"This is our spot." Vincent sets up camp with a magical whistle. He pauses counting out the tents. "Hm... Seems we're off."
"We're not staying the night. We're going back for dinner." William explains. Vincent nods. "We're actually handling the goblin issues."
"I heard that. Crown prince acting as king again."
"I have permission." I scoff. Vincent smirks at me. "I'm going to see if I can get the goblins as citizens. Should make things easier."
"Sounds like I'm talking to the crown prince." Vincent nods. "If you think that's wise, go for it. I wouldn't be helpful. I killed far too many over the years."
I look aside. I... Killed... A lot of goblins...
"Not that I hate them or anything. We are required to guard the harvest." He motions behind us. We're in the cleared area next to the fields. "Telligence covered much of the country's food supply. It's very fertile land."
"Raida will continue that." Daniel says. "I believe in her."
Ryan sighs. "I should've asked to support Raida, but I am new to missions. I don't know much about running a house either. Being fifteen... I have ideas without much knowledge."
"You'll get there. We all we fools at fifteen." Vincent grins. "Lyrie, give your scouts."
"Aye, Captain." Lyrie disappears. It's not teleportation. When I look close enough she's there, but she's also... Not there? I wouldn't say it's invisibility, either.
"She'll be fine." Vincent waves it off. "Can't send anyone else at the moment. I feel the pressure of Cleaver. She won't be caught."
"How close?" I ask.
He shrugs. "I have a range of... A lot. And Cleaver isn't that close. But given its run speed... Could be here in three minutes." Vincent scans the camp again. "I let you know the timer if it changes." He truly means when it starts. They're expecting a battle with him today.
"How many times have you fought him?" I pause. "Cleaver I mean."
"Six or seven. He knows when to run. The magic within him is unique and dangerous. Don't lean on magic, it may just slide off."
"Curses?"
"Those tend to work at least."
"How about rituals?" I ask.
Vincent stares at me. "No idea. Can you use the rituals away from the capital?"
I have no idea. Can I? I look to William. He shrugs. I can try. Stepping out of range of anyone, I focus on Vincent. Bonus guard would help him. The rituals aren't quick things to do, but there's nothing to do.
The sheen of gold says it worked. Then I notice it on everyone of our party. I blink. It worked... But... Why on everyone?
"Woah. Crown prince isn't a wackadoodle." Vincent looks at the gold. "But it was also noticed by Cleaver. Time line is.... 2 minutes 5 seconds."
I freeze. My ritual set off the monster? Why? It may have been a lot of time in my head, but I just stand there staring in the direction the monster will come at us from. Vincent says things, does things, but I am don't really know what.
This isn't my first battle! Why am I freezing?
Cleaver did get caught by my ritual by the fact he comes at me first and forward. The lunging with tusks at me... Is terrifying. Why am I not doing anything? William saves me from being hit byt teleporting me behind him. Vincent knows to get in front catching his sword up with the monster's tusks. A casual flip shows off exactly how strong Vincent is. Cleaver does not land haphazardly, though. He lands on his feet and readies for a counter attack at Vincent. This battle looks staged. Vincent did say he's battled the beast before.
What do I do? Would another ritual draw his attention? Would I be able to use my arrows? I had to have William help me. But someone else is shooting arrows that just bounce off of Cleaver. Are they magical arrows? The hide looks tough though. Cleaver has survived many battles and not through intelligence. It would just be a difficult fight.
"Stay back." Ryan pulls me further from the battle. William stays in front of us, but takes a step back as well.
Daniel moves to his other side watching the monster with sword out. "Yeah... I have no idea how to handle this."
"Vincent is struggling and he never struggles." Ryan watches intently. "Cleaver seems more intense than normal."
My ritual? That made him like this? Acting so aggressive? As if... "Our spells are similar." I reach out to Ryan. He's confused. "No. The magic in your family is the same as mine. So it thinks I'm your brother. Or someone else in your family that caused it pain."
"I can't use magic-magic." Daniel pulls out a crossbow. "This won't help either."
"Magical arrows?" Curses can work, but I am limited on curses. What happened to the warhog? How'd it become this?
"No." Daniel holds up his weapon. "William, give me a good shot."
"I got you. Go." William uses his teleportation to put Daniel's bolt in open skin of the warhog. It looks to stay in.
"Eyes." I watch the monster. It didn't even notice the bolt. It's focused on Vincent. And Vincent can't shout orders or explain anything. Full attention has to be kept on the beast. "Eyes are always a weakness."
"Not always. But, Daniel, go." William says. Daniel's bolt this time is teleported into Cleaver's left eye. The roar is impressive. Vincent is pushes back. Instead of spiralling into a death battle, Cleaver runs away.
"And that's how I end up battling him many times." Vincent exhales from the ground. "Worse than normal."
"Maybe you're just getting old." Lyrie says dropping back into our zone. "Sorry I wasn't helpful. I tried for a shot." She looks to Daniel. "Thanks for that. My job is normally pull off such a thing."
"William teleported it into place." Daniel holds up his hands. "I was only using the weapon poorly."
"Then thank you, William." Lyrie nods to him before turning to Vincent on the ground. "Is he close still?"
"No. Should run back to his home for a while. An eye shot requires a full day repair period. Not sure what else will bother us."
"With Cleaver's blood about? Either something worse or nothing." Lyrie leans back watching me. "You're going for the goblins later, right?"
"Yeah."
"Can you ask them how they domesticated warhogs in the first place? That's what they ride. Although, we know Cleaver isn't a true warhog anymore. Maybe they know the favorite food or something."
I nod. That may help. Cleaver should be a problem for anyone in these fields. "If Harvest Mission ends before he dies, can we get a full knight squadron taking him out? You know where he lives, right, Vincent?"
"I could find him if I had the allowance. I assume he moved on from his last home."
He's nomadic? Warhogs, though, don't stay in one place for long. They create homes for a time. This one may be more human in looks, but it is still a warhog. I scan the group. I don't know who Vincent would wish to take for the mission. I would be useless. If I had my full spell list I would be in better shape.
Vincent pats my shoulder. "Thanks for offering that end for him." He pauses looking to the group. "Her Majesty didn't appear, so realize her thoughts on the matter." That gets cheers.
That's right. Mom is watching. And I wasn't emotionally stable. She'd be watching the battle. But she didn't appear, so she believed in us. Or she is in even bigger trouble than we are. It has to be the former. Has to be.