A week passed since Erik had pledged his assistance to the villagers of Liberty Watch. Vanessa found herself leading a small hunting team through the dense undergrowth of the forest, her senses heightened as she sought signs of Thaids. Erik solved the food problem, that was true, but the village still needed precious proteins that the awakener couldn't provide. For this reason, Vanessa and a group of four other people went searching for beasts to kill.
The forest was bustling with activity, including the chirps of birds in the distance, the rustle of leaves underfoot, and the rumble of a nearby stream in the background. Vanessa's sharp eyes combed the landscape, following the Thaids' shaky footprints as they moved across it.
She was an unspoken authority over her team, a leader who was firm but kind and who earned the respect of her coworkers and superiors.
The other members of her group trailed behind in complete silence, weapons at the ready, eyes focused intently on the environment.
When she turned around to look at her companions, the expressions on their faces hardened with resolve. They had come to accept the reality of the village situation and were prepared to face it head-on.
As they proceeded deeper into the forest, the raw scent of nature, the moist earth underfoot, and the canopy of leaves overhead combined to create a natural fortress that encased them like a cocoon.
Their nerves were on edge at the slightest sound, whether it was the snap of a branch or the flutter of a bird's wing. But Vanessa, unwavering in her determination to lead them, kept her hand steady on the handle of her spear as she checked the surroundings.
Her thoughts, however, couldn't help but drift back to what Amos said. It had been a shock for her to learn that he planned to relocate the entire village inside the cave where the ancient underground city was located.
She did not consider that fair and was not sure that moving there would be possible; however, nothing could be done to change the situation and Amos's decision.
The prospect of relocation was annoying, but if there was a chance to ensure the safety and future of their people, Vanessa knew they had to take it.
The woman turned to one of her men, a guy named Abel; she yelled out, "Abel, any signs of Thaid tracks?"
Abel, a wiry individual with a hawk's gaze, scanned the area around them. He had a keen eye for detail, a trait that made him an invaluable member of her hunting team, and that was why she always brought him with her during hunts. His sharp, hazel eyes were now squinted in concentration as he surveyed their surroundings.
"Nothing, Vanessa," he called back, shaking his head. His voice was filled with a mix of frustration and disappointment.
A bitter curse slipped from Vanessa's lips. The hunting expedition was proving more difficult than she had anticipated. She tightened her grip on the spear, and the whites of her knuckles began to show.
The fact that there were no Thaid tracks was a worrying omen. It gave the impression that the monsters had traveled further away from their typical hunting grounds or, even worse, that they were being driven away by something.
Either scenario was not an encouraging sign of the state of their already precarious situation.
In the stillness of their tense search, Vanessa felt a chill run down her spine as a sudden, bone-chilling war cry erupted around them. When a group of soldiers with weapons in their hands broke through the thick underbrush, she hardly had time to react to the situation.
One of them, a man dressed in full military garb and wielding a spear with a bluish sheen that indicated it was charged with mana, charged toward her. Hunter's instincts began to surface in Vanessa. She evaded his thrust, and her spear collided with his in a flurry of opposing forces as she continued to fight.
The force of his raw strength sent a reverberating shock through her arm, but she remained steadfast and gritted her teeth to fight through the pain.
Their weapons disengaged with a shrill screech of metal against metal. The soldier struck back with rapid jabs, each more vicious than the one that came before it.
The woman was forced to retreat, barely managing to deflect his relentless attacks. Her heart pounded in her chest as she circled her opponent, trying to find an opening after she gained distance.
Their spears would come into contact with one another, creating a cacophonous sound that reverberated in the otherwise peaceful environment of the forest. Vanessa couldn't help but be impressed by the level of skill displayed by her adversary.
His movements were fluid, and his strikes were calculated and precise. However, he was overly aggressive, and as a result, his attacks left him open to counterattacks, which Vanessa did not hesitate to take advantage of.
During their vicious dance, words were hurled with the same level of force as their weapons. "You can't be serious!" Vanessa spat, ducking under a savage thrust. "Attacking innocent people? Is this how Frant's soldiers show their honor?"
The soldier retorted, his voice filled with icy disdain. "You're the ones who brought this upon yourselves," he hissed, narrowly missing her shoulder with his mana-infused spear. His eyes, hard and unyielding, bore into hers. "We gave you clear orders, yet you chose defiance."
Her muscles were aching from the strain of their never-ending conflict, which caused her chest to heave as she fought to maintain a steady breathing pattern. "You can't tell us how or where to live our lives!"
"We have every right," the soldier snarled, a sudden increase in the intensity of his attacks causing Vanessa to stumble back. "You live on Frant's territory. You're Frantian citizens whether you admit it or not."
Anger bubbled within Vanessa at this man's audacity. "We are citizens of Liberty Watch," she declared, standing her ground despite the onslaught. "We will not bend to your threats!"
The response from the soldier was a sarcastic and acrid laugh. "Then you leave us no choice." After making that chilling announcement, he continued his assault with a newfound ferocity that left no room for more words. Their fight became increasingly heated, and it could be heard throughout the thicket where they were fighting.
With a quick feint, Vanessa deflected his spear to the side, allowing her to expose more of the man's defenses. Vanessa made a lunge forward, aiming for the side of him that was exposed.
However, the soldier was considerably quicker than she had anticipated. He sidestepped her blow by contorting his body to the opposite side, and then he struck back with a swift kick that sent the woman tumbling to the forest's ground in retaliation.
Even though the impact knocked the wind out of her lungs, Vanessa refused to give up the fight. She let out a low growl as she struggled to pull herself back up onto her feet, her grip on the spear tightening as she did so.
Her eyes met her adversary's, and a solemn promise was exchanged between them.
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