Surprise

"There is a reason for this to be a Copper Rank group quest after all. To let you travel with them is already quite dangerous, putting the other under more pressure. Without your input during the fight we wouldn't have even considered it, but Mr. Simon wanted you there."

'Sure, wanted to make through his friend a picture of us.'

"The other are expected to be coming soon. Would you like something to drink while waiting?"

Now with his favorite fluid in hand, he once again passed the time with reading his book. The pages he hadn't read yet grew thinner, and the pace quickened.

Not long after Leon came through the door, joining him and talking a bit.

Then Sophia, together with the normal morning crowd of Hunter and Adventurer followed, without Mikael making out right away which his team members were.

They were called to the second floor by a robust man of Leon's height, a thick black beard on his angular face, rather long black hair that fell over his ears to his neck, the roots of some graying.

He wore a black Gambeson and polstered pants, a long axe hanging down his belt.

"If these aren't our tour guides. Simon already told me much about you three, and hope we can get along nicely and with the crew. Four other Hunter took the quest, and even if not required, you also count as a force." He said right away, looking with bright eyes around them.

Mikael got a slight feeling he sought after the last nights, but it vanished as quick as it came.

Giving that man a gaze, he wondered if this test already began.

'This came defenitly from him. As he looked around and passed me, I had that sensation.'

As if knowing Mikael could feel that, a small smile grew on that mans face, as he clapped his hands together.

"My name is René by the way, nice to meet you. Follow me upstairs, we scheduled our meeting there."

On his command two other figures in the growing crowd moved, standing up and walking behind them up the stairs.

As René took a seat on a table after dragging more chairs to them, he welcomed the other two that followed.

Mikael grew nervous in face of the approaching mission.

'At least Sophia and Leon are both with us.' he thought, familiar an comfortable around them.

'With their fighting skills supposed to be Copper ranked, we are surely prepared enough to take that thing down.'

The other two took place, both men, the bigger one with a light belly at around 1.8m had normal clothes like Mikael, reinforced by metal plates and mail. His dark brown hair was kept short, and he wore a friendly smile as he sat down, greeting them.

The other was on the leaner side, but his leather clothes and hooded mantle couldn't hide his muscular arms and broad shoulders. The Bow and quiver of arrows clearly showing his area of expertise. He only nodded, not making many facial expressions.

"Now we wait only for two more, they will join shortly. Before that..." he laid on the table a bunch of papers, and Mikael could read as he took one the information they provided prior.

Mira and Mark joined soon, and the round of eight was completed.

"Then let's introduce ourselves. I know all of you, but anyway, my name is René, a friend of Simon and mostly in charge when a dangerous new creature or threat gets discovered. I'll lead our mission after our guides showed us the place they encountered Tusk Stalker."

Following was the smiling man with the name Alf, and the quiet one Herald.

"I hope that we won't take to much time hunting that monster, else I might miss the birthday of my daughter. She will be 8 soon." Alf said, his smile grew wider.

Then it was Mark's turn, and Mira finished.

It was then Leon's and Sophia's turn, with Mikael being the last. And also most anticipated, due to his young age and involvement in this mission.

"Aren't you a quite a bit to young to accompany us? Barely older than my little angel."

"It is due to his input that the monster fled after he strikes a vital part and saved my life using one hell of a potion. Forget his age, he got the qualifications to follow us." Leon defended him, and Sophia added:" Not to mention with his help I slew a evolved monster before after he took out over twenty Goblins alone. That kid is special, a rookie still but even so."

"You would have known this looking through his profile. Assuming just because of his age that he is ballast is unprofessional." René said, and Mikael eyes darted to him inconspicuous as that man released again a wave like sensation.

"I never saw him as ballast. Take it like a father that is overprotective in front of children. Sorry if you took it the wrong way." he said at Mikael, who just waved that comment prior away.

"Are there then any more information maybe forgotten in this report? Something that was lost in the heat?"

Herald asked, looking at Leon and Sophia.

Both of them scrambled together few minor information that amounted to a bit more than before, the mentioning of the fast reflexes and tough hair and hide heard and noted.

"I assume everyone here got their necesarry equipment. Our journey should last around two to three days, and at the end I hope we come back victorious. If so, I suggest we depart."

"Don't we need to get that medal from the staff?" Mikael asked, but René held up a Copper medal with a finely crafted tree on it up as an answer.

Shouldering his backpack which he prepared last night already, checking the attachment of his weapons and gear Mikael stood in front with Leon and Sophia, their group in the rear only being René.

The word of a group made from quite high ranked Hunter made round, and many eyes followed their group as they walked past the houses, which grew in astonishment when a child led the way.

The entered Nodan, walking steadily and still chatting leisurely. No monster or animal passed their path as they went on.

"We cleared out a Kobold lair before, that should be a good resting place." Leon said as they walked already for some time.

As no one objected, the wandered to that place, only to be surprised when entering the small cave.

"Seems that bastard rembered us." Sophia said as her hand brushed over a deep claw mark that was embedded in the wall. Some more where strewn across the ground and walls.

"And he got some nasty taste. Look at that, I guess Bjorns tincture lost its effectiveness."

The group looked into the pit they dug for the corpses, only to find some few bones and dug up earth.

"That thing ate rotting corpses, and it's claws got enough power toeave. Deep marks in stone." Alf said, worryingly looking around as if that monster was near.

"An evolved Monsters powers are quite unpredictable. In this time it could due to its injuries taken in a big amount of Mana, further altering its evolution. This thing may be even stronger than before, and our information won't be as accurate. Prepare for that." René warned.

He saw in the vicinity some turned over trees, supposedly in a fit of rage or pain.

'Great, can not once in my short time as a hunter a mission go normally, without a nasty surprise?' Mikael sighed inwardly.

'That Monster was strong already, and now it could have even become more dangerous?'

They made their camp for tonight as for the lack of something better.

Two stood guard now, and Mikael had not to take a turn this time, resting through the whole night.

At least that was his plan, as they got awoken by Herald that called inside.

"We are getting attacked, everyone to the weapons, and I mean also our guides! We got a dangerous situation here!"

Awoken like that they rushed to the entrance, weapons in hand leaving only their essentials on them.

"I thought we just had to look from the sides, and now that? That has to bolster our pay, right?" Sophia nagged at René as they looked into the dark.

The moon was not big or bright, spending very little light.

"It sure does, as you will shortly see why Herald said so." René looked into the dark, crouching down to their fire place.

"Quick, get me some logs and starter, we need light."

As he got handed both, Mikael felt a suptle rush of a sensation, which was several times weaker than the Goblin did.

It was over quickly, and a fire took René's place that grew quickly. The lit fire illuminated the surrounding and at the edge of its shine a gray foot stepped out from the bushes, followed by a even grayer body that one belonged to a Goblin.

Or it still does, but that thought didn't process in Mikaels mind as he witnessed what walked towards them.

The others also took another breath, readying their weapons or drawing their bows.

"I think only our targeted monster could have done that thinking back, no?" René said as he held his sword in front, his eyes wandering around the perimeter to locate maybe more enemies.

"And our luck continuous guys. Look around us."

They also glanced to the sides, soon discovering to their demise a growing number of slowly moving creatures.

"Wolves, Goblins, Kobolds, Deer, bears, boars... Did that monster turn his meals into Undead?" Leon mumbled, not knowing into what direction to turn to.

"At least they are not sentient or intelligent. And should be easy to kill. Rotting while walking that monster can't have imbued them with much mana. But still, their numbers are worrying." René mentioned.

"You have to hit harder now, these guys won't stop with just broken bones. Try you favorite move here." Sophia said as she twirled her sword.

"She's right. Assuming they are our normal Undead, they don't feel anything, their brain and spine controlling only basic functions and their sole mission." Alf added, his big stature holding his axe with both hands, the knuckles turning white under the applied pressure. Under his breath he whispered something, but Mikael heard nothing.

Herald with his serious expression knocked in an arrow, already beginning to shoot the first couple of foremost wolve and kobold in the head.

"Destroy their heads or spines thoroughly. Don't want them clinging to my feet."

Mikael nodded, holding his hammer and looking at the approaching Goblin that walked towards him, its white eyes void of life, the mouth opened in a silent cry ready to take a chunk out of him.