The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Long Parts)

Chapter 5 (Part 2)

"No luck finding them?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Well, we don't know where the last sighting was," I smiled in embarrassment.

"A fair point. Some of my mages detailed a crimson red dragon destroying a small farming hamlet to the northwest."

"Which dragon is that supposed to be?" I asked.

"Loht. From the destruction caused, it is the more powerful of the two," he replied.

Just our luck, I thought.

"Then that'll be our first target. Did your scouts mention anything about the adventure parties of Dread Steel or the Absolvers of Yuna?" I asked.

Belmohd looked through some of his scrolls to search.

"They did mention Dread Steel, moving directly North, Northeast with much purpose."

"That must mean the Absolvers of Yuna will be aiming for Loht. I guess we should hurry then," Jayde said, turning around.

"Thank you," I gave him a curt bow before departing.

We exited the Western gates once more with both of us riding Aurias, and made our way along the main road past peddlers and merchants. We had travelled for three days before encountering one of the destroyed villages. The carnage wasn't recent, but it was still a definite sign that Loht had been there. None of the buildings existed as more than a charred spot on the ground along with the remains of livestock and a few villagers.

"These poor people," Jayde commented at one point.

We proceeded further west before taking an auxiliary road to the North. We happened upon a group of mercenaries escorting an elderly man clad in very expensive looking robes. We asked them if they spotted a dragon on their way by, but they weren't helpful. I thanked them, and we pressed again.

The whole time Aurias gave me notice whenever he sensed a presence, even the smallest of wildlife.

"I only need to know about people, or a dragon, or dangerous wildlife," I laughed when he mentioned a small flock of birds for the tenth time that day.

"I apologize. I will restrict myself."

We'd travelled a total of two weeks when we happened upon a ragged individual. It was a man with hardly anything on him save very tattered and dirty clothes, a pleading look in his eyes, and stains of dried tears caking his dirty face. Aurias notified me of his presence well in advance, but there wasn't really much we were able to do until we got closer. Based on a map of the kingdom I had, there wasn't a village or town within a week's travel. I noticed his eyes snap to my wrist when we drew close enough.

"P- Please! You must help me, adventurer! The – The drago, it's nearby!" he pleaded at my feet.

"I'm here to fell Loht. Where is it at?" I asked as stoically as I could muster.

"F- Follow the road d- due North. The hamlet I live in is over there. T- The drago, he must've smelled the food! Please, help whoever you can," the man continued to plead.

I nodded and snapped Aurias' reins.

It never occurred to me that hamlets wouldn't be included. It's still a populated gathering, I thought.

Aurias sped down the road while Jayde and I discussed main plan. Loht was able to fly, so my first course was to disable that ability. Afterward, Jayde was to position herself so she could stab into its soft underbelly while I used magic to keep its attention. I also needed to cast Liquid Barrier on the three of us. The last thing I needed was to die because I let Aurias get targeted, or Jayde to lose her life from some folly of mine.