Chương 67: Book2 Chapter Three: Village 2

THREE Roan pushed hard after explaining his plan to Taoya, who had insisted that they spread the word. With his communication stone that hadn't been as onerous as Roan had feared it would be, but it had still slowed him down. He had four hours to find the other village, abduct the trainer, and retreat back to their own village before night fell and they had to fight to survive the night again.

That two other runners had been sent immediately after him, Roan having seen them rush out of the gates, told him his idea had some merit. He was more surprised that nobody else had followed after him, but Taoya had merely waved cheerfully to him as he ran through the gates and back into the forest." Aside from Taoya, who would even go with you to help you? You're one of the heavy hitters now. At least until the bloodlines start their body tempering or building mana cores."

The thought was enough to make Roan grit his teeth and pick up the pace. That he had caught up to the majority of the elites was one thing, his suicidal fixation and risk taking had paid off. But could he stay ahead of them as they began to organize and aid each other.

"Whole reason I joined the Pact was to get access to the most supplies. And get others to help me clear this place. They're alive. They're alive and I can find them," Roan spoke to himself as he ran, trees blurring by him as he headed toward Village 2. The warhammer on his shoulder created an awkward running gait, but he found his footing easily enough. Miles passed by as he relished in both his physical and mental growth.

He was hardly breathing hard as he ran, trails of sweat just now starting to work from his scalp and shoulders. The quiet voice that always pleaded for one to stop, to rest, to find the comfortable path was muted. Bound in bars of iron determination as Roan focused on his goal. Here and there he found signs of violence in the idyllic forest. Already rotting corpses lay beneath the thick canopies. It was unnatural how fast the flesh rotted off the goblins, sliding free of their bones to feed the lush grass.

More than one stripped down climber corpse was pressed against a tree, bodies free of gear. Roan happened to glance at one as he ran and saw where teeth had gnawed on the woman's flesh.

"Waste not, want not," Roan muttered as he kept going. Dying on this level would see one's corpse used as nutrition for the horde it seemed. It took less than an hour to find Village 2. The signs of fighting grew thicker the closer he came. Fires had burned and turned trees and grass to ash, baring the ground to the hot sun and tramping feet. Corpses were piled high, goblins filled with crossbow bolts or torn open by a weapon. A few had other injuries on them, wounds that could only come from a bloodline ability.

"Unless someone has started securing mana cores and their related skills," Roan said aloud as he stared at an ogre that had its chest blown open. From the inside out. Whatever had managed to do that was not something Roan wanted to fight.

"Yo!" A voice called out in a dense east coast accent. Roan looked up from the body to see a small group coming from the village gates holding a motley collection of weapons.

"Yeah?" Roan asked, looking them over. They didn't look like bloodline holders, none of the stuffy imperious looks on their faces, but it was harder to tell now with nearly everyone wearing tower bought clothes.

"What you doing? This is our turf!" The leader said, puffing his chest out like a peacock. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it." Be cool. This is a new development otherwise Taoya would have told you. They had clean information coming from here just a few hours ago. Fish and find out what's going on," Roan thought to himself as he looked over at the group.

"Just traveling through. Not looking to step on any toes," Roan said, lifting his free hand up in a placating manner.

"Three thousand credits to get in. You obey our rules," the leader said, his eyes narrowing as he lifted up his spear and shook it at Roan." Same shakedown Nash wanted to run on the last level. Don't recognize them though, but I didn't see everyone. Similar accent though. Could have been a gang that came through together?" Roan looked them over and then up to the walls of the walled village. There were no mobs patrolling the walls.

"Your boss the new mayor?" Roan asked, shifting his weight in case he needed to move quickly.

"Yeah."

"It was a tower born or a mob?" Roan asked. Hana had never shown any type of power to him, but between the warning during his introduction and Hana's nonchalant handling of him and Taoya, he didn't think anyone would or should be able to kill a tower born yet.

"Some little mob," one of the other guys. He didn't have the east coast accent. The last of the little trio shifted uneasily, her eyes drifting over to Roan and then back to her leader who was still puffing his chest out and trying to stare Roan down.

"Alright. Nash here?" Roan asked, letting his shoulders relax and forcing his body language to appear relaxed as he walked slowly toward them. The two minions didn't react to the name but the spokesman did, perking up and staring hard at Roan.

"You've seen, Nash?"

"He was on my floor. Did something similar as this with me," Roan said pointing at the three of them and back at the doors. The man deflated a bit, smiling easily as he relaxed now that Roan had found a middle-ground for them.

"Listen, boss says everyone has got to pay. Regardless, but if we get Nash and he confirms, we'll pay you back," the man said as he lifted out a free hand to Roan." I need that enchanter. Just pay the fee and see what's going on. I can make the money back." Roan knew he needed to pay the fee, or fight his way through who knew how many other climbers, but he hated it. It rankled who he was, how he'd suffered to earn what he had, and to just give it up was like shards of glass through his soul.

"Thanks," the man said as Roan bumped his hand and transferred the funds over. The trio of them broke apart and allowed him to pass, the woman still looking him over carefully as Roan walked through the gates and into Village 2. It was nearly identical to Village 3. Cobblestone walkways, small cottages, a board right in front of the gates. The bloodstains and still corpses piled in the gardens were different. Most of them were the strange undersized mobs, but more than one climber had lost their lives.

In death, they had all been treated the same. Stripped of anything of value and thrown into a pile. From the inside of the walls Roan looked back and saw two more climbers hidden behind the edge of the walls, holding crossbows. If he'd decided to get loud with the three out front, he would have had bolts stuck in his chest soon enough. More climbers stood over to the side, laying about near the edges of the boulevard, sitting around the cottages.

Some of them had bloodstained bandages, but most looked fine if not bored. They looked Roan over and continued whatever it was they were doing. Some were sharpening weapons, or trying to repair their kit.

"No bounties?" Roan muttered as he looked at the empty board. There wasn't a single piece of paper to be taken.

"Unfortunate consequence," a woman's voice said. Roan turned to look over his shoulder as a short woman marched toward him with a pair of men behind her. They were just as large as she was small, bulging with muscle, their hair slicked back, and tattoos riding up from their wrists to their elbows.

"You know Nash? And where is my little brother?" the woman said as she came to a stop in front of him with a glare.