Volume 8 : CHAPTER – Chapter 9 : HEARTLAND CLAN (1)

I nervously fidgeted with my hair, all while avoiding eye contact with Regis. Why did I have to do something so embarrassing? Now I can’t even stop myself from replaying it in my head over and over again.

I could sense Regis giving me a piercing look, followed by her blushing and looking away. However, the truth is that I'm not really a hugger. Usually, I would be the kind to ⸻"let's just awkwardly wave from across the room" kind of person. Nevertheless, at that particular moment, I seem to have forgotten that and went in for a full-on embrace.

The memories I was forcibly made to revisit by the goddess whether real or fake, made me feel incomplete. Like what I had forgotten should have meant much more to me. For once if I had the choice, I did not wanted to feel alone in my sadness. The thought of having someone by my side, even if only for a moment, to offer a comforting presence and ease my pain, was enough to make my heart ache with longing.

And it was only because it was Regis that happened to be there my body moved on its own. It was as if a magnetic force had taken hold, drawing me towards her without any conscious effort on my part. The intensity of the emotions I felt in her presence was almost overwhelming, and I found myself unable to resist the urge to seek comfort in her embrace.

And to make matters worse, as I was unconsciously hugging Regis, later I noticed the members of the Heartland clan watching us. While Galen and Thorne watched discreetly and turned away. Leafa and Hana were full-on staring and unexpected of all, the serious type Asher catcalling us.

Right now, I wanted to crawl back into the Tathya Labyrinth back to my home, never to be seen by anyone here again. After I lost my memories in the accident before the reincarnation making physical contact with anyone started making me feel uncomfortable. I could not even get close to my younger cousin sister because of that.

Being a complete newbie, I turned to Regis and bumbled out, ”Regis…, was I good at hugging you?”

“Shud-up. Shut…up. Shut-up!!!” Regis screamed at me and walked away. Guess she was not in the mood of talking right now.

And the Heartland clan members weren't making it any easier. I could feel their eyes on me the whole time like they were following whatever I did. And when they started getting close to me... well, let's just say I've never been more grateful to Hana for chasing them with her covetous aura.

“How are we supposed to get out of here?” Thorne was the first to ask.

Because of my fight with the Goddess of Malice Kaya and the subsequent breaking of the seal. With the main source of magic power to the dungeon gone, the dungeon was unable to hold the damage sustained from the aftermath of the battle. All the entrances to the upper floors were blocked. And for an exit magic circle to appear, it would take time for the magic energy to restore.

“It seems we are completely stuck on this floor. Even if we clear a path, we might encounter the other floors buried as well.” Galen was assessing the situation like the veteran adventurer he was.

“We have no choice but to stay put here, till the dungeon stores itself.” Asher looks at me intently. Was she trying to say in her own way that it was all my fault?

Right now, more than anything I wanted to teleport us out of here. But since I did not know where exactly our current location is inside the dungeon after the chaos. I could not.

“Now now, don’t worry Alicia. It’s not your fault. At least we don’t have to worry about monsters getting in here because of the collapse.” I could suddenly see Asher acting differently as she got close to me. Her expression took a complete U-turn. Only her hands later reached and mushed my cheeks.

“I could pass the entire time just doing this. You must be a goddess yourself since you defeated one. Who would have thought you would have such a cute face under that mask? But it should be obvious that you would try to hide it only for me to see.”

I could feel something sinister in her final words and decided to quickly back off using teleport. Only to be followed by Asher again persistently.

“No, she is not.” Hana tries to get in Asher's way.

“Hana you are cute too, like a little angel.” Hana ended up now being snuggled by Asher. It was like she turned into a completely different person than we knew the serious and always pissed-off one.

“Sorry, Asher is very passionate about the things she do. After adventuring; admiring cute things is her second favorite activity.” Galen explained embarrassingly as the team leader.

“That’s quite a hobby to follow.” Regis was glad she was not caught in this farce.

“But I never knew someone could possess all the six elements. Even the greatest magician Demon Lord and the True Hero only had five elements of magic. “ Leafa was rather interested in my magic.

“Yeah, I can do them all. After all, I am a magical genius.” I exclaimed, puffing out my chest with an air of grandeur.

Leafa's eyes widened in amazement at my self-proclaimed title.

“And your swords could even stand up against divine magic and produce that scary black element. Can I see it.” Leafa asked with hopeful eyes.

“I would have but my swords are dangerous. They don’t like to get close to anyone except me.” I tried explaining even though I knew it was something bizarre. Mother always warned me to never let anyone touch that sword unless I intended to eliminate my opponent. Heck, my swords even try to electrify me whenever I try to wield any other weapon. So, I quickly had them put away after the fight ended.

“That’s quite a bond to have with your sword. As a swordsman, nothing makes me happier to hear that.” Galen looked inspired. But I am sure it was not the type of bond he was thinking of.

“I see.” Leafa seemed sad for that matter.

“I have constructed the dome. I think it will be one night till we can get out of here and the dungeon restores itself.” Thorne came forward after building up a huge dome in the meantime using earth magic.

“Everyone…“ Just when I had decided to apologize for causing them so much trouble.

Galen came forward and said cheerfully, “ You don’t have to worry about anything, we won’t tell anyone about this. Except for the guild leader of what we found here.”

“We will keep the secret of your cuteness and everything safe with us.” Asher repeated after Galen.

“Instead, we should be thanking you for completing our mission by taking care of the situation that had led to the death of so many adventurers. We would have never made it out alive here either without your help. Once again the heartland clan is grateful to you.” Galen showed his utmost gratitude.

I was a bit alarmed after the whole fight with the people around me. Thinking I would be condemned for what I did.

[GOD KILLER]

Who wouldn’t be after obtaining such a title? A world build around the legacy of gods, would surely despise me.

How a human could kill a goddess?

Why I wear a mask? No one asked me.

None of Galen’s team members asked any personal questions about my identity or powers but were mostly thankful and a little more than interested.

So, I decided I could be myself here and decided not to put back my mask and try to learn more about adventurers in this world from them.

I was glad that I encountered Galen's party in this dungeon. Otherwise, I might had to eliminate them, if they would have decided to tell on me.

Also, now I could freely demonstrate my powers and obviously, I did not wanted to spend my night sleeping inside a mud wall in a cold dungeon. I used wood magic to build my own small outdoor classic tree house big enough to accommodate all the girls.

Galen and Thorne were jealous but instead of asking me to make them one as well. Thorne wanted to learn ways to improve his own design and came up with temporary furniture and ways to insulate the walls with different kinds of clay.

As usual, Hana was hungry so we had already moved toward cooking. Everyone being tired decided to move closer and sit in a group around the fire Asher made.

“Miss Alicia can even use plant magic. I wish I could make something advanced like a house like that too.” Leafa said sighing.

“I am sure you can do it as well because you have got an affinity for it.” It was not just make-believe I said. The numbers from her status looked promising enough.

“Well, we have got to talk about that too. If you could use plant magic why even decide to become an adventurer.” Asher asked.

Regis was eager to hear as well, as even elves are considered fortunate to have such a strong affinity to plant magic.

Her seriousness was justified since wielders of plant magic would be usually employed in farming to help grow crop yield and keep the land fertile.

“I wasn’t trying to hide it. My village is poor and often is struck by drought. I am one of the few who could use magic there and was blessed with something rare as both plant magic and light magic. But there I was unable to accomplish anything without my magic being nurtured. So, I decided to become an adventurer and get stronger. By working in the top guild, I could earn enough money to support my village, that’s why.... Of course, one day I intend to return and help everyone there.” Leafa’s ambitions were big and it was something she had decided for herself.

“Alicia is that thing prepared which you had made us collect items for?”

“I knew something like this could happen of spending a night inside a dungeon. So, I had asked Hana and Regis out shopping to buy ingredients for Marshmallows. Seems like it was something still not popular or not known in this world. And no campfire was complete without it.

I had the base marshmallow already prepared and in my storage.

Everyone watched me in awe as I deftly skewered marshmallows on long sticks, and carefully toasted them over the flames until they turned golden brown and crispy.

As the marshmallows cooled, the adventurers I proudly presented my creation: a towering stack of perfectly roasted marshmallows, glistening in the firelight.

The adventurers eagerly dug in, savoring the fluffy, gooey texture and the sweet, caramelized flavor.

After everyone’s spirits had been lifted and their weary bodies calmed by the warmth and comfort of heat. The adventurers began to share more about themselves. Of how they had one more member in their group who was away on a different mission and that’s why they were hesitant to take on the Basilisk without a complete team.

But suddenly the conversation shifted towards us.

“You two seem to be pretty close. And when you hugged her…” Asher tried to play with us.

“There is nothing scandalous as we are friends and companions journeying together. I think a little skinship is fine.” Regis said loud almost trying to sound mature.

“⸻eh?” I was taken aback.

“Don’t be surprised, say something in your defense.” Regis shrieks at me.

“But you three came from the Demon Continent. I have never been there.” Leafa really seemed to be an adventurer at heart trying to learn and imagine unknown places.

“I know, it’s the perfect time. Why don’t I tell them about our first adventure and how we came to be known as the Heartland Clan?” Galen appeared eager to recount their first adventure and how they earned the moniker "Heartland Clan," convinced that the timing couldn’t have been better.

“For our sake how, many people have you told that story to? Our ears have been bored listening to our own story.” Asher quipped.

“But what miss Alicia did reminds me so much of the Hart Kingdom’s princess.”

“What do you mean? I don’t see the resemblance except them both being beauties.” Thorne too could not crack what Galen was thinking.

“Didn’t you notice, the healing magic miss Alicia used to heal my leg, felt the same as the time when the princess used her magic to heal our injuries.”

“The same kind of magic as mine.” I whispered to myself. While it is possible that it could have been one of the other god reincarnates using their divine magic to help others. But with the expertise of Galen, he wouldn’t just assume things unless he was sure of it. Perhaps because of my bond with Goddess Athena, I do certainly possess some of her magic in form of my unique skill.

“…Alicia, could it be.” Regis too looked at me and I beckoned with a nod. We might have finally found our first clue. And the chances of succeeding looked better than sitting around and doing nothing.

“Galen can you tell us more.” I inquired with an intense tone, trying not to raise my expectations.

“Even I want to hear.” Hana seemed to be enjoying the little storytelling and was not bored.

According to Galen, adventurers were recruited as part of the Hart army to subdue a monster stampede in the Hart Kingdom. At that time, Galen and others were only rookies. Since Leafa had joined new, she was not part of it, but we got to know about the other absent member of the Heartland Clan.

***

“We finally made it to the location. All we need to do is now wait for the Hart army to come.” Galen said when they reached the checkpoint mentioned in the guild enlistment.

“Would someone really come here from the capital? From what I have heard the military strength of this kingdom is not that strong and it is a small kingdom and we are out in the countryside.” Asher tried to assess the situation. While other adventurers could also be seen scouting around the place. For that matter, there were no signs of the army being any close to them.

“But there are a lot of villages to save. The stampede could get any time here.”

“Do you really think it would be that simple and can we really do it all by ourselves? What if after enlisting our help from the guild, all they send us to our help is a small squad and expect us to throw our lives at it. This won’t be a first. Even the rewards from such an expedition seem scandalous by their value.” This time it was Leena the second member of the party who spoke. She was a fencer and wielded a light rapier because of her thin arms.

“I have already said that you did not need to tag along on this one as this could be dangerous. If I need to get stronger I will have to put myself through the harshest path.”

“Don’t be stupid. I have been with you since childhood. I exactly know what you are really capable of so I can’t turn my eyes away even for a moment.” Leena deprived Galen of any excuses.

“It's obvious we are a team and we would go anywhere where our leader decides to go.” Thorne said raising his shield determined to protect his teammates.

“Even so but at this rate, the adventurers who even made their trip here, might decide to abandon the mission if someone powerful does not show up to move everyone around.”

As Asher said, she was right. The situation was getting worse as the sunset approached. Many of the adventurers had already started to abandon the place. Most of the villagers could be seen evacuating and leaving their homes behind with no hope of ever returning.

Just then the ground shook violently. Trees started to jiggle in the forest and the tame animals could be heard shifting their location and flock of birds exiting the forest.

“Don’t tell me it is happening right now…” Leena muttered.

The thunderous sound of the approaching monster stampede grew louder and louder. The adventurers and mercenaries who were gathered to defend the place had never seen anything like this before.

To begin with, monster stampedes could be real disasters if not stopped from the start, and the number of monsters keeps on growing as they continue to destroy everything in their path. Fortunately, their occurrences were just as rare.

These adventurers had fought against giants, orcs, kobolds, and other monsters, but a stampede of creatures that were as big as mountains was something that they would have not expected. Even with the recorded events of previous stampedes, it came much earlier and the numbers were more than twice.

“Get ready. We at least need time to buy for the people of the nearby villages to get out.” With most of the adventurers motivated to protect the people of the place the fight began.

There were some cowards who ran away leaving their posts, which might have brought down the morale. But right now, fighting was the only option as the stampede would catch up eventually. From the forest, a horde of monsters strove in.

While the fighting continued and there were some adventurers who showed great prowess. But it was the usual nature of a monster stampede to prove overwhelming when it came about replenishing their numbers with more and much stronger monsters as they rushed in from the back to take on the adventurers.

The situation seemed hopeless as the stampede drew closer and closer, and the adventurers were already bracing themselves for the inevitable impact. And once again the ground rumbled from behind the monsters.

“Don’t tell me there’s more.”

“Most of us are injured or out of energy.”

“If the sun sets down we won’t be able to continue fighting like this.”

But then the behavior of monsters started to change. They began to disperse or turn back. And a quaking sound could be heard approaching from the inside of the forest.

“Do you think it’s a strong monster?”

“It could be.”

“We are all doomed if this keeps up.”

But as fate would have it, with the sun almost setting down and the adventurers tired out. A pack of horses led by men in knight suits starts slashing through the monsters clearing a path. They were all in a V-shaped formation. And at the center of it was a young girl in an elaborate gown. Her golden hair flowed freely in the wind, and her green eyes shone with determination.

“Warriors of the Hart Kingdom, slay all the monsters in sight.” The girl gives out her orders.

The knights though not in large numbers but with the surprise element and their military tactic they were able to cut down the monsters from behind without taking much damage.

The adventurers joined to double their number.

In a few minutes, only the tide of the battle had changed, and within an hour it was seen to its conclusion.

The adventurers had gathered around the army’s rest camp which they had almost put up immediately.

They could see the princess giving out orders to the army.

“Bring all the injured adventurers to the healers we have brought in the medic camp.” The princess ordered.

There was still a little unrest among adventurers. Mostly because the princess wasn’t a fighter and was too young to lead an expedition like this.

“Asher, what do you think?” Galen asked.

“We can all wait and see how this happens. But if the reason for her late arrival was because she anticipated an attack, and decided to make a pincer move from behind the monsters. Then there could be more to it and we might have a chance to survive this.”

“That’s good. I am fired up to fight alongside them.”

“Don’t be too eager. We are still not sure. And the princess still has to say something.”

“And then the moment came when the princess was ready to address all the remaining adventurers and mercenaries who had decided to stay and fight.

“I am Alice Hart, the first princess of the Hart Kingdom. And I know that some of you might have expected a large army backing you or why a young princess is out in open battle. I will not make any excuses because this is all we have as resistance against the stampede of the monster stampede. And what you have witnessed was only the first wave. By tomorrow evening my intel says that there will be even more and there would be stronger monsters among them.”

The adventurers looked at each other in bewilderment not knowing what to say as the princess continued to speak, her voice growing stronger with every word.

"I know we are outnumbered, but we are not outmatched. You all have shown the necessary courage, skill, and will to defeat these monsters. You have all at some point fought against impossible odds before, and have emerged victorious and much stronger. We will do it again, this time for all the people whose lives depend on us, for our kingdom, and for ourselves. All I can promise you is that I know the path to victory but it will only succeed if I have your support. Know this that the Hart Kingdom and its people will be forever grateful for your service and will reward you as promised. "

The princess's words were like a spark that ignited a flame in the hearts of the adventurers and mercenaries. They raised their swords and their shields, and they shouted in unison, "For the kingdom! For the princess! For victory!"

“Let the preparation for the monster subjugation begin now.”

***

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