Chapter 37: Opps! 1

It took an hour to fully prepare everything and another thirty minutes to make minute details. Leila spent those moments like a busy bee. She makes no chance for Khelly to ask her about various 'whys' and 'whats'. Her little girl is as curious and talkative as she had always been.

Nevertheless, the whole Q&A round was deflected by grandpa Rodleo. If he wasn't around they would need to allocate more time to finish everything. They might even end up late going back to the camp. There were some mishaps here and there too not just Khelly's questions.

The old man was a dear and provided enough distraction for the curious girl. He answers once in a while. Other times he subtly guides the blond into more productive activities.

"So you guys ready?" Leila asked as she looked into the battle ready form of her companions.

Khelly was sporting a dagger in her hands. Very like her, straightforward and direct. Somehow the former goddess had foreseen that coming.

Ryan on the other hand was a little surprise. He equipped a brass knuckle as a weapon. Leila thought he might take a gun or something similar with how he and his family seems to gear towards that inclination.

Seeing all that, Leila knew that their party was a little unbalanced. No one can take a long distance role. So the former goddess can only take that part as well as rear support. A little different from what she planned to do, but still the same in principle.

Originally Leila planned to take a frontal role and slowly guide them to how to hunt effectively. But with all of them being close combat is just too much for that plan. No one can watch their backs if they all just rush and make a hit.

So even if Leila doesn't really favor using long distance weapons she does. She took on a bow which she borrowed from her grandfather. Feeling and using a weapon that is not yours is truly weird. It felt too incompatible and repulsive. Maybe it was because her soul has always known that this is not her weapon, that the most perfect weapon for her does not exist in this world.

Her weapon back then was a staff. It was with her ever since she emerged from the chaos. It never left her side until she was reborn to this world. She always feels hollow inside as she is still longing for her long time partner, but had known better not to go crazy for it. If she wanted to see and hold it again, she had to find a way to return to Reilas.

That desire for the thing of her past is a motivation to return. But as of now, she is not willing to leave her life here. She likes this apparent peace and world, so she's not in a hurry to find ways.

"We're ready!" Khelly said like a kid on candy crush. Though not much different from her usual hyper self, the excitement can be felt with her glowing eyes.

Ryan was a little subdued on his reply as nervousness was practically radiating all over him. But in his eyes a fire of determination can be seen through. He is ready to take his first prey.

Grandpa Rodleo stood a side, distancing himself from the combat ready kids. He won't interfere unless necessary, like practiced the children have to learn on their own.

The children took a triangle formation. Each of them is responsible for each other's backs. A test of trust if Leila were to be asked. There are just a few people in this world that you can entrust with your lives. Maybe in all worlds there is, it was also the reason why she died back then.

She trusted her sisters to trust her to be true. That they will not doubt her integrity as the eldest goddess and Deity. But the ending was that they listen to the whisper of the greed of their followers. They burned the bridges because they themselves were in doubt of her words, if they didn't they would just let the words get into the right ear and then to the left ear. No one can control them nor they need to actually listen to them.

She hopes that these children whom she is raising will not turn into like them. That she can make stronger bonds with them. Maybe forge a connection between them that those who betrayed her will be jealous of what they should have, but ultimately have up because of greed.

The trio slowly approached the young Elka Antelope. It was currently drinking some from the leaves of a plant. Looking all at peace and very harmless. But when it saw them approaching that tranquility in the beast was broken. It's horn glowing green, it's calling the mana around to blow the intruders away.

Leila had foreseen that happening and made some preparation regarding that attack. She blew a high pitch note with her lips signaling her party to promptly temporarily scatter. Which her companions immediately understood and put into action.

Due to the fast implementation of the command, they were able to miss the blast of concentrated wind. The impact of the beast's attack was devastating. It destroyed the flora behind them a while ago. A tree was blown into pieces and the surrounding small plants were overturned by its prowess.

"Yikes we're dead if we got hit with that." Khelly said as they immediately regrouped. "That little guy is really dangerous."

Ryan nodded in agreement but didn't say a word. He was very shaken with that display of power and is currently sweating a cold sweat in his back. Fear gripped his heart, but excitement and anticipation was also rising from within. He finally can do something that wasn't told to him, not instructed, not supervised by his family. He is finally seeing himself growing up.

"No talking Khelly were still in battle." Leila said briefly before telling them to prepare for the next attack.

The beast appeared instantly in front of them. Its horn pointing at them and ready to pierce them to death. This made them once again dodge, but not without giving their own counterattack. Khelly managed to scratch her dagger at the side of the beast. Ryan on the other hand decisively threw a fist at the side, though he missed the best hit he still landed a punch.

Their attack enraged the beast and called upon stronger winds. The group had to take a distance from each other. The grasses around them were almost balding from the strength of the winds, like a strong storm had hazed the lands.

Leila observed the flow of mana and determined the area with the weakest concentration. Aiming for that she released an arrow coated with earth and water mana towards that place. Though her attacks were a little subtle, the earth mana was hidden with the water mana to hide her abilities.

The beast was hit by its rear. The attack disturbed the flow of mana it controls. The Elka Antelope was bleeding, but not enough to take its life.

The beast was furthermore enraged and instead of calling the wind mana to madly surround it like its first attack, it gathered it to its horn. The beast was intent to pierce them with its horn potent with dense mana.

"No matter what you do, make sure you're not hit with it!" Leila shouted from her position. "That thing is comparable to a demolition bomb, once you hit your blow to pieces!"

Khelly was running fast to the side and dodge the upcoming horn. Her position was the closest to the beast and the obvious target. She was close to being hit and with that distance she felt dread of being close to death. Without regard to her image, she rolled into the ground to lessen the shockwave the attack gave.

"Dearest me!" Khelly stood to from her position and once again readied herself for another attack. "That almost got me!"

Leila gave support and distracted the beast away from the blond. She once again launched an arrow towards the beast. This time just water mana to briefly calm it and gave enough time for the girl to make distance.

The former goddess motioned the girl to get near to Ryan. She then slowly lure the beast in a distance to give time for the two to make ample preparation.

Ryan was a little distance away and had laid some simple traps all around. Not as strong as the one they laid a while ago, but enough to annoy the beast. They had to lead it there to capture it. But seeing its destructive power, they had to tire it out for a while before leading it away. If not it can break free and continue attacking them to death.

Khelly helped a little by supplying mana to ensure its durability. She also coated her water mana to ground. This is to make the land sticky and hopefully can cause some inconvenience to the rampaging beast.

Finishing his preparations Ryan exchanged a glance with Khelly to tell her he's ready. Fisting a stone, Ryan threw it to the beast.

"Here!"