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Chapter 39: Kelly Walker's Village Was Destroyed? by Harem-Fan

     After our caravan left the foothills, we passed the snowy tundra fields.

     As 3 pm approached, we were nearing our first checkpoint before we reached our final destination.

     Kelly rode her horse to my side, and pointed ahead.

     "Beyond the wooded area ahead, we will arrive at my hometown. Then, the larger settlement of Fargo Village is roughly 10 miles past that, over a bridge."

     Freya, seeing the small forest of trees, standing around 20 feet tall, looked worried. She turned her head to me and said.

     "Sam, I can smell a faint burning ashen smell, like a forest fire or something larger had burned in the last 24 hours. My sensitivity with the Fire Element lets me feel the magic in the air. So a battle with Fire Magic, or a massive fire was recently done. We need to be alert."

     Kelly furrowed her brows, trying to think what it could be, while I issued an order for Mari and Milly to pass on.

     "Mari, go let Frank and the soldiers know, while Milly alerts the healers and wagon drivers... Tell them to be ready for a battle when we enter the snow covered woods. Freya and I will join the Vanguard team..."

     Both women professionally responded to me.

     ""Understood.""

     Then, they both rode off on their horses to deliver the news. I flicked the reins and tapped my heels into the horse, and nudged it forward.

-

     "And that is what we are worried about, if there was a man-made or natural hazard related to fire."

     I just finished telling Vera, Nevin, and Chuck about Freya's warning, as we near the small forest.

     Vera told me.

     "Sam, ride my Warhorse, while I ride on Doll's shoulder. Not only can I get a better view, but you and Freya can split up if something happens. Doll... up!"

     Before I could even say anything, the Summoned Gold Golem reached its hand down for Vera to get on, and as she did, Doll put her on it's left shoulder in a practiced maneuver. Vera looks down on me, grins and says.

     "Well, I do not allow others to ride my horse, so use it well. She is a strong Warfare Clydesdale."

     Her eyes looked at me in defiance, telling me to use her horse, and I sigh in my heart.

     Freya, seeing my look, took the reins from my hands and teased me.

     "It seems only you are trusted with the Princess loyal steed, so protect it for her, plus it is good for us to use our own mounts for a while. Also, did you forget, one of the skills you gave me was [Mounted Riding], so I can show off for my Summoner, haha."

     (Valid Skills Transferred: [Swordsmanship] [Knife Use and Skinning] [Northern Knight Kickboxing] [Cooking] [Swimming] [Mounted Riding] [Basic Survival Skills] [(Earth's) English Language] [(Earth's) Science Knowledge] [(Earth's) Mathematics])

     Our Husband and Wife subtle language was used in conjunction with our Summoner Bond, and what she really told me was... [If you make Vera upset with you again, she will not talk for the whole Campaign.] While I gave her a look telling her... [Ugh, Why is she acting so high and mighty with me, is she still mad about Mari?!]

     So, using my agile skills, I leapt onto Vera's solid white Warhorse, and took the reins. I was skilled enough to calm her mount, and made her listen to me.

     Vera, seeing this smiled with victory for some reason, and she turned her head to look forward...

     I was unaware that no one else could ride her horse before, and she had tested my skill and ability. She and her Father had guesses about my compatibility with Summons and animals. She was happy with my performance.

     Guiding the white Warhorse to Nevin and Chuck, I said to them.

     "We will let Freya and Vera take the Point, while the three of us will ride ahead to scout, let us go ahead! Yea~!"

     And the two 3rd Circle Vanguards followed me ahead with our weapons drawn...

-

     Clop Clop Clop! As our horses galloped in the shallow snow, I scanned the front, while Nevin focused on our left flank, and Chuck on his right.

     I had to leave the group early because the still warm saddle, and the smell on Vera's horse was making my face do some interesting expressions.

     You know, the look a man gets when walking into a girls bedroom uninvited, or accidentally walking into a womens restroom, and realizing you fucked up.

     Well, the trees that are covered in green pine needles and snow, made the small wooded area look scenic, but the unknown threats also broke its peaceful serenity.

     Using my [Basic Survival Skills], I could quickly assess the problems I saw.

     I pointed my sword to some broken trees in the distance, off the road and said.

     "Look, just within the last day, a large group of creatures made their way through there, and the traces show them moving to the front, probably to the small village... Let's be vigilant..."

    Nevin gripped his Heavy Mace firmly, while Chuck held a Lance in hand, and we continued...

-

     The forest only lasted for about 2 miles, and our horses exited the trail. Then all 3 of us slowed at what we saw...

     About 500 feet away, a small village with about 20 buildings, was blackened from being burned and raided.

     Bodies could be seen in the main street running through the community. We could see a total of 6 large Winter Wolves feasting on dead bodies, while their Orc riders were going through the collapsed homes, scavenging for leftovers.

     Based on what I am seeing, a larger Orc Raiding Party has already come through here, and these are the weaker Orcs, who are cleaning up scraps.

     The group of 12 had not yet noticed our arrival, and for the first time, I felt really angry seeing those Orcs and Wolves, picking through the devastated Village.

     It also just hit me... This is or was, Kelly's hometown... Sigh...

     I stopped the horse, and got off of it. I ran my Electricity Aura through The King's Sword, and walked towards the small ruined village, and said to my two friends.

     "Let us kill them all before Kelly comes..."

     And before my words even finished, two large men slid off their horses and equipped their weapons, and ran Earth and Darkness Aura through their bodies.

     Then I ran my Water & Electricity Aura through my body, to use both [Fleet Movement] and [Elusive Movements], making me move twice as fast, and drastically increasing my ability to avoid attacks.

     While using both powers together, it is like the world slows down by half, and you become hyper aware, but in reality, I am just moving twice as fast, with heightened reactions.

     "Rock and Chuck, take the Winter Wolves, I will kill the unmounted Orcs, go..."

     Crackle~! Whoosh~! As I bolted forward, the ice and snow under my feet was cracked and crushed under my rapid running speed...

     "Hey, over here assholes!" "Bite my fat-ass, stupid dogs!"

     The two Vanguard Knights, seeing my sprint, used their loud voices while charging, to draw the attention off  of me, onto themselves, as they rushed to beat Wolves to death...

-

     As  the group was mid way through the woods, Freya's eyes glinted forward, feeling my anger and fighting spirit. She was about to Teleport forward, but realized I had not summoned her, so...

     "Seems Sam wants me to protect the caravan, and he must be killing a simple monster."

     Freya still looked ahead, to see a distant clearing, in case she needed to Teleport in a hurry.

-

     I had run behind a few collapsed homes, where I saw the 6 Orcs who left their mounts behind.

     The 6 scavengers who are all around 6 and a half feet tall, with yellow green skin, and yellow eyes, all saw me thanks to my companions drawing their mounts gaze from me.

     The front most Orc, yelled orders in their Orc language, and picked up his beaten-up club, and ran in my direction. His 5 flunkies drew their rusty swords, and headed in my direction, not realizing their Wolves were being beaten like dogs.

     Whiff~! As I closed in on them way too fast for their liking, I saw the leader's swing inbound, and I leaned under the club, as it flew over my body.

     I purposefully passed the leader, so I could kill the next Orc.

     If I stopped in front of the leader, they would use surrounding tactics, so I am killing their anchor figure first...

     Ting Slice Crackling~! Water & Electricity Aura surged through The King's Blade, causing my Longsword to cut through both of the rusty sword and the neck of the Orc, who could not stop my activated [Fast Attacks] I used.

     Thud! As the head hit the floor, with green blood spraying, I did not stop, and yelled...

     "Flurry of Blades... [Fast Attacks] ×5!"

     Slash Slash Slash Slash Slash! And as each panicking Orc tried to hit me, I delivered a fatal strike to each of their necks, easily killing these weak 1st Circle Monsters.

     "Remove the blood... [Minor Water Utility]"

     As I was covered in green foul smelling blood, I rushed to my companions to help, while using my Water Magic to clean off this filth.

-

     Just as I quickly rounded the corner of a busted inn, I saw both Nevin and Chuck, beating on the last 3 wolves, as 3 lay dead with bashed in heads or broken legs.

     Bash! Nevin blocked the cold breath of one wolf with his Tower Shield, and swung his Heavy Mace hard into the jaw of the second one.

     BANG Awooo~! With a mighty overhead swing of his Heavy Maul, Chuck made his Winter Wolf, yelp in pain, and step back.

     Nevin, seeing me rush from the corner, smiled, and in tandem understanding, he had turned his back on the Winter Wolf, and faced the second one.

     This was to bait the Wolf into only thinking of biting, and not being alert for danger.

     "Surprise Motherfucker... [Fast Attacks]"

     Swoosh~! Slitch~! And just as the Wolf had almost closed its teeth on Nevin's back, I came in with an overhead slice to cut off the head of the Winter Wolf, while Nevin, free from distraction, killed the last wolf.

     Chuck rubbed off the brain-matter from his oversized Sledgehammer, and panted while declaring...

     "Hah-aha~! We killed these bitches!"

     I also took some time to cast some Water Magic to clean off my party, and scanned the area.

-

     And just at this moment, the caravan emerged to see us finishing the fight.

     The front group moved more quickly to arrive at our location, and as I scanned the group, I saw Kelly's eyes looking in sorrow...

     I ignored everyone else, and followed Kelly, who got off her horse, and ran to a burned small home...

-

     I had seen her run into a small stone house, and I followed her in...

     "Mother, Brother?!"

     I said nothing, and watched her enter a second small room with destroyed and burnt beds.

     As I looked around, I could see her home was only two small rooms, without even a living room. Just a stove and a destroyed 2 person table. And from what I could see, the bedroom Kelly was in, had 2 burnt straw beds of cheap make.

     I watched her back, as I could tell she was crying. I could not see or hear her cry, but I could just tell.

     The roof had long burned down, and the late day sun showed in the now dead home. I did notice one thing though.

     There were no signs of a struggle in the home before it was set ablaze, and no signs of bodies.

     When she turned to see me looking at the floor, she asked in a choked voice.

     "My family... I lost everything... Sam, what should I do?"

     I really do not know how to comfort her now, so I will just try to give her something to hope for.

     "First, calm down, and listen to me... There are no bodies or signs of fighting. This means that there might be a very slim chance they were not killed. I cannot promise anything, but... For now, try to be strong and keep looking for them, until you see proof of their passing..."

     Her wet-eyes for a moment, had trembled at my words, and she wiped her tears with her sleeve. She looked around the tiny house, not seeing anything to recover, until she remembered something...

    Kelly leaned behind the stove, and under some firewood, she found something hidden under a stone.

     Retrieving a small box, she clutched it tightly, and then put it into her satchel. Standing, she looked at me, with firm eyes.

     "Thank you for giving me hope. I will just believe they are safe... Sam, I..."

     Freya had come to the house, and overheard our talk, but said nothing, because she has seen many scenes like this before.

     Kelly held her words, shook her head and asked.

     "Sam, are Nevin or Chuck wounded? I need to do my job now."

     I smiled at her change, and said with a joke.

     "A Winter Wolf bit Chuck's butt, while fighting 3 at once, and Nevin got a bite on his right arm. I am uninjured."

     Kelly, back in her cold persona, nodded, and left the home while saying.

     "Party Leader, I am off to heal the wounded..."

     Freya watching her leave then said to me.@@novelbin@@

     "Good job trying to distract her. Let us go, we need to reach Fargo before it gets dark."

     Then Freya, holding my hand, led me out...

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