38 38 – The Patrol
Checo and his group gathered near the fields. Each of them had brought a torch to light up the dark night. Except for Gina. A small ball of light floated above her palm.
Several times, Elise glanced at the fire in her torch. She was shaken and wanted to let that thing go. The idea of her hand being so close to the fire made Elise want to scream. However, Raymund said that Elise should start working on her phobia of fire.
“So, is this briefing necessary?” Dani asked in a fierce tone. She wrapped a long chain around her body.
Gina sighed. “Well, I still wonder why we’re still a group.”
“Then we’d better split up.” Checo chuckled. “With two teams, we can cover a wider area.”
“That means we’re in agreement, right?” Dani retorted.
“Who are you going with, Elise?” Checo shrugged. “I don’t mind if you go with them. You’re already close with Gina and Dani, right?”
“I think you better choose Checo, Elise.” Raymund made a suggestion. “We don’t know the strength of Gina and Dani, but we already know that Checo is a capable warrior. You will be safer if you are with Checo.”
Elise knows. Raymund said things like that didn’t necessarily mean he cared about the female warrior. If Elise dies, then the mission will fail.
“Errr…. I’ll come with you, Checo,” Elise answered after a few seconds.
Gina and Dani exchanged glances.
“Well, it would be better if we split up with an even number of people, anyway.” Gina sneered a little.
Dani added. “Be careful, Elise. He’s not what he seems.”
Checo put on a sarcastic smile, then turned and started walking. “Come on, Elise.”
Slightly surprised by Checo’s sudden departure, Elise froze, then waved to her two new colleagues and started following Checo.
Checo took the lead while Elise trailed with occasional glances at the man’s face.
Elise wasn’t a conversation starter, and Checo didn’t look like he wanted to talk. The patrols duty to check the areas of the field passed in silence.
“Aren’t you wondering why I don’t get along with Gina and Dani?” Checo finally asked.
Elise couldn’t answer. She was curious about that topic but didn’t feel comfortable asking it. Maybe those three people’s problems were too personal.
“Well, those two are reckless, while I’m more careful.” Checo rubbed his face. “Therefore, as soon as you climbed onto that rock yesterday, I knew right away that you would match those two.”
“Sorry…”
“No problem.” Checo smiled at his traveling companion. “As long as you don’t do something like that again. I just want my teammates to be safe.”
Elise just nodded, albeit with a stiff motion. The journey continued, and they began to enter a darker place. The moonlight could barely pass through the gaps in the leaves.
“Why did he take you to the forest, Elise?” Raymund asked warily. “Hey, don’t overdo it!”
Too late, Checo already noticed Elise, who looked around in panic.
“What’s wrong, Elise?” The man asked in a cold tone.
“Aah, it’s nothing, Checo.” Elise tried to keep her tone as normal as possible, but her awkward laugh made her behavior look strange.
“Don’t worry, this place is still within our patrol path.” Checo smiled.
Elise Gulped. There was something mysterious in that smile.
“Stay with Checo. I feel like you should know something about him, Elise.” Raymund gave his orders.
Elise couldn’t do anything but follow the man and walk through the forest filled with massive roots. Occasionally, she gasped when a creature that looked like a mix of a mouse and cat passed by.
“You’ve never seen an animal like that?” Checo asked again. “They are natives of this place, harmless if not provoked.”
Deeper into the forest, Elise’s cold sweat began to flow, and her heart rate crawled up. She had a bad feeling, but her master had not given further instructions.
Suddenly, a glowing object flew from behind one of the trees. Feeling the glare in her eyes, Elise jumped back. The jelly-like thing landed on the ground, brightening the surroundings with a bluish glow.
“What the…” Elise covered her eyes with one hand. Nothing strange happened after that.
“Watch out to your left!” Raymund shouted.
Elise had reacted, but a spike-tipped chain immediately hit her right hand, knocking her torch off.
The flames from the torch grew rapidly, burning the plant roots. Elise jumped to avoid it because she was so scared.
“Take out your sword!” Raymund snapped.
As soon as she landed, Elise drew her sword from her back. And that’s when she saw something strange happen.
“Gina? Why are you here?”
Gina stood by the fire, letting out a white cold gust from her hand, quickly extinguishing the fire. With a big smile, she answered Elise’s question. “What do you mean? I’m here to put out the fire.”
After that, Checo ran past Gina, jumped, then swung his club. Elise blocked the man’s attack with her sword, retreating a few feet again.
“Checo?” Elise couldn’t believe that the man had attacked her.
Checo raised his shield, taking a fighting stance.
“I’m sorry, Elise.” Gina made a hand gesture similar to pushing something forward. A strong wind then shot out from the mage’s palm, hit Elise’s body, and sent her into the air.
Elise’s body crashed into a large tree and fell into a clump of roots, making her whimper in pain. Her magically enhanced outfit wasn’t enough to dampen the impact on her back.
“Stand up, Elise!” Raymund’s breath started to run wild. “Don’t let them attack you again!”
Using her sword as a crutch, Elise staggered to her feet. Her body was shaking, and the pain in her back was unbearable.
“Ahhh!!!” Just as she pointed her sword forward, Elise felt a tremendous impact on her stomach. That area on her body was hit by a giant spike with chain. She was completely unaware of the direction the weapon was coming from.
“Keep standing, don’t fall!!” Raymund gave the order in a more thunderous voice. “You must complete your mission!”
Elise used her sword as a crutch again.
“Why?” The female warrior asked in a muffled voice. The pain in her body made her joints stiffen.