it apart. The horns that stood on the tops of the weaker level armored deer somehow became type of helmet to cover the top half of these new creatures head, and circular bones that stuck out their bodies shaped like tubes stuck all around.

When Orion looked into one of one of the armored dears eyes there was no fear, not even a care that Orion saw him. Before when they hunted if the armored dear saw either of them it would run but now it felt like if he got to close to the deer that running would be the best thing do you want to stay alive.

Intimidating, threatening, seemingly powerful

When Orion rattled the traits off in his head that came to him looking at the creature it reminded him of the two women he was now traveling with but especially Claire. Until he and Brandon left their company he did not think sleeping would come easy and that's why he decided to spend his nights away from them. When he was deciding what to do the thought of fighting that new, dangerous armor dear somehow excited him. Growing up his father told him time and time again that the ability he was born with, the rare blood variant Easier, was so powerful that if anybody found out his life would be enslaved to somebody and he would never again feel free.

“This night I’ll finally see how different I am to Brandon, to anybody else in my village” Orion thought.

He knew his stats were of somebody of a level twice as high as his and along with the fact that firstly it was easier for him then most if not all people that if he seriously considered training to the best of his abilities in time he would have to leave Brandon, the only person he has on this journey to this new mysterious world because he would surpass him. He living in fear of his own body and its abilities was not what he wanted and with that his plans finalized for this night to fight the armored deer. It scared him but in order to prove to himself had he really was different Orion felt he needed it.

The single event of the day worried both he and Brandon greatly, they had come to a fork in the road when Claire spotted what seemed to be a patrol of the town they were going to. When she did she pulled the both of them into the nearby trees and hidden, Keira copying them without saying a sound.

“Why are we hiding, are those not troops that were supposed to be going?” Orion asked with annoyance in his voice.

When Claire was about to answer with what Orion guessed was sure to be an insulting remark Keira raised her hand, Claire closed her mouth deferring the explanation the Keira.

“I have paid Claire to get me to the cities fast as possible as you know” Keira stated

“We knew that that’s why we been traveling as fast as we have but why are we hiding” interjected Brandon

“I also paid her to get me into the city but without any officials of any sort knowing and they would know if the guard saw me” Keira continued on without answering him.

Worries spread to Orion and Brandon

“Does not mean you’re wanted criminal?” Orion said timidly

Before Keira could answer the guards passed by and for those several minutes became the longest in Orion’s life. Keira finally looked directly at him seemingly thinking for a moment before answering

“You could say that a number of people are interested in me”

With that answer Orion put his palm to his head

She’s wanted Orion summarized in his mind

I’m traveling with a wanted criminal because I was left behind by the group of people I was traveling because they don’t like me

From within their hiding spots, both Orion and Brandon along with the others got up and continued there journey with much less enthusiasm from where they originally saw the guards come from. There was one upside to this situation with it he did not have to worry nearly as much about dying to a beast in fact he would rather die that way then be mistaken as her accomplice in whatever crime she was involved in an order for any guard they passed knowing her face. That idea bothered him enough to ask one last question

“What did you do that you have to go to this extent of hiding?”

Keira answered readily as she walked, she raised her left hand and one finger up

“No I did not kill anyone” she said proudly

“is that not the reason why she’s wanted or did she stop herself from killing someone and she’s proud that she stopped” Orion decided it was best not to say what he just thought and kept quiet.

It was a surprise when Keira continued to speak

“The things in this bag” she held up to almost eye-level “can be very useful to the right people invaluable in their own right although selling them would be a waste”

“How can something be valuable but selling it would be a waste” Brandon muttered to himself.

When Keira finished speaking Claire saw a wagon traveling behind them and would soon reach them if Orion had to guess it was a farmer who went to a nearby town to sell his goods and was now returning.

“Well boys looks like we won’t have to walk the whole way, now if someone could stop the wagon I’ll be happy to pay for all of us” she gestured especially to both Orion and Brandon

An instant all three eyes locked on to Brandon a silent vote was cast and he was picked

“Fine fine I’ll go” he ran back the way they came to the wagon and the other three walked to it.

“Why is it safe now to write a wagon when just a short time ago we were avoiding guards?” asked Orion

As they were within earshot of the farmer and his wagon Claire answered him quietly

“Farmers don’t care who we are, government officials do, especially the military” she said in an annoyed voice.

Insulting woman is always and it hasn’t even been that long since we’ve known her Orion Thought

Keira tugged on the sleeve of Claire

“Give him enough so he won’t ask questions” Keira commanded

Claire nodded and walked up to the farmer as both Keira and Orion made their way to the back of the mostly empty wagons so they could get in.

She sounded like some gang leader paying a person off Orion thought to himself in worry

“Don’t you think you could have ordered that less fiercely, you sounded pretty threatening” Orion told her as they climbed up and now sat across from each other.

It’s not like I care about Claire, more like I don’t want to think badly of Keira Orion explained to himself.

“You’re quite right I just always wanted to say that and I also enjoy commanding

Someone, it’s like I’m some lord or king” she answered with a smile and started laughing quietly.

Now Orion not know what to think about Keira, only that still more time he spent with her the more likely some bad or unfortunate event would befall him. Kiera and Orion looked to the front of the wagon where Claire and Brandon were arguing about who had to sit in front with the farmer, it was a short argument.

“Why do I have to” complain Brandon

“Because” is the only answer she gave him and started to walk to the back of the wagon.

It looked like he wanted to say more but seeing how it was useless he rested against the seat now looking forward. Claire grabbed the things that were sitting on the ground that were his and threw it on his lap

“You’re welcome” seemingly thinking that it was a favor to him.

It was not long before Orion got bored of watching endless trees pass them and even the mysterious creatures became less so and more familiar. Since their talk when they first got on the wagon Keira seemed more approachable so he tried again to have a conversation with her

“Keira” he asked hopefully

“Yes?” She answered neither a dismissive way nor highly curious tone but more like she seemed as bored as he was

“Where did you get all the money for a hired guard and for… Orion added in a quieter voice to bribe a wagon driver even if it is just a farmer”

Claire seemed to slightly lean in so she could also hear, a small smile appeared on Keira’s face,

“What do you think is going to happen? The trees are to rat you out or the man who has just taken up smugglers bribe” she now chuckled

Claire seemingly tried to lean even more to listen in on their conversation also seemed interested in knowing Karis simply waved her away and since it was not her place to asked herself being Keira’s hired guard this was an opportunity for an answer to the question

“In fact I make things for people and they give me money to get it to them based on whatever deadline was set and if I get it to them earlier I get extra and if I get it there on time with extra money I get to keep it”

Orion was perplexed at her statement

I didn’t think Keira would actually answer, does she not even care who she tells?

Seeing as how she answered his previous question Orion decide to press on

“Why don’t you charge people to make the things for them? He asked, interested in the answer

“More people asked me to do work for them when it doesn’t charge them anything, besides the transportation fee and since these things are not common the only way to rank up proficiency of the related skills is by this way, of course sometimes I do sometimes ask for items in exchange” Keira explained

Something seemed to pop into her head after she finished speaking

“Of course the both of you will be paid even if it’s only a little for escorting me”

“Thank you” was all Orion could think in response and Keira simply smiled back.

Now Orion just had to know what it is she exactly did she seemingly got these large amounts of money just to transport whatever is in that bag she carries to people who Orion guessed where the same sort of people who were looking for her right now most likely because she was later or never turned and was she was supposed to. Orion once again could not hold his question down so he went to a low whisper again

“What do you make is so viable such rich people?”

“That is one thing I can tell you I’m sorry Orion” she seemed honestly displeased with herself over not being able to answer.

He figured it was probably better this way he still suspected while he was in town he could be questioned by some group of men about her. Seemingly finished Orion leaned back and looked around then Keira spoke once more

“But what I will say is that not all magic is bad in fact some of it’s really quite useful”

So she crafts things relate to magic if that’s true I don’t know if Claire is the most dangerous one

Magic in the world was widely known so as not that much of a surprise to hear about surprising part was is that usually you don’t hear about magic and items going together. Whenever it’s brought up in conversation it always seemed to Orion that magic was limited to coming out of the casters own body not through an object. Magic one very large amounts was usually limited to a small number of people that could actually use magic in a significant way such as a firestorm or maybe even making corpses fight for you. What was commonly used involving magic for the majority of people was surging magic through a weapon, but in the end this information found through peddlers and a little through his father. He was lucky every so often when a sorcerer would come to the village to stay overnight and he would hear conversations. That slowly started to rekindle his want for more out of his current life.

While the three of them talked Brandon sat up front for the wagon owner,

“They can have fun why can’t I”

Brandon look down to his shoes, he was worried about exactly what to say. First he looked down then to the owner of the wagon

“My name is Brandon nice to meet you”

Brandon quickly looked down again, he was nervous if he should have said anything in the first place. Brandon noticed as he is looking down a man’s hand came into view and seemed waiting for him to shake it so he did quickly

“Quam, my names Quam, nice to meet you but it seems like you don’t travel much do you? He said the slight chuckle Quam said after looking Brandon over

“This is the first time I’m traveling outside my village any far distance”

Finally Brandon thought someone who does not seem to hate us or at the very least make me worried to be in their company, although the gold probably helped a lot but he would take whatever kindness is given to him.

“So I’m guessing you boys did not start your journey traveling with those lovely ladies” Quam said without looking back at the three of them

Brandon nodded “they sort of helped us when we needed it and they were the only ones to offer to do so, we are recruits for the new army to liberate Orion city”

“Even though the walls held several thousand invaders are in the city now” Quam commented

The information shocked Brandon, he thought they were just besieged so he asked Quam for more information

“Seems like when they first attacked the city it was so unexpected a portion of the wall was destroyed thousands came rushing in before it was sealed again” Quam added to his explanation of events

Based on what he just heard his worry now became if the city would still be something worth saving

“Really it’s that bad?

“I even heard of a rumor the man who was close by the section of wall and the battering ram has taken it down, he was being dragged away by men that didn’t look like they’re in the Edian military”

Quam had an odd expression on his face thought Brandon it was like he was thinking about something and he didn’t know how to feel about it

“During a battle such as that I don’t think they would drag away dead bodies” Quam finally said

Now Brandon understood he felt the same way, that man a chance of being alive but whenever he woke up he may have wished he had died when the wall came down but Brandon decided to take it is good news

“I hope he’s alive, they need every man they can get to hold the city” Brandon agreed.

Quam added in “they need the rest of the Army to get there it does not matter how well they defend the city, if there are thousands of enemy soldiers inside the city its already a bad situation combined with they are already outnumbered 5 to 1 when the battle started it’s only a matter of time”

Brandon sunk in his seat he started to think of all the ways he could die trying to save the city

“Look up boy” Quam stated “think of all the honor you will get, how you will help save all those people that are trapped”

Quam looked back at Brandon “you don’t want to be here do you”

“of course not who you want to sign up for this I am here because my friend needs my help” Brandon proudly declared they both laughed.

Claire then called from the back

“Hey! I need to rest before we get to the city so try to control yourself”

Quam snorted “well since she just likes some flowers at my home”

Brandon agreed with his sarcasm, Brandon then noticed a rock protruding out of the ground that they would eventually hit it and slightly alter the direction of the wagon. Quam also agreed he saw when Brandon brought it up

“Yes I see it and I am turning out of its way now"

“What just what it hit the back wheel?” Brandon countered Quam did not answer but a minute later a bump was felt the curse was heard from Clair