Maybe because of the fact that they’re not that different; and their situations are similar, after just a few days of travelling—the others were able to beco comfortable by the fact that Verc is a vampire.
The transition from fear to acceptance didn’t happen in an instant, but as the miles stretched behind the carriages, the fear and worry began to lt away.
The non-humans in the group—the dwarfs, the dark elves, the beastwon, and the kobolds—realized quite quickly that they were all in the sa boat. Their races were also being hunted by the humans and the [Arcanis Alliance]. To the humans, a beastman or an elf was just a monster with a price tag, not much different from a vampire.
And even though Pwyll, Bernia, and Nara are humans—the fact that those sa humans made their lives miserable made them think that it’s not about the race; it’s about the individual’s actions.
They had been betrayed by their own kind, sold into chains by people who looked just like them.
After being with Verc and the others for a few days; they concluded that they were more human, more generous, and much better than most humans they had ever t. Verc didn’t demand worship, he didn’t starve them, and he didn’t treat them like objects.
He treated them like people.
And so; the three of them also beca comfortable about the fact that they’re now under the protection of a vampire. An enemy of the whole Arcanis.
Also, Nara beca close with Onyx as well—being a kid who was quick to beco lonely; Verc decided to let Onyx play with her inside the carriage as they travel.
Nara had been through so much trauma, losing her parents and being kept in a cage, that she had grown quiet and withdrawn. But the mont the black, fluffy puppy was dropped into her lap, her eyes lit up.
And Onyx was more than happy to help.
He was a ball of chaotic energy, wagging his tail so hard his entire back half wiggled. He would lick Nara’s face until she giggled, or play a gentle ga of tug-of-war with a piece of cloth. Now, even when they rest—the two are always together.
When the carriages stopped for the night, Nara would feed Onyx, and they would sleep curled up together in the corner of one of the large tents Verc provided.
Seeing them enjoy each other’s company always put a little smile on Verc’s face. He would watch them from the back of Bong.
’At least the kid is getting so of her childhood back.’
Verc thought to himself.
Anyway, the group ca to know each other more during their journey.
The silence that had once dominated the carriages was replaced by conversation. Even Tatum and Jed were getting close to them. The two boys, who were usually stoic and focused on their duties, began to open up.
They feel sympathy because they know what the others went through. They rembered the feeling of being hunted before Verc found them.
They even got close to Pwyll, Bernia, and Nara as well. Despite the two boys having every reason to hate humans after what happened to their village, they didn’t mind that the new three were humans. They didn’t hold any grudge.
After all, they know that what the kingdom and the empire did to their village wasn’t made by all of the humans. It was a specific group of knights and a specific set of leaders. And if they started thinking that every human was a monster—then they told themselves that they will be no different to the [Arcanis Alliance] that thinks their whole race is evil just because of their origin and the past.
They didn’t want to beco the very thing they hated.
*****
Tatum and Jed started telling stories about Verc during their travels. As they sat around the fires at night, or as they walked alongside the carriages during the day, they would recount his deeds.
"You should have seen him."
Tatum said one afternoon, his chest puffed out with pride.
"He stood alone against a whole group of mosnters. He didn’t even break a sweat. He moved like a shadow and ended it before they could even attack us."
Jed would chi in, adding his own stories about Verc.
"When he found us before, we were basically dead. But he helped us. He gave us his own blood, shared his power, and gave us a reason to keep fighting. He’s not just a master; he’s our savior."
Verc heard the stories as he rode at the front of the group, and it was pretty exaggerated in his opinion. He didn’t rember being quite that heroic or dramatic, but he just decided to not say anything about it. If it helped the new group feel safer, he could live with being a legendary figure in their eyes.
However, the stories weren’t all about heroism.
They also ca to know that it was Verc that caused a ss in the City of Zore; and they ca to know the reason why he did it. Tatum and Jed explained how Verc had practically leveled the city’s power structure and left it in chaos, all because the knights there had dared to ss with him—specifically, because of what happened with Onyx.
After hearing the story, they all looked at the little puppy currently playing with Nara, chasing his own tail in the grass.
"Wait... that little guy caused all of that?"
Bernia asked, her eyes wide as she watched Onyx trip over a small rock and roll onto his back.
"So the city of Zore is a ruin now because of a puppy? Remind never to accidentally step on his paw."
Pwyll said, looking at Verc with newfound respect and a hint of wariness.
Then, they all thought that they should act carefully around that puppy. Onyx might look like a harmless ball of fluff, but in their minds, he was now a "City-Killer".
Anyway, Tatum and Jed also told them stories about the place they headed to—Verc’s territory.
They described the dense trees, the hidden paths, and the village they were building. They talked about the other residents and the protection the forest itself provided.
And the others, as they heard them—the fear and anxiousness slowly faded. The idea of living in the [Cursed Forest] had once seed like a death sentence, but listening to the boys talk about it, it sounded like a sanctuary.
A place where the empire couldn’t reach them. A place where they could finally stop looking over their shoulders.
And now... it was replaced with expectations and excitent!
They began to discuss what they could contribute. The dwarfs talked about building stone houses and forging tools. The beastwon talked about gathering the unique herbs of the forest. The dark elves discussed the magic of the woods.
For the first ti, they weren’t just survivors; they were pioneers.
So, with new hope--they all continued heading to their new ho.
... ... ...
... ... ...
... ... ...
And they didn’t have to wait long—after a week and a couple of days of travelling since they left the City of Sionann, the landscape began to change drastically.
The open adows gave way to gnarled, ancient trees and a thick, silver mist that seed to cling to the ground. The air grew colder, and a heavy, magical pressure began to weigh on their chests.
TAK—
The lead carriage ca to a halt.
They all reached their destination.
"..."
The whole group stood in front of the [Cursed Forest]. It was a wall of absolute darkness and twisted wood.
The trees were so tall they seed to reach the sky, their branches interlocking like skeletal fingers. A low, unnatural hum resonated from the depths of the woods, and the light of the sun seed to die the mont it touched the edge of the treeline.
And seeing the tall trees and dark atmosphere around the forest—the others got nervous again. The excitent of the previous days was montarily smothered by the sheer, overwhelming presence of the place. It felt like the forest was alive, watching them, breathing in their fear.
GULP-
They all unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva. The kobolds whimpered, staying close to the wheels of the carriages, and even Pwyll clenched his hands into fists, his eyes darting around the shadows.
They all looked at Verc’s back, who was standing in front of the whole group on Bong. He didn’t look nervous. He didn’t even look cautious.
He was just looking at the forest, his posture relaxed.
"...?"
The others were confused why. Why wasn’t he moving? Why was he just staring into the dark? Was sothing wrong? Did he lose the path?
But then, suddenly—SWOOOOOOSH!!!
The wind picked up violently, swirling the mist into a frenzy. A massive wave of bloodlust and physical pressure erupted from the treeline. It was so thick it felt like trying to breathe underwater.
"H-Huh?!!"
"!!!"
"WHAT?!"
They felt a strong presence coming out of the forest. And it was not just one; there were multiple of them! The sound of heavy footsteps and the snapping of large branches echoed through the air.
"...?!!!"
The others beca wary, and instinctively—they took a fighting stance. Bernia was ready to protect Nara, and the dwarfs grabbed stones on the ground to use as weapons.
They looked at where the presences were coming from, their hearts hamring against their ribs. They were sure they were about to be attacked by the monsters of the forest.
And not long—TAP!
A huge figure ca out of the darkness. It was massive, far larger than any human, and its chilling aura spread throughout the area and made the others flinch. The pressure it exerted was suffocating.
Verc, Tatum, and Jed just looked at that figure with a calm look in their faces. In fact, Tatum even gave a small wave.
The figure was muscular, and at least 2 ters tall. It has grayish pale skin and glowing red eyes that seed to cut through the mist. It was covered in rugged leather-armor and carried a stone mace that looked like it could crush a carriage in a single swing.
That figure then locked eyes at Verc. The intensity of its gaze was enough to make the forr slaves want to run for their lives.
And as soon as that happened—the terrifying monster did sothing none of them expected.
"Welco, Lord Verc!"
The figure exclaid that with a wide, toothy smile on its face. It didn’t sound like a monster about to kill; it sounded like a loyal soldier greeting his king.
The figure stepped forward, the heavy thud of its boots shaking the ground, and it dropped to one knee in a deep, respectful bow.
It was an orc. And to be more specific—it was Groo.
Behind him, several other orcs erged from the shadows, all of them following suit and bowing toward the man on the horse.
"?!"
The others were bewildered seeing the imposing monster that just ca out the forest greet Verc like a puppy that had seen its owner. They stood frozen, their mouths half-open, looking back and forth between the massive orcs and Verc.
"Lord Verc, we have been waiting for your return."
Groo said, his voice rumbling like distant thunder.
"The village is ready. The defenses are set. Your people await your command."
Verc nodded, a small, satisfied smirk playing on his lips. He turned his head slightly to look at the stunned faces of his new followers.
"Everyone, et Groo."
Verc said calmly.
"He’s in charge of the security here. Don’t worry, he doesn’t bite."
He jokingly added.
The dwarfs looked at Groo’s massive muscles and then back at Verc. The fear was still there, but it was being rapidly overtaken by a sense of absolute awe. They realized that they weren’t just following a vampire; they were following a lord who had tad the very monsters that the rest of the world feared.
"Well?"
Verc asked, gesturing toward the opening in the trees where the orcs had erged.
"Let’s go ho."
With Groo leading the way and Verc at the head of the caravan, the five carriages began to move again, disappearing into the dark, welcoming shadows of the [Cursed Forest].
The journey was over, and their new life was finally beginning.
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