Realm Wars

"Halfjack," Althord called, "What are you doing over there? Come here."

Halfjack shook his big fluffy bear head. "I stay here."

"What do you mean you'll stay there? That group is finished!" Althord was losing his patience.

Halfjack continued to shake his head. "I don't want. .. to work with you anymore. .. you are. .. nasty."

"Gek!" Althord's veins popped on his face. "Fine! Suit yourself! But don't go begging me to take you in after an hour!"

"And you two?" Clyde asked with a smile on his face. His attention focused more on Seraphina. "There's no sense in staying in a group of two. You'll have better chances in finding the exit with me rather than with Marcus."

"We're good," Ryu and Seraphina said straight away.

Althord was speechless! If Seraphina wouldn't come to their side, then what would happen to his plans again?

Why was the woman being difficult? Althord thought. 

Clyde restrained a frown. "Too bad then." He turned his back and added, "If you ever changed your mind, then you know where to find me."

"What?" Althord didn't want to leave Seraphina behind, but Clyde's sharp eyes told him to keep his mouth shut.

Sighing and grumbling, Althord followed Clyde's led out of the camp after taking one lasting glimpse at Seraphina's form.

Claire's expression was imploring Marcus as she spoke, "It's not too late, Marcus. Come with us."

Marcus's face was hard as his voice. "No."

Claire's shoulders sagged. "If you change your mind then. Think about it." 

Echbert's eyes were shaking as he looked at Seraphina, Ryu, and Marcus. He then stumbled forward when Claire pushed him to move.

Near the entrance of the Left Oasis, Althord whispered in Clyde's ear, "What now? I thought that you'd give me Seraphina. That's our agreement."

Clyde restrained his anger. Seraphina or not, Althord didn't have a choice but to join his team. The only thing keeping Clyde from bursting Althord's ego was because Althord was a Rank-A merc and would be in charge of one of the hunters' team to search for the exit.

"Patience. You'll get what you want."

"How?" 

Clyde restrained his eye roll. Althord was good-looking minus his ego and brainless head. "By following them when they searched for the exit. They don't have a choice now but to go outside the protective zone. They wouldn't join in the north Oasis led by a demon Azor. Their only option is to venture outside. And once outside, their group of four wouldn't last, and it would be your chance to secure the girl."

Althord's eyes shone. "You're a genius!"

Clyde couldn't retrain his eye roll any longer. That was why he hated and liked mercs at the same time. They were more on brawns than brains. Just offer them riches, women, and power, and they'd be wagging their tails.

Clyde smirked, and he took one last glimpse at Marcus's form. 'Let's see how long you'll last.'

.. .

.. .

"What now?" Seraphina asked. It was quiet all of a sudden.

Ryu wasn't over the death of the halfbreeds and couldn't help but think if he had just gone and inspected the stones in the well, they might still be alive.

Marcus was silent, too, before he raffled his hair and faced Ryu, Seraphina, and the big bear. "You guys should go to the Right Oasis. It's much safer for you."

"How are you sure that it's safer? Have you been there?" Seraphina questioned.

Marcus's face turned red. "N-no. .. but. .. *sigh. .. what could the four of us possibly accomplish with no food nor water. .. or just the food part."

"We'll make it up by hunting beast along the way as we search for the exit," Ryu finally said.

He then just noticed the towering hugbear beside him. The hugbear was huge, and Ryu didn't even reach its broad chest. The hugbear looked at him and blinked.

The hugbear had a cuddly innocent face and big doe-like eyes, contrary to its bulging stomach and intimidating physique.

Both halfbreeds stared at each other before the big bear said, "Halfjack."

"Ryu."

Seraphina and Marcus stared at this weird exchange between halfbreeds before they went back to the topic.

"That could work, and with Seraphina's water, we won't have to worry," said Marcus, but he was still worried, and he needed to reassure himself by saying, "and if ever Tiamat showed up, we will hide. With our numbers, it's much easier to move and hide and avoid enemies if ever."

Rather, they don't have a choice but to venture outside the protective zone. Joining the Right and North Oasis was out of the question, especially the North Oasis, which was overrun by demons.

"Actually. . ." Seraphina looked over at Ryu. His nod was her go signal to tell Marcus. "We don't need to problem about food. As long we store some barks of trees, I can hasten its production of fruits with my plant magic."

".. ." Marcus's face was stunned, then a huge smile brightened his countenance. "Can you really?"

Seraphina nodded and performed her magic on a twig that was lying on the ground. The twig rattled and leaves sprouted on its once barren form followed by buds of fruits until it ripened.

"Amazing!" Marcus exclaimed. Then he looked Seraphina in the eyes. "With this, you can have a high position in the Right Oasis. What made you two stay?"

Ryu and Seraphina glanced at each other before Ryu said, "We are doing it for Jane and Theodore."

"I didn't have the chance to save Theodore, and we escaped the first Islet without them. We are kind of guilty about it and hope that by helping you, we could make up for it," said Seraphina.

And Ryu added, "We owe them that much."

A salty sting poked the back of Marcus's eyes. The truth was he was the one feeling guilty. He promised to protect Jane and Theodore but wasn't even there when he died. 

Marcus's fists tightened, not feeling them digging against his palms. He forced a smile through his eyes glint in anger. 'Vein, I'll make sure to offer your corpse to appease Theodore's soul.'

----

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