Shopping and registering in the guild had let time pass.

 

It was already afternoon when Dario, Daria, and I arrived at the gate. Sarna was not there yet, which was due to the fact that only 1½ hours had passed from the agreed 2 hours.

 

"Looks like we need to wait."

 

Said Dario, who had a huge backpack on his back with all sorts of kitchen utensils on it.

 

"Yes… Yes…”

 

Daria replied, half disinterested in Dario's testimony. She didn't have a backpack with her, but some weapons. In addition to two one-handed swords, she had two daggers on her upper arms and two one-handed axes on her back.

 

"Say, Daria, aren't they too many weapons?"

 

"Do you think so? I always have one or two sets with me before my weapons break. ”

 

She reminds me of a game character that any child wanted to give a particularly cool look and exaggerated a bit.

 

I couldn't help laughing.

 

"HI THERE!"

 

Sarna waved and called to us from afar.

 

She had a normal-sized backpack with her.

 

"Have you been waiting for a long time?"

 

"No, we only came recently."

 

"Then, did you see the others?"

 

"Other?"

 

"Ah! I forgot to tell you there is another team that comes along. They are all rank C and shouldn't be inferior to you. ”

 

Sarna looked around a little.

 

"There they are."

 

She pointed to a group of four people who were not far from the guardhouse.

 

"Let's go to them!"

 

We strode across the small square to the gate and the guardhouse.

 

"Oh, Guild Leader!"

 

An older man in plate armor led the group.

 

"Viktor, nice to see you."

 

She shook the man's hand.

 

"You are complete?"

 

"Yes!"

 

“Well, then let's go. Unfortunately, we don't have time for a big round of introductions, so we'll introduce ourselves better the first time we take a break. ”

 

Sarna set out, and everyone followed her.

 

We left Astel and walked along the main road to the southeast.

 

Sarna explained our procedure because we have no clues to start. We would look for the needle in the haystack. So our first step was to go to their last known location.

 

The last location was a watchtower about 6 hours walk from Astel. Without significant delays, we would reach the watchtower shortly after dusk.

===

We had been traveling for some time when...

 

"Stop!"

 

Sarna, who formed the vanguard with us, called out that we should stop.

 

"What's happening?"

 

Viktor’s group came to us.

 

"There is something."

 

I didn't point to a group of trees in front of us.

 

"Do you know what it is and how many?"

 

"Hmmm ... I count ten. No, maybe 12 or 15. Unfortunately, I don't know what it is..."

 

"Not so bad, Eris."

 

Dario caressed my head.

 

"Lars an arrow."

 

Viktor ordered the archer to shoot an arrow into the group of trees behind him.

 

He immediately tensed his bow and...

 

*Fusch*

 

The arrow flew through the air and approached the trees.

 

"Now."

 

Viktor gave another command to the archer, who pulled up his left sleeve and revealed a tattoo.

 

He tapped the tattoo and muttered something.

 

At first, it was not clear to me what he was doing, but I understood it when I looked back at the trees a massive glacier appeared between the trees.

 

Ice magic at the tip of the arrow!

 

The creatures were not long in coming and showed themselves to us.

 

An unknown wolf species emerged from between the trees.

 

They had rust-brown fur and were smaller than ash wolves.

 

"Attention! A pack of Irsh-wolves! ”

 

Our group immediately took up a combat formation. Sarna, Daria, Viktor, and the ax fighter from Viktor's group formed our front line. Dario and I -were positioned behind them, and the last two members of Viktor's group had positioned themselves to the side of us. It was the archer Lars and a swordsman.

 

“Wind, I call you, follow my call, and cut my enemies! Wind Cut!"

 

Dario summoned a wind spell that raced towards the wolves.

 

Now me! (Phoenix fire)

 

A phoenix shot out of my hand and flew towards the wolves.

 

The phoenix flew between the wolves, which the pack split up.

 

"How?"

 

Dario was amazed. I ignored his remark and went on.

 

I pulled the dagger and activated the spell.

 

(Boltport activated - 2 charges available)

 

Without a word to someone I teleported between the ranks of wolves, they didn't even notice my appearance, and I took advantage of it by using (Phoenix Inferno)!

 

And before anyone could even notice that I was gone, I was already standing next to Dario.

 

"Go kill the fleeing!"

 

Viktor ordered that the wolves who are still alive to be killed.

 

"Psst, Eris!"

 

Dario approached and whispered my name.

 

"Yes?"

 

"That was you, am I right?"

 

"...Yes."

 

"Well done! I think this action will not allow the Irsh-wolves to escape and bring reinforcements. ”

 

“What do you mean by reinforcement? Wolves live in the pack, and this was the pack. ”

 

“Irshwolves are different. They live in swarms like insects. They even dig caves on their own and expand their structure as their "swarm grows."

 

"Hey!?"

 

A voice interrupted our whisper.

 

It was the swordsman who had protected the archer, Lars.

 

"Yes?"

 

"I saw you shoot a phoenix out of flames, but what was that? I didn't see any spell flying from you to the Irsh-wolves!”

 

Uhm... how should I answer that...

 

"..."

 

I couldn't think of words.

 

"Where do I think about it, did you ever cast a spell and where's your wand?"

 

"Uh?"

 

I still didn't have the words.

 

"What's happening?"

 

Daria, Sarna, and Viktor came back to us. Only the ax fighter stayed with the bodies of the Irsh-wolves.

 

"She... she conjured up the phoenix without a spell, and this explosion of flame also came from her!"

 

"And?"

 

Daria asked the man, disinterested.

 

"Um, is this in any way important to the mission?"

 

Sarna also interfered.

 

"How can we trust her if we don't even know what she is?"

 

"What she is!?"

 

Dario angrily repeated what the swordsman said.

 

"It's none of your business who or what she is, you lousy!"

 

I grabbed Dario's arm.

 

"...What?"

 

He turned to me.

 

I shook my head without saying anything.

 

"Hey!"

 

Viktor grabbed the swordsman.

 

"Follow me."

 

He dragged him with him and moved away from the group.

 

"I'm sorry for the trouble he caused."

 

It was bowman Lars who apologized.

 

"Instead of apologizing, could you explain what's going on with this guy?"

 

Sarna objected.

 

"It... It's a bit complicated."

 

"We have time."

 

“Well, the character of Nico… is a little difficult. He possesses bad memories about magic, and when he saw you using magic, he probably remembered the past.”

 

"And what about me? Why did he become like that towards Eris, but not me?”

 

"You are a wizard and use spells."

 

Lars pointed at Dario's wand.

 

“He differentiates between magicians and wizards, whereby he wants to send magicians to Hades and wizards not. It usually ends like now that Viktor takes him aside and holds him a telling-off with a bonus.”

 

"Why is there a guy like that on your team?"

 

"Um, he's Victor's younger brother."

 

The ax fighter came up to us and explained the situation.

 

"I would never guess that they don't look alike."

 

I remarked that Viktor was already gray hair, and his hair was getting less and less, but his brother Nico(?) still had full dark blonde hair.

 

One moment later, Viktor came back to us with his brother.

 

"Sorry for the delay!"

 

Viktor apologized. Next to him was his brother, whom he also forced to bow.

 

"...Sorry."

 

 A forced "apology" came from his brother's mouth. When both of them straightened up, I saw that Victor had given his brother's left eye an excellent beat and gave it a black eye.

 

Nice one!

 

"I think we should go on, Viktor is this cleared up here?"

 

"I hope."

 

He glanced at his brother.

 

"It is settled."

 

He improved his statement.

 

Our journey continued, but the formation was changed a little for reasons.

 

Viktor and his brother were our vanguards because Sarna, Lars, Dario, and I were the center. In the rearguard were the ax fighter and Daria.

 

Our further trip was very peaceful. The sun was already scratching the horizon, and the watchtower was already visible in the distance.

 

"We have almost reached the tower, what is the plan?"

 

“We will spend the night in the tower, and tomorrow morning we will look for traces of our missing people. I hope your skills can help us do that. ”

 

"I hope that too…"