Chapter - 4
A cart rattled gently along the dirt road, as the old brown mule pulled it.
And Leo lay on a pile of hay, his arms resting over the edge, watching the lush greenery of the Dawnspire Forest slowly fade behind him.
"Comfortable back there, boy?" a hoarse voice called out from the front.
Leo turned his gaze towards the driver. He was a hunched old man with a crooked back. He had a white beard on his face, and an old straw hat was on his head.
The old man's name was Grendel, and he talked more than Leo's entire Eldora Online group combined.
"Yeah, can't complain, old man," Leo replied with a grin, "It's way better than walking three miles with blisters on my feet."
Grendel let out a wheezy chuckle, "Hahahaha! You new boys and your soft feet. Back in my day, we walked ten miles just to get water from the well… And doing that, we had to beat off goblins with sticks!"
"Sounds like a workout," Leo smirked.
"You bet it was! These Goblin bastards are horny little shits, always jumping on the women folk. And sometimes, even the men are not safe… Hahaha Those perverted beasts." As if hitting the Goblins, the old man whipped his stick and hit the mule, pulling the cart.
Leo chuckled, shaking his head. The man was something else.
"So, you are headed to Auravale, huh?" Grendel glanced over his shoulder.
"Yeah. Heard it's a lively place."
"Lively? Oh, it's more than lively, lad. It's a stew of crazy. Population's around five thousand now. It used to be way less, but the Temple of light has changed a lot of things."
Leo raised a brow, "Temple of Light? What's that?"
"Aye, just a big shiny place at the centre of town. It is full of Priests, priestesses, sermons, holy relics, and all that glowstick crap."
"Temple of Light church just goes around throwing blessings left, right and centre. People just flock around it like moths to flame."
"Most folks go there for blessings before every minor or major event in their lives. And some would just go to stare at the High Priestess. Gorgeous woman, that one. Supple voice and… ahem… blessed in more ways than one, if you know what I mean."
Leo gave a short laugh, "Didn't know holiness came with curves."
Grendel snorted, "But you won't get to admire her. After setting up the church affairs, she had long left the town."
They hit a small bump and Leo adjusted himself on the hay, leaning forward, "Ohho! Such bad Luck! Well, if fate has it. I am sure I will meet her some day."
"So who runs the place? Any big shot nobles or lords?" Leo asked the old man.
The old man's face twisted into a mix of amusement and annoyance, "Oh, you will love this. The man running the town is Lord Caelum Dargan or as we like to call him, The Bastard Lord."
"Bastard Lord?" Leo blinked in confusion.
Grendel nodded vigorously, "Aye. It is 'cause of his birth as well 'cause he is a real piece of work."
"Our Bastard Lord was born to some barmaid, but our magnanimous former lord raised him as a 'favour'."
But despite his low-born mother, our lord is clever, I will give him that. Keeps the town in one piece. Despite the harsh taxes, sharp tongue, and a face like a constipated troll, he keeps the peace. Mostly."
Leo let out a low whistle, "Sounds lovely."
"Oh-ho-ho, save your compliments till I tell you about his wife," Grendel leaned back a bit, a mischievous glint in his eye, "Lady Seraphine Dargan. A Blonde beauty, with those long, smooth legs, those big bouncy breasts and an ass that could start wars. Ahhh!"
Leo coughed into his hand, grinning, "Aren't you getting a bit more vivid there, Gramps."
"Bah, I may be old, but not blind," Grendel said, waving his hand, "And not just Lady Seraphine, their daughter… Ooooo… Now she is a different story."
"Lady Aliana Dargan. She is snobby, spoiled and thinks of us commoners as dirt. She has that stuck-up 'I-hate-men' look on her face."
"But she is soon on her way to challenge her mother," The old man grinned lecherously, squeezing imaginary breasts with his hands.
"Look, lad," Grendel said, lowering his voice, "There are two kinds of women: the ones who smile sweetly and the ones who look at you like they will stab you with a fork. "
"Yet men only care about those big melons in the front and that perky ass at the back."
Leo burst into laughter, "You are a very wise old man."
Grendel sat up straight, puffing his chest, "Of course I am. But now I just tell stories and sell root vegetables."
Leo smiled, genuinely enjoying the old man's company. After years of monotony in his old life, this kind of banter was refreshing. Real, even.
"So what about the dangers on the road?" Leo asked casually, "Anything I should watch out for near Auravale?"
The old man's tone changed, just a little, "Aye, there's always danger. Especially from the Blackfang Bandits."
Leo's brows furrowed, "They sound ominous."
"Of course they are dangerous. They are your typical bandit group, scarred faces, black teeth, real ugly bastards."
"They ride in at night, torch wagons, steal girls, and every other bad shit you can think of."
"But there are not many during daylight, though. During the day they are afraid of the city guards. And my beautiful mule, Hilda."
Leo blinked, "Your mule?"
"Hilda's kicked more groins than a jealous wife," Grendel said proudly, patting the animal, "You should see her in action."
But Just then the system chimed, pulling Leo's attention.
[Warning: Combat Detected Nearby]
[Distance: 320 meters. Multiple Hostile Signals. Weapons Drawn.]
Leo's face frowned, and almost as if on cue, a faint metallic sound echoed from beyond the trees.
Clang!
Clash!
It was unmistakably the sound of weapons clashing with each other.
Grendel straightened, one hand going to the stick lying beside him, "That does not sound good."
"Hurry up, old man. Leave before we get caught in the middle," Leo instructed the old Man.
Then he asked the system, "Aiva, how many are there?"
[Scanning…]
[Estimated Combatants: 11]
[Civilians: 3]
[Hostiles: Blackfang Bandits.]
Meanwhile, Grendel cursed under his breath, "Damn it. I thought they only came at night. Are they someone else?"
Grendel's weathered face darkened, the lines around his eyes tightening. His jovial energy vanished like mist under torchlight, "Shit," he muttered, gripping the reins, "That sounded close. Real close."
Grendel tensed, "Maybe we should turn around. Hide the cart in the brush. Wait it out."
Leo was about to agree with the old man but just then the system chimed again.
Ding!
[Quest Available]
And looking at the notification in front of him, Leo's lips curled up in a smirk.
"I was waiting for you."
** ** ** ** **
Thanks for reading the novel everyone...
Please support by adding the novel to your library and voting with Power Stones...