บท 23: There Is A Girl

Archer was staring at the wolf, who was looking back at him. They both were stuck in place until he heard noises coming from behind him.

He quickly turned around to see five more wolves walking into the clearing. All of them were growling at him.

They hated humanoids and would take the opportunity to attack one whenever the chance appeared.

Archer smiled manically before shouting out. ''This is what I want. Bring more wolves, and bring even more hearts!''

Summoning the Cosmic Sword twice, Archer wielded two short swords. With determination, he charged at the first wolf, ready to fight.

But just as he arrived in front of the beast, he cast Blink to appear beside it. He plunged the blade into the wolf's neck.

It dropped dead as the other five looked at him, killing one of their kin. All the wolves growled, getting angrier seeing the smile on the boy's face.

Archer looked at them with a smile and spoke with a mad chuckle. ''Come here, doggies, let me clean that fur for you.''

He sprinted toward the group as he cast Fire Missiles at them. The wolves dodged as best as possible, but two were hit directly and sent flying.

That's when he noticed the last three lunging at him just in time. Dodging the first wolf's attack and casting Cosmic Shield to block the other two.

The wolves crash into the barrier, stunning themselves, allowing Archer to dispatch the two wolves quickly.

Archer plunged his blades into both beast's heads. The last wolf stood there, debating whether to run or fight this little demon with a crazy smile.

Without moving an inch, he stood still and stared at it. It turned and fled, but when the wolf did, it felt a searing pain before dropping to the ground dead.

Archer checked his mana.

[Mana: 2170/3120]

Staring at the amount used, he started doing the math as he tested out by using the spells.

One hour after starting his calculations, he figured out that Blink uses one hundred and fifty mana per use, Eldritch Blast uses four hundred, Cosmic Sword uses forty, Fire Missiles one hundred, and Cosmic Shield uses sixty mana.

'That's not too bad. Now let's collect the grass.' Archer thought to himself.

Dismissing his sword, he pulled out his knife, cut out the six wolf hearts, and ate them. He wiped his hands and face while storing the wolf bodies.

He went to the grass and started harvesting until the bag was full. It only took him an hour to complete.

Archer noticed the afternoon sun was high in the sky as he went to Glimmershade village to deal with the goblins.

As he approached the road, he noticed a trading caravan from Vassia City and walked up. When the caravan guards saw him leave the forest, they got wary and kept an eye on him.

The guard in charge stepped forward and asked. ''Boy, what are you doing wandering the forest? It's dangerous for a child your age to be out here.''

Gazing up at the man, Archer couldn't help but notice his towering height. The man stood impressively tall, boasting brown hair, blue eyes, and a formidable beard.

He was wearing heavy leather armor that covered most of his body. Archer saw a sword on his back and a shield strapped to his left arm.

Two individuals approached the tall man. The first was a short black man donned in a scout outfit with brown hair and black eyes.

The second, a strikingly tall and beautiful blonde woman, adorned herself in a black witch's outfit, showcasing a large bust and captivating purple eyes.

She questioned, "Ephrain, why are we stopping?"

Her eyes fell upon Archer standing at the road's edge as they halted. She gasped as she saw his white horns, scales, and violet eyes.

Mumbling to herself, she exclaimed, "The boy is a dragon, a white one at that."

The two men overheard her revelation and turned their attention toward Archer, who met their gaze with an impassive expression.

The black-haired man voiced his disbelief, "Rowana, how in the world did you come to figure out this kid is a dragon? The things are hardly ever seen nowadays, and now you're telling us that there's one standing in front of us."

She turned her head and spoke. ''Because you're stupid and haven't studied anything in your life, Ludo, you can't see what I can. You see the boy's white horns and scales?''

The man named Ludo looked at the boy and nodded as the woman continued. ''They are bending at different angles then point straight up, his scales are a glittering white, the old dragon king had the same scales and horns but black hair instead of the boys white.''

The two men nodded their heads after listening to her explanation.

Archer heard what the woman said and got curious, so he asked her as he turned his head towards the witch. ''You know too much. Did you learn all that from books?''

The witch looked at the white-haired boy with sparkling eyes. ''Can I examine you, please? It's not every day you come across a dragon.''

When he didn't answer, she continued. ''I've met many Dragon-kin and also studied wyverns in the wild and captivity.''

Before she could finish, Archer turned on his heels and started walking off without saying a word. When he began walking southward, Ephrain called, "Boy, where are you traveling to?"

Archer stopped walking and turned back to the man before answering him. ''I'm on a quest to Glimmershade to clear some goblins, you?''

Rowana spoke up before Ephrain could. ''We are headed to Shavano City on an escort mission. We pass through Glimmershade. How about you join us? It's dangerous to travel alone as things are getting worse.''

She got a look on her face, probably remembering she hadn't introduced themselves yet.

''I was rude for not asking your name. My name is Rowana. The big guy over there is Ephrain, and the angry-looking black guy is Ludo. What's yours?''

"I'm Archer. It's nice to meet you, Rowana," he responded, nodding at the blonde woman. "And yes, I'll join you."

Minutes later, the caravan started moving again and headed down the road. While traveling, the older woman kept trying to get close to Archer.

But he was having none of it and told her to stop talking about him being a dragon or to leave him alone. She stopped asking him about being a dragon and instead asked him where he was from. ''So, where are you from, Archer?''

He thought for a second before telling her. ''I lived in Vassia my whole life, only started traveling recently.''

Rowana nodded before asking something else. ''Are you attending the College of Magic when you turn sixteen, or will you continue adventuring?''

Archer thought long and hard about the question; he wanted to go, but no one would send him. He was practically homeless at the moment. The woman got a worried look when he didn't answer for a few minutes, but he answered. ''No, no one will recommend me.''

Archer heard a whistling sound heading straight for the group as she was about to reply.

Ephrain roared as arrows started hitting the caravan guard's shields. ''AMBUSH, Form up and defend the caravan.''

Twenty bandits surrounded the caravan, and the guards prepared for a hard fight.

Archer noticed an arrow flying toward Rowana. Just before the arrow hit her, he stepped In front of her and turned to the side.

It hit him but pinged off his scales. The arrow fell to the floor as he cast Cosmic Sword and ran towards the shooter, who he could smell.

Dodging a few more arrows heading towards him, he caught up to the bandit shooting at him. As he was charging at the man, he started a rhyme to make it more fun for himself.

''There is a girl, or so she seems.

You've seen her face in fitful dreams.

Black the ribbons in her hair.

Black her grin, from here to there.''

He dodged the archer's knife swing and plunged the black sword into the man's stomach as he continued with the rhyme and killing.

''Her dress, the merest moonlight trick.

Her eyes were too deep, too dark, too quick.

And of this girl, not much is known.

Although the tales have grown and grown.''

He leaped on another bandit who wasn't paying attention to him. Archer stabbed him, bringing him to the ground, and he got a warning from his senses.

Quickly dodging an axe swing that went over his head and nearly hit his horns, he shot a void blast into the Axe man's chest.