The sun was as at Tina's back, the birds were chirping, the breeze was mild and brisk as it traced over the revealing gaps on her armour. Rather than ambling quietly between the trees, she and others chatted amiably.

Suzy Huber, true to form, was a lively and engaging conversationalist, but equally true to form, she used that charm to draw out words they might have otherwise held back. Though far from brilliant, her brutal wit had its own way of making people see things the way she wanted them to. Farnese, in particular, was often offended but gradually learning to hold back her irritation.

Hiro was content to just enjoy the day and continue to call it a work trip, it had already lasted far, far longer than he estimated, but it was only a matter of time now before it would end. Before he could let his mind travel far down that road though, he saw a distant cloud ahead, and leaned forward toward Selene, "Do you see that?" He asked.

The elven girl squinted, "Is that… is that a dust cloud?"

"It is, and the wind is low right now, so what does that leave?" Hiro made the question sharp, and even through the shaggy mop of hair, he saw the face of his women turn pale.

"Stop the wagon." Tina ordered when she heard what he said.

None of the adventurers needed orders to know what to do next. Lyla vaulted from the group, her legs bent on landing and she quickly straightened up. Her considerably sizeable sword came out, and before her first step, the other women took their places in a wedge formation in front of the king, Hiro.

Tina, the assassin took up position at Lyla's left, while the werewolf, Brita took the right, and the team spread out from there with Suzy at the rear, just beside Hiro. "Soldiers or trolls, but there isn't a big difference between the two sometimes." The way  Tina shifted her tiny shield and gripped her dagger a little tighter revealed that the uncertainty was likely worse than either alone.

"Wait… those aren't… they can't be? No way…" Brita whispered as the they drew closer to the object on the ground before them.

"What is it?" Selene asked.

"That is not troll, don't you know who that is?" Brita's voice began to reach a higher pitch with every word.

A person was lying on the ground with the back facing them. He seemed alive as the body was moving slightly.

They approached the body and turned it over.

"Haaaa." 

An old man with white hair and beard. Hiro's translucent dashboard told him that the old man was a sixty three years old villager. He was wounded although not severe. 

Selene quickly performed light healing magic on him. 

"What happened, uncle?" Suzy asked.

He closed his eyes for a while before answering. 

"We were attacked by trolls....I had other five men with me....we killed two of those monsters but.... it's too much for us...only I somehow escaped..."

The adventurers looked at each other. 

"You guys came from a village? Is there even a village around here?" Brita asked.

"Not near but not too far from here. It's a frontier village, no .. it's actually inside Korcari Wilds although not too deep."

Tina interrogated him, "What are you even doing here. Aren't the place lurking with monsters nowadays?"

The old man didn't answer. He only stared gloomily at the ground. 

Hiro who had a good instinct asked, "Do monsters attack your village?"

The old man's expression changed and turned his head upward to Hiro. 

Hiro didn't interrogate but only introduced himself,

"My name is Hiro, an adventurer. Could you kindly tell us your name, mister."

"I can't return to the village like this...I must find help...My name is Morgan, from Enoch village." 

"Don't worry. We will help you."

Hiro carried Morgan on his back and the group continued their journey.

Morgan narrated while being carried on piggyback. 

"Living just inside Korcari Wilds, we gre up hearing many tales. We didn't believe them until one fateful night. Over a week ago, hideous monsters attacked our village at night. They came, like something out of the pages of a tale, appearing from darkness."

"Monsters...could it be...trolls?" Suzy guessed.

"Since that night, our life was never the same again!"

Brita asked, "Isn't your village in Castall? Why didn't you guys report to your feudal lord and asked for his help?"

"The lord's fortress is far from us. But we sent people to him but he ignored us. He said they were busy preparing for a war."

"As expected of Castall nobles!" Suzy retorted sarcastically.

Farnese asked, "Did you ask for another kind of help?"

Morgan replied, "Upon being rejected by the lord, we decided to hire mercenaries."

"Mercenaries? Where do you plan to find mercenaries? Castall doesn't have those!" Tina interjected.

Morgan became even gloomier and clinched his fist. He said,

"That's why we ventured here and faced those monsters."

Hiro assured him, "Don't worry mister. We will definitely fight those monsters."

***

Enoch village in the western edge of Korcari Wilds. A large village with over 600 residents. 

"Ted's house is taken over by monsters!"

A group of fifty villagers armed with various farming tools ran to a big big wooden house at the edge of the village. 

"Kyaaaa!" A girl screamed and escaped from the house.

"That's Ted's wife!" 

They ran to the girl.

"Help. Ted." She pointed towards the broken door.

"Look. His cows!" There were many carcasses of cows scattered around the house as if being eaten by wild beasts. 

The neighbouring houses were located several hundred meters away and those neighbours were peeking from the opening of their closed windows. 

There was a grotesque creature of slightly over a meter height exiting the house with a crude stick in its deformed hand. Most of its body was covered by messy hair. Jaws and big teeth were exposed from its protruded snout.

It had a short tail and its barefoots were big. Its body was fat and its penis hanging between its crotch. 

Behind it, there was another of the same creature grabbing a man.

"Aaaa!" A man's shout was echoed from the house.

The girl recognized the man bitten by the monster.

"Ted!" 

"It's no use, Hanna. He is done..!"

The girl wrested a pitchfork from a man and ran towards the door.

She managed to hit its body but her strength was very weak that she fell before the monster without injuring it. 

The monster jumped on her and licked her face with its big tongue.

Its penis which was slightly smaller than  humans became hard. 

"Kyaaaa!"

"Damn it!" The nearest man pierced a pitchfork at its face.

The sharp fork stabbed into its large nose but it was still alive.

Several men approached the door but stopped at their track.

There were over a dozen of the same monsters were seen inside the house.

***

(Hiro's Point of View)

Enoch village is better equipped than any village that I ever seen in this world. There is a brick bridge bypassing a river within the village. The perimeter of the village was fortified by brick walls of about 1 meter height. 

From the arch which is the entrance into the village, we could see from afar, four monolithic buildings. 

There is one three storey building that looks like an old church which is obviously the largest monument in the area.

We walked for several minutes until we notice a group of men assembling on a field that looks like a graveyard. It seems they are burying coffins. 

Morgan becomes anxious and calls them,

"Everyone, what happened?"

The men turned to him,

"Old man Morgan!"

"He is back."

They run towards him. 

"You are safe!"

Morgan answers grievously, "Somehow. We were attacked by those monsters. I am sorry. Only this old man survived."

They stared at the ground.

"Who are in the coffins?" Morgan asked weakly.

A man answered,

"Ted and Horace."

"What happened?"

"Monsters attacked Ted when he was guarding the cattle shed. He was killed. Hannah was abducted when she tried to save him."

"Horace tried to save her but a mob showed up from her house. The monsters beaten him to death!"

"They were just married a month ago."

An old man grabs Morgan's shoulder.

"Morgan. How is it going for you? Did you get the mercenaries?"

Morgan turned his body towards us.

"Village chief. I bring our helpers."

We walked into the cemetery,. ignoring their shocked and dejected looks.

"But they are women!"

"Those monsters love women. Are they really going to be all right?"

"The girls are too young. Can they fight?"

"There is one man. He looks strong."

The girls look at me and each other.

Suzy is the first one to voice up, "It seems we have become an exhibition."

The village chief grabs Morgan's collar restlessly.

"Morgan. Is this a joke?"

"I am serious. They want to help us. They are even familiar with the monsters. Those monsters are trolls!"

Two village women suddenly yelled, 

"Look at her ears. She is an elf!"

"Elf. Does the elf really exist?"

"Legendary elf."

"We are safe. Elf is good in magic!"

Suddenly, a thin man in a robe walks past them. His attire reminds me of a medieval christian priest. 

"Reverend!"

"I objected to this, village chief. Trinity followers are forbidden to get help from a witch."

He holds something like a bible. 

"Aah. A troublesome person appears." Suzy says.

"Oi, Morgan. Do you even need to make someone pose as a fake elf."

"She is genuine!"

"Shut up. Stop these superstitions. I understand your guilt as the sole survivor but this is too much!"

Ignoring the girls, the pastor pointed at me,

"Your garments suggest that you are travelling troupe. Did the old man beg for your help? I know you need money but the monsters are too much for you. Leave now!"

"Oi. Oi. We cane here only to be turned away at the entrance." Suzy laments.

"But, reverend. The man looks formidable. Isn't it wise to let him stay here?"

"No. Outsiders are not welcome. At times like this, we must pray to the God!"

I walk to the agitated pastor and tell him,

"We are tired after a long journey. Could you at least allow us lodging for a day?"

We glare at each other.

"What happens is none of my business!"

He walks away in defeat.

"Then. Old man Morgan and village chief. Could you provide us with lodging?"

"Sure!"

As we walk past the villagers, people yell,

"Look. That girl carries such a large sword. Is she a knight?"

"It's first time for me seeing an elf!"