Trouble Brewing

The next morning we woke up bright and early, breaking camp after a small breakfast before loading into the wagon and heading south once more.

“So, we’re probably going to be doing a lot of fighting in Valestia, right?” asked Alice.

“Indeed. The labyrinth is teeming with various types of monsters,” replied Lucille.

“Then we should probably let Ophelia know what we can all do,” said Alice.

“Good idea,” I said. “I’ll start. I’m a Level 4 Adventurer. I have the Mana Edge, Steal, Shade, Bolster, and Countershield skills.”

“I’m a Level 6 Pyromancer with the Flare, Firebolt, and Fire Mine spells. I also have the Elemental Authority and Channeling Efficiency skills.”

“As a Level 5 Paladin, my skills are Heroic Draw, Holy Blast, Smite Undead, and Full Guard,” said Lucille.

“I am a Level 3 Cleric,” said Alice. “I can cast the Holy Aura and Divine Blast spells.”

“Thank you, everyone. As you know, I’m a spellsword. I’m Level 4, and I have that Ward spell, as well as the Mana Edge and Thunder Blade skills,” said Ophelia.

“How well would that Ward spell work in battle?” I asked.

“It’d be very impractical,” said Ophelia. “It takes quite a while to cast and it really just deters monsters from wandering inside. It wouldn’t stop them from chasing you inside the ward if you’ve already pissed them off.”

“Well there goes that idea,” I sighed.

“G-guys!” shouted Flora from the front of the wagon as a javelin of stone ripped through the canvas of the wagon and embedded itself into the floor.

“Shit! Enemies!” I yelled, bursting out the back of the wagon, the others not long behind. A group of six scantily clad muscular green men armed with poorly hewn stone weapons, each man over six feet tall.

“Orcs!” exclaimed Lucille, drawing her sword.

“Flora get behind us,” I said as she jumped off the front of the wagon.

“Gotcha,” she said, hiding behind Lucille. The largest orc let out a loud war cry, lowering his battleaxe towards us, and the orcs all charged.

“Brace yourselves! Full Guard! Then, Heroic Draw!” Lucille shouted, her body glowing with a faint blue light as her skills activated. Lucille charged into the fray, all the orcs drawn directly towards her.

“Ophelia take the left flank, Sofia pick them off from range, Alice provide support. I’ve got the right flank,” I ordered, drawing my sword and running around the right side. I used bolster on Lucille to further boost her defenses.

“Come on!” Lucille boasted, batting aside a stone spear of one of the orcs before opening a gash on its shoulder. A second orc leapt at her with a pair of waraxes in hand but was sniped out of the air by one of Sofia’s Firebolts, bursting into flame and screaming in agony as it burned a hole through his throat.

“Steal!” I yelled, taking a waraxe from the flaming orc and hurling it into the mob. The axe embedded itself into the back of one of the orcs. The orc howled in pain before whirling around to face me. It raised its jagged stone sword as it staggered towards me. I brought my blade down hard, breaking the feeble stone weapon as the orc tried to block. A follow up cleanly severed its head.

“Thunder Blade!” yelled Ophelia, lightning crackling around her sword as she charged into the group of orcs, impaling the spear thrower while the lightning sparked off to the rest of the orcs, electrocuting them.

“Sofia, now!” Lucille yelled, grabbing Ophelia and running away from the stunned orcs.

“Flare!!!” Sofia yelled, firing a large fireball into the group of orcs. The fireball exploded, lighting the group ablaze while they were helpless. With an enraged roar, the orc leader charged out of the blaze swinging its battleaxe wildly.

“Lucille, watch out!” I yelled, trying to close the distance. She dropped Ophelia and whirled around, meeting the wild charge.

“Holy Blast!” yelled Lucille raising her hand to the orc’s face and a flash of light stunning it. She kicked it in the chest, pushing it back before bringing her blade down, splitting its head down the middle. Breathing a sigh of relief, I sheathed my sword as we regrouped. Sofia waved her hand towards the blaze and it died down.

“Good work, everyone,” I said, patting Sofia on the shoulder.

“What the hell are orcs doing here?” asked Ophelia.

“They aren’t native?” I asked.

“No,” said Lucille.

“Orcs were part of the demon king’s army,” said Alice.

“Not nearly enough to be an army,” I said, crouching over the decapitated corpse from before. “More like a scouting party.”

“Scouting for what?” asked Flora.

“We must inform the guild,” said Lucille. “They are likely mere remnants, however, there is no such thing as being too cautious.”

“Got the perfect trophy as evidence,” I said, holding up the severed head by its dark braided hair. “Let’s get this thing wrapped up.”

We wrapped the severed head in a spare blanket and set it in the back of the wagon before continuing onwards towards Aedon. As the sun began to set, we reached the top of a hill.

“Guys look, it’s just up ahead,” said Flora, poking her head into the wagon. Lucille opened the curtains wide.

“Welcome, everyone, to Aedon,”