A burial was held for those who died in a nearby communal graveyard surrounded by broken and worn down fences. With circular stone with names engraved in them.
The Village Chief recited words that appeals to a god he had never heard of, reciting verses that appease the spirits of those who had fallen, guiding them to the after life.
Momonga stood at the side, running his thumb against a wand of pure white ivory, gilded in gold with various unknown engravings.
Even in his grip, the wand emanated divinity, and purity. Held tightly by his hands and encased beneath his cloak. The Wand of Resurrection, is an item he does not yet truly understands, unaware of the true limits of such an item.
But what he does know is the implications of its use. And so despite the lifeless eyes directed at him by the woman he loves. He could only wrap his arm around her. And hold her still, as she slowly shed more and more tears the moment he shook his head 'no'.
Momonga could only watch as the village mourn their loss.
A dozen lives... Twelve lives were lost. And though he tried to reason it, a piece of himself knew that these were deaths he had allowed. Lives he had unknowingly ended.
And for the first time since his arrival in this New World, he questions once more the purpose of his presence...
"...why am I even here..."
He shed a tear, downcast and lost, Momonga walks away not knowing what to do and questioning whether what he did was right. All the while accepting one fact in his new life... he doesn't like seeing Eliza cry.
Momon sat leaning against a tree, carefully running a whetstone across his greatsword.
The whetstone in question is more like a crystalized rock that for every swipe against his blade seemed to magically repair it. And despite the none existent damage along the blade, still appears to perfect what is already perfected.
"Do you disagree." Momonga asks. Making the beautiful woman next to him tense where she stood. After a while, she answers-
"It is not my place to question your decision Momon-sama-"
*sigh~ Momonga sighed making Narberal freeze. The disappointment that left his lips was... palpable. And it was something she actually dreaded.
"...I had thought you'd know by now why..." Momonga looked to the maids eyes. "... I chose you above the others."
Narberal bit down on her lips, her eyes trembling with indecision. But her heart... it was screaming to be let out. And once more, she warred within herself. With a piece of her demanding subservience, and the other to be heard. And with careful words... she lets some her feelings known.
"If I may be so bold." she mutters. "I do not disagree, not entirely. Its just that... It isn't easy seeing you like this my Lord and every time I do, it makes me wish that these things didn't need to happen..."
Nabe wasn't alone in her feelings. She knows that even s she speaks, there are those of Nazarick, assigned to keep an eye for their safety, are also seeing him for themselves.
Far from the infallible leader they had known. The great one among the supreme rulers of Nazarick. He who united the forty one under one banner and rose to the ranks of a God among Gods. Instead, they were seeing a man. Vulnerable, uncertain, and confused.
And while those of Nazarick felt lost on what is happening, fearful for their leader. Nabe instead ensured that she commits it all to memory. To know the heart that beats from which the God of Death rose.
Seeing a village boy run towards them with panic in his eyes warned them exactly what is to come.
"So do I." he quietly replies while looking at the panting youth in front of him. "Are there more of them?" Momonga calmly asks making the boy nod to the point that Momonga feared he might rip his head off. "I understand." he pacifies the youth. "Send for the village chief, he will identify these people for me. For now, gather everyone in the village square. Nabe..."
"Hai!" she then turned to the youth. "Let them know that I will cast protection magic for everyone. In my Lord's presence, they have no need to fear."
The boy smiled with light returning to his eyes and color on his cheeks. With renewed vigor, he ran back to spread out their words.
"Come. Let's go see for ourselves what uncertainty we might find ourselves in."
As Momon waked towards the village, Nabe couldn't help but tilt her head in question... 'Does the Supreme Ones find excitement in not knowing? If so then... what do they want of this world?'
Gazef and his Warrior Band rode through the fields of green in urgency. Behind them trailed a handful of riders, each with a tied up prisoner on their backs.
Gazef gritted his teeth at the new information that had landed on his hands, or more like ran into them instead. The prisoners were men of the Theocracy... a much worst enemy than the Empire itself. But what made it worst is the reason for their atrocities.
His death...
And in his absence, he could see how he Empire would have won. It is as his Vice Captain had said...
'Only a Hero could defeat a Hero.'
And as grim as their future may seem, there appears to have been a silver lining to it all.
As Gazef's horse reached the peak of the hill, he was treated to the sight of Carne from a good distance.
"Barely any smoke..."
"Aye..."
Gazed urged his horse forward and as he trotted closer, the more his eyes made up the chaotic landscape.
Corpses of various knights in Imperial Armor. Swords, shattered, broken, and twisted. Their armors and shields not spared except for several dozens and compared to the hundred of the dead... such a number was too few.
Their entrails spilled, some had bodies that were broken beyond recognition. With a few cleaved completely in half. Creating a macabre sight within a large patch of dried blood.
It looked more like a field of massacre than a battle field.
'But if their stories were true...'
Gazef sneaked a glance at the prisoners, each one now shaking the further in they went. And as soon as they reached the village square, he was greeted with a sight he would never forget.
All around them, various houses shimmered with protection spells. With people poking their heads out, mostly out of curiosity at their arrival. But there are those whom he saw carrying swords and shields and pieces of armor, most definitely looted from the dead men beneath his feet.
But what truly caught his eyes were the four at the center. One was obviously the village elder, but the three he could only describe as High ranking adventurers.
On the left is a woman with onyx hair, and obsidian eyes. Wearing a leather reinforced beast plate, a short skirt ending barely above her thighs. Her legs were covered by stockings halfway to her thighs and tucked beneath a pair of leather boots.
She held a staff that couldn't be anything less than a relic or an ancient treasure. With black steel pole, decorated with golden accents and curves. With an intricately decorated head that curved around a floating blue crystal in the middle.
On the other side of her is another beauty with raven colored hair and a pair of amber eyes, as fine as a lone candle light. Dressed in white pants and a yellow shirt that looked to be struggling against her bust. Armored with pauldrons, bracers, and greaves.
She has leather belts wrapped around her midsection, with one carrying a greatsword with a crossguard and sheath of intricate design. Carved of gold and bluish metal that depicted nothing but divine light. A pair of stilletos of the same make at the other side, with a longsword at her hand. All of which appears to have been crafted by the same master smith.
The two beautiful women shared a headdress that crowned their heads with the mage adorned with a fist size ruby and the swordsman adorned with a fist size sapphire.
And in the middle of the two stood a towering man garbed in black armor trimmed in gold. He has a blood red scarf wrapped around his neck, stretching into a cape tucked beneath one pauldron. He was bulky, made even more gigantic with his two swords one sitting quietly behind him, and the other planted at the ground, gripped by both of his hands.
Seeing his handsome face, Gazef could only imagine the horrors this man had inflicted upon this people for him to be labeled as a demon in their eyes.
It didn't take long for the Village chief show signs of recognition. Prompting Gazef to immediately dismount from his horse and walked towards the four at the center.
"Greetings, people of Carne!" Gazef announced. "I am the Warrior Captain, Gazef Stronoff. Sent by the King to hunt down imperial knights wreaking havoc along his lands."
"...Warrior Captain..."
"You know them Elder Thomas?" said Momonga in a rich and noble tone echoed by a deep voice that belied his youth.
'..A noble man? But from where?' Gazef wandered, a panoply as well made as Momon's is surely recognizable after all.
"Aye. I have seen him during the Tournament for the King."
With a nod of acknowledgement, Momon sheathed his sword at his back. Followed by the two women, and as if in response, the rest of those armed within the village did the same.
Seeing the tension lessen. Gazef approached closer hoping to finally put an end to the madness he had seen and find answers to this mysterious warrior.
The village chief has a house near the square. The interior is the epitome of poverty. Old furnitures, mostly made of wood. A simple home with a small kitchen also serving as the dining room, located at the very entrance of he house with a small sitting room and a lone bedroom. Such was the home to which they gathered hoping to get answers.
Inside was the village chief, Thomas. Telling the story of the attack to both the Warrior Captain and his Vice Captain. And the more they heard, the more questions came up.
By even among the Chief's tales, they couldn't help but be surprised at the revelation regarding their mysterious saviors.
It had been three days ago when their group stumbled upon several hunters who had gone too deep into the woods. They had been chased by a Troll, and forced to go deeper lest they lead the creature to the village. One of the hunters, Eric had been at the grasps of the creature when Momon appeared and saved him. Cleaving off the hand holding him whilst beheading the creature.
And after slaying the troll, they marched back to the village. Bringing their saviors with them. And for three days, nothing unusual occured. Only the additional help of the three.
Momon had helped cut down trees, from which enough lumbers where made to build another barn, a couple of houses or possibly even a wall.
Eliza had spent her time with children and mothers. Earning her several friends among the mothers. Of course her beauty naturally garnered attention, attention that was kept at bay by her husband who swings a sword as he would a knife.
And then there is Nabe who had used her magic to create a miniature rain above the farm fields. Stoic, firm, quiet and shy to some.
"They had planned to leave tomorrow according to Lady Sera... then... this happened..." Thomas sighed out.
"I see. Did they mention any affiliation to any nation or kingdom?"
"They aren't part of any Kingdom Stronoff-sama." Thomas answers. "They had mentioned that they travel often. Mostly in pursuit of their craft."
"Their craft?" Vice Captain asks.
"Yes. Nabe had yet to finish her studies with magic. She now seeks tomes and treasures that could further her path. Lady Sera seeks knowledge on the Divine and Mystery. Legends and history is her main pursuit. As for Momon... well, as he said... He is simply indulging the wishes of his wife." the village chief said, humor spilling from every word.
"...things can't be that simple..." Vice Captain asked in bewilderment. Because if that is true then...
"It is... We survived due to pure luck... Nothing more." Thomas solemnly acknowledges.
In the silence of the room, Gazef Stronoff spoke, "Regardless of the reason. They still saved you. I intend to offer our thanks."
"Captain!?" Vice Captain, again, scandalized at his words. "Would you not reconsider?"
Gazef looked at him with a slight frown. "What is there to reconsider. These people saved them... the subjects of our king. Such deserves our thanks at the very least... A reward if at all possible."
"Captain I am not setting aside the possibility that their intentions are pure. But surely, caution is required. We know nothing of these people, their origin let alone if they hold any hidden agenda regarding their presence here."
"What is fueling your suspicion Vice Captain."
"They came out of nowhere Captain." Vice Captain said sternly. "East is the Baharuth Empire, South Theocracy... neither of these two Kingdoms would allow people of such caliber pass through their lands without tying them to their own. Specially someone who appears on the same level as 'Hero'."
His words brought everyone to pause. He was right, that much is true. Even Gazef is willing to admit that he does entertain the idea of inviting them to meet his king. And he had hope to do so by way of good intentions.
But the idea that they may be plants... or worst yet... A 'Hero' qualified saboteur... Gazef shook his head. Refusing to entertain the thought.
"Regardless-" he says in a firmer tone. "-actions must be taken on what we know... Not on what we think. If we are to start connections built on suspicions then we might as well tie ourselves with a sinking ship. I will express my thanks. My gratitude and my envy... and then... I will invite them to meet the King."
As if to placate his Vice Captain's woes, he adds. "And if they still intend to carry on, on our way to E-Rantel... You may probe their characters yourself."
*sigh~ "...of course Stronoff-sama."
*BAM! "Captain!"
The sudden slam of the door alarmed those within. And as it opened, Thomas saw how the villagers were running deeper into the village. The panic looked too familiar, prompting him to rush outside to find his wife.
"What is it?" Stronoff asks.
"Captain, Mages" the man panted out. "They have been sighted just outside the village. We're surrounded Captain."