Escape

Wiccan forest:

The smell of burnt wood permeated throughout the forest as huge wisps of flames spread.

I stood alone with hundreds of mindless creatures surrounding me.

The intense heat and smoke might kill a normal human but as I said before I'm not normal.

'They are quite fast with their work.'

Commendable indeed.

My sister is leading them so it is to be expected.

A bag filled with horns was hanging on my back.

I collected it from these mindless creatures as souvenir.

It was a habit that I had developed from my childhood.

If something fascinates me I will take it.

'This bag is not fascinating.'

I didn't have a bag to store the horns so I had to make do with that guy's bag.

It was a bit funny really, when we found him he was clutching onto his bag as if his life depended on it.

Although it may be due the cocoon's internal movement it still was a bit funny.

Atleast for me...

'Having superior humour is lonely.'

Well enough of that we have something more important to worry about.

'He escaped.'

It's commendable that he still had the will to move considering his soul damage.

'The church might've already decided his execution.'

I hope it's not something like the guillotine that would be too undramatic.

So I should probably get back to chasing him.

But I don't feel like it.

I mean I already took his bag without permission and now I'm trying to take his life without permission.

Well I'm not the one taking his life but I would still get an assist.

'Nah.'

I will just tell them he burned down or got eaten by the mindless guys in my report.

And they would not question it in the least.

Even if it was an obvious lie they can't do anything because I'm a blessed.

But won't this make the goddess mad?

'Hmph, there had been blasphemers who had been blessed.'

So what should I do now?

'I will regroup back with my team I guess.'

And I chose a random direction and started walking.

********

Wiccan forest:

A huge antler came straight for my neck but it was too slow as held it in place with my bare hands.

I snapped the antlers and pierced it through the mindless beast's eyes and straight to its brain.

"Lady Estelle! Sir Aster and the survivor has gone missing from their assigned area!"

A knight shouted from a distance and God did it make me mad.

'The prisoner somehow must've managed to escape and now he's chasing after him.'

As a quick outlet of anger I ripped the deer's lower jaw away.

Fighting with a nun outfit is difficult but it's manageable.

And the design of stars and astrology engraved onto it makes me want to show it off.

Don't judge me.

Right now we were surrounded by hundreds of these horned beasts and that goddamned brother of mine decided to make my job harder.

'Should I throw him into the lands of no return without his wandering soul?'

I was seriously considering that option right now.

Only a quarter of our team remained with me, the others are either spreading fire deep within the forest or dead.

"Don't worry about it if we lose the survivor we can substitute my brother's head on the guillotine!"

I shouted back and went back to my murder spree.

I grabbed a goat by his throat and ripped it out.

Blood spilled and splattered on my face.

My whole body was bathed in blood and the plunged smell made me gag.

'I swear to god if John makes a gag reflex joke I would kill him.'

It was to be expected of him.

But thankfully he wasn't here.

"Elton has fallen!"

Well less mouth to feed then.

-click-

Huh?

The beasts suddenly stopped and stared at me.

And in my moment of confusion they all rushed towards me.

Well that just made my job easier I guess.

********

Wiccan forest:

I limped while holding in my grunts of pain as I slowly moved through the forest.

The intense heat and my body already being damaged was a great obstruction for my escape but it is what it is.

'Those horned beasts haven't attacked me, it seems like they think of me as one of them.'

That was something to be happy about.

'And the fact that they could take out those beasts with a snap of their fingers are terrifying.'

I saw that nun brutalising those beasts and I was sure that I was next but those beasts rushed towards her.

Almost as if concealing me from her.

'But that guy is still out there.'

He must be searching for me now and I don't have much time left.

I will reach the lands of no return if I pass the forest's edge but can my body hold on?

Thud,thud,thud.

I immediately hid behind a tree and slowed down my breathing.

Footsteps?

-Hey John stop rushing!

I heard someone call from the other side but the person he called out to was already about to reach my tree.

'If he finds me I'm dead.'

These must be one of those guys who got lost.

The John guy leaned against my tree and yelled back to the other guy.

"Don't worry! We just have to find either Aster or Estelle!"

His guard was down and I was a br suspicious if this was a trap or not.

'However it's still a perfect chance.'

My right immediately shot out towards his and held his mouth shut.

Th flames provided some cover and the other guy was carefully walking through so he didn't notice.

And before the John guy could struggle I pulled his head back and smashed it into the tree.

The tree shaked a bit and John fell to the ground.

'Nice but aren't these guys supposed to be strong?'

"John! You there?"

His rushing footsteps echoed and before I knew it my hands reached towards John's bag and weopons.

I hope the goddess forgives me for looting her followers.

Wait but aren't I a follower of the horned god now?

So if I asked the starmother's forgiveness would that make me a blasphemer?

'A mace? Wierd for a knight but it's still a good weopon.'

And a morningstar too.

It was the size of my firearms and a huge spiky ball was attached at the end.

'There is enough food to last me for 3 days too.'

Exactly what I needed in this situation.

"Hey Joh-AAAHHH!"

An ear piercing scream resounded throughout the forest which gave me goosebumps.

I looked towards that guy's previous location

And saw an humanoid beast.

It had a hairy body and two twisted goat horns with sharp pointy tips pointing towards the sky.

It was a bit bipedal and two blood red eyes was present on it's goat face.

'Scary.'

However I didn't have to deal with that.

It only stared at me and watched me leave while the human hand hanged lifelessly on its jaws.

'Could never be me.'

Although it seemed cruel I didn't have a choice.

I fastened my pace without considering my injuries and marched through the forest.

I wasn't strong enough to fight it nor save them.

So all I could do was save myself.

Although that John guy's death might be my fault.

I passed multiples humans and beast most fighting, most dead but none of them bothered my march.

'My wandering soul must be waiting for me.'

You must be wondering what's a wandering soul.

So let me give a quick rundown of the lands of no return.

The continent of Ellil has four kingdoms on each directions.

Although these kingdoms are large, they only take up about 40 percent of the continent.

The other 60 percentage?

A thick white fog covering ancient ruins and hidden treasures.

It also surrounds the kingdoms and the need for a border was erased.

The capital city was the nearest city in Astreaea close to the lands of no return.

And let me tell you, the continent of Ellil is large and the ten percentage we have is more than enough for us.

And about the lands of no return but no one knows its origins and navigating it alone is a death sentence due to the terrain.

None had been found after they went in alone.

But the greedy mortals couldn't stop being infatuated with the treasures hidden deep within.

So what's the solution to this problem you may ask.

That's where the wandering souls come in, they are naturally forming spirits found only in the lands of no return.

And what causes for them to form is also unknown.

Further studies shows that every single person has a unique wandering soul inside the lands of no return for themselves.

Almost as if it's a reflection of their soul.

But we stopped there, as long as they do their job it's fine.

Yeah this thought process will lead to our downfall.

And finally my surroundings grew murky and a faint fog appeared around me.

I was still able to see but that won't be the same if I go further.

'Wait.'

And I did.

For almost 5 minutes.

And I saw a humanoid light walking towards me in the distance.

It was a faint blue light and it had the shape of a human except it had no mouth, nose, ears or whatever that makes a human a human.

'Better not waste anymore time.'

I walked towards and guess what? I reached him before he could.

I tapped him on the shoulder and said.

"Let's go."

He stood there for a moment and nodded.

He turned around and started walking and I followed behind.

A wandering soul is a compass in the lands where no man could return.

And today I officially start my life as an adventurer.

Although there had been hiccups along the way.

The past is the past why should I worry about it now?

The fog grew thicker the further we walked.

'Im excited.'

I really was.