After breakfast had finished, Sister Edna had gathered the children at the table and led them outside the Church doors to do their daily village rounds. 

The children were tasked to talk to the villagers, provide food offerings, make idle talk, and preach or recite their Lord Caleyar.

All of this was also in their daily quest logs.

Unfortunately for Dalis, he was grouped together with Stilla and Melvin against his will once again. 

Thus, Dalis strove to quickly finish his rounds to escape from Stilla's coercion and Melvin's insufferable personality.

Stilla took Dalis’s speed of doing things as a challenge and had declared she would join in the ‘race’ despite him saying it wasn’t a ‘race’. Melvin, provoked, refused to be outdone, as well. He joined in the race, declared war on Dalis, and had also hurriedly finished his rounds.

In a matter of roughly thirty minutes, their daily quest was finished, sparing a fair amount of time until their next allotted routine which was to study under Scholar Somal's tutelage. 

“So Dalis, you also think that I managed to be the first right?” Stilla asked, huffing a little, without a sweat. 

“Yes. The other guy was slower than you,” Dalis replied half-heartedly. Whatever makes you happy he thought.

While Dalis gave unenthusiastic replies, his eyes wandered to the corner of Grandma Carol’s old chalet. 

Due to the direction of the sun as dictated by the time, the meeting point of the eaves had casted a dark shadow underneath.

When he gazed intently for a moment, he saw it. 

Although he pretended not to notice it, he was drawn to it one way or another.

Much like that Destiny Quest . . .

“My child. What are you looking at?”

Dalis startled upon hearing that voice.  

He swiftly turned around to meet that voice he was very familiar with. 

Standing in front of him, somewhat a little too close, was the Head Mother of Caleyar Orphanage, Mother Michelle. 

“. . . Nothing in particular?” Dalis feigned ignorance. 

No longer was Dalis in a daze. In fact, he was much different than before. 

The other two now noticed Mother Michelle’s presence.

"Good morning Mother! I didn’t even notice you were behind us." 

"Greetings, Mother." 

Greeted Stilla and Melvin respectively.

Stilla uttered the words that roamed Dalis’s mind.

“Hello,” Dalis spoke. It would be rude if he did not join in. 

"Good morning children." Michelle replied, motherly.

"Who are these children, Sister?" asked Stilla with a sparkle in her eyes. Anyone could tell that she found them adorable.

Her question was addressed to the Sister closeby, accompanying two very young youths. 

"These children are children Mother Michelle picked up. They soon are going to be your younger siblings.”

Mother Michelle followed up. “Yes. They lived towards the southeast coast and lost their homes to a beast attack. So I picked up the poor souls to come to live with us in the Orphanage. Please take care of them well.”

"Worry not, Mother, Sister! We will welcome them with open arms," affirmed Melvin enthusiastically before shooting a glance at Dalis.

"Hehe, they're so cute. Let's quickly bring them to the Orphanage Mother. They need a bath after all this travelling," chimed Stilla.

"Yeah, let's head back," Dalis agreed. 

This was a convenient opportunity to keep both of his companions in check.

“The Vanquishers have returned!!” 

As the announcement fell on ears, the nearby town folk began to crowd, thronging to meet their protectors, idols, and family members.

The sound of hooves clopping on the ground grew louder as the line of Vanquishers approached on their horses. Some rode their horses while pulling wagons and the alike, carrying their spoils of war. 

At the end of the line, one would be able to spot the unkempt villagers through the windows, safely tented under the steely covered wagons.

It may appear odd that the villagers were safeguarded at the rear, but everyone understood.

Despite the arrival of the Vanquishers, all eyes were glued to stare to the front at the large, brown, ferocious beast, confined inside the iron cage.

Its jaguar-shaped body, covered with glaringly overt sanguinary, great battle-scars, scaled reptilian necks, and grooved striped black horns, sent the ordinary town folk to be scared stiff at its unique but war-like grandeur. 

Many of the warriors and soldiers in the crowd were intimidated as well, wearing anxious and unsightly looks.

“Jangero . . . they are not demonic beasts if I’m not mistaken, but this one is not a mere beast, but an evolved or a mutant beast!!” Melvin exclaimed, fascinated from the anomaly. 

“Ah! So that’s why it has two heads and horns.” Stilla found her answer.

Dalis watched on quietly. 

Captured beasts being brought here was not a seldom occurrence. But this unusuality certainly deviated from the course. 

Although the other two hadn’t caught on, Dalis’s interest was piqued. He understood much more. 

This beast was classified as mid-tier, and could not normally stand a candle to the average demonic beast. Yet, it appeared to be on a level that surpassed the candle. On a level that would give the most powerful Vanquishers a run for their money. 

The beast stubbornly stood on its four incapacitated limbs, menacingly gazing to its adversaries in spite of its shredded appearance. Its attitude served as a testament, befitting of a proud beast. 

Not before long, the line halted briefly, a distance away from the children. 

The leading Vanquisher got off his horse and strode to meet the coming Mother Michelle. They dutifully paid their respects to each other and engaged in short talk, reporting briefly of the events that took place after they parted their ways from the south-east coast.

“I will need to get going now. My men and women are exhausted from their long journey and treatment is necessary for the wounded, as well as addressing the integration of the new influx of villagers.” He paused. “And the matter of the fallen.” There was a look of sorrow hidden beneath his valiant eyes. 

Mother Michelle nodded her head. From the bitterness of his tone and looks of the others, she knew that this passing was going to be unpleasant. “The report can be sent in later at my office. I will inform Apostle Wrau when he returns. Take everyone to rest, including yourself General Zelgius. She bowed.

General Zelgius did not dally for a moment. After saluting, he began to return to his horse.

But—

ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!

“What the—How is this beast?”

“It’s breaking through the bars!!”

“Restrain it! Restrain it!”

The stationed soldiers were thrown in a fit of panic, and the nearby horses were squealing in fright, causing disorder to spread amongst the front. 

With a grand roar, the Jangero smashed its heads into the iron bars, coated with blessings, thrusting its horns in a space between the poles. 

In a matter of moments the bars began to quickly weaken. And to everyone’s utter disbelief, the beast was using its powerful, sturdy, weapons to forcefully pull open from its jail. 

Before General Zelgius could properly arrive and react, it became free, squeezing through the now oval-like shaped bars like it’s a hula hoop 

“THE BEAST HAS ESCAPED!”

As the crowd backed in alarm, the closest Vanquish soldiers immediately displayed their prowess, but they were all sweeped off their feet and flung away. 

“Why is it so strong?!”

“Damn how much did it recover! Protect the citizens!” 

The fallen soldiers cussed under their breaths while the distant soldiers speedily formed a line to protect the citizens. 

“Sir! It’s coming for you!”

General Zelgius gritted his teeth, stood his ground, and readied his weapon to battle the beast.

“So you want to settle your loss? Bring it on!” He yelled out a mighty cry worthy of his rank of a General. 

The Jangero sprang in the air, revealing its beastly maws, showcasing its proud horns to the heavens.

But the unbelievable continued.

Its direction in mid-flight was somewhat off in direction. 

The trajectory was different.

It was heading for the people behind him!

“Shit! Dodge! Run children, get out of the way!” General Zelgius ideally wished to intercept the beast, but he could not do so knowing that there are people who wouldn’t be able to make it. 

Thus, General Zelgius launched himself towards the frozen Sister and two young youths, roughly pinning them away from the beast. 

As he rolled on the ground, he promptly shouted, “Mother Michelle!”

“Dalis!!”

“Insect what are you—!” 

Without a trace of blinking his eyes, the gaze of Dalis’s eyes sharpened. 

His feet had already begun to dart forward. 

The cries of Stilla and Melvin resounded in his ears.

But there was not a single waver in his movement.

It was as though this very scenario was something he had been through countless times. 

Dalis was greatly aware of the difference in strength.

And that is why his eyes were locked towards the beast’s limbs.

Bypassing Mother Michelle, he kicked off his right leg and soared into the sky like a brilliant phoenix from the myths trying to overcome the overlord of the legends—the dragon. 

His arms moved in position; left arm a ruler’s length apart from his chest and right arm upheld about 70 degrees out. 

To the gaping onlookers, it appeared as though he was holding an invisible weapon. 

No.

To the onlookers, Dalis was seen as a boy courting death.

The beast was now just breaths away.

Time froze.

Dalis’s eyes that were like still water had undertaken a sudden ripple.

Panic fostered. 

Had the fear bloomed in the heat of the moment?

Or was there something amiss?

To many decisive warriors, his actions were seen as flawless.

Except one thing.

He made a blunder that no armed warrior would find themselves making.

Even a child could understand.

And this would cost him his very life.

He had forgotten.

He had no weapon.

“DALIS!!”

. . .

. . .