A new encounter

While I was glad that I was feeling like improving, a sudden hit on the back of my head returned me to reality.

I covered the spot where I got hit, and looked back, finding Nayleth looking down at me with a disapproving expression.

"Hey?! What was that for?!" I asked looking back at him.

He pointed to the monster, then to me, and then he extended his arms. I did not understand what he was saying, but I could tell he was angry at something I did.

"C-can you not use those magic words?" I asked, confused at the way he was trying to communicate.

He rolls his eyes and then makes his words appear: "Don't rush monsters"

"I managed to defeat it and gained a level," I said.

He shook his head while I was trying to understand the problem. I need to gain more levels and gather resources.

Then he walked towards the resources dropped by the monster, and I saw his eyes light up and ears perk up, right before he jumped to grab what seemed to be a form of big seed.

He jumped at it and grabbed it with his arms, stood up, and embraced it with both arms, rubbing his cheek against it like it was the most precious thing in his life.

Then he saw me looking at him confused by his reaction. He froze for a couple of seconds and blushed while his tail and ears perked up and eyes trembled.

"I-is that an important material?" I asked, trying to change the focus of the conversation.

He nodded, and without voicing it, he made his status appear.

[Name: Nayleth]

[Class: Healer]

[Race: Vulpin]

[Level: 10]

[HP: 140/140 MP: 135/220]

[STR: 16 DEX: 16 INT: 40 AIM: 18 DEF: 10 RES: 36]

[Professions: Alchemist Lv3, Herbalist Lv2]

[Passives: Magic Regen, Silent Casting, Expert Healer]

Then he points to his alchemist profession. It seems he could use it to make a potion and it is a valued resource in his line of work.

Then he goes into his Alchemist profession and a list of recipes appears on screens. He went down to a specific potion.

[Drop of Soul]

[A rare potion with little to no use by itself. It can be used as a catalyst to make more complex medicine]

[1x Seed of Venomous Venus]

[2x King's leaf]

[1x Satin's root]

I could recognize one of the ingredients, and I suppose the object he was holding was the seed of the Venomous Venus.

And the result seemed to be only a part of a much more complex recipe that he needed to finish.

"Oh, so you need it for that potion, is it rare?" I asked.

He nodded once more.

"What are you trying to make? Is it powerful?"

His eyes went wide and seemed to be thinking if to give me an answer. Then he just made a single word appear.

"Dara"

It was something for her. Yet he did not seem interested in giving more answers. So I decided not to pry more on his business.

We grabbed the other resources that fell. Mostly plant-based stuff and some parts. Nayleth let me know a certain one, [Venus Stem] was edible by making a gesture of eating something and pointing at it.

And when I decided to give it a try he quickly stopped me and made a gesture like cooking with a frying pan.

There should be a better way we can communicate. I should have taken those sign language classes, but maybe he does not know it either, he has never used anything other than gestures and mimicry to communicate with me.

"Hey, human!" Then I was startled, Kali's voice was in my head.

"Ah!" I yelled and looked around "What?!"

Silence for a few seconds. Nayleth covered his mouth trying not to laugh.

"Please, tell me you did not answer by voice, this is telepathic communication! Think what you want me to know!" She yelled at me through my mind.

Great, not I had to suffer her attitude inside of my head.

"What do you want?" I thought.

"Hmph!" She made, I imagined her stomping her foot "How rude" What about you?! "Listen, scouts report a couple of soldiers from the Sacred Army going to the [Scavenger's Lake]. Nayleth should guide you there"

I looked at him and he nodded and then pointed in a certain direction. Somehow, he did not speak through the System either.

"Yes, he knows where to go" I answered.

"Good. We have a couple of people doing chores around there, like fishing and gathering. Make sure that they at least escape"

[ERROR! ERROR!]

[Ad Infinitum System auto-updating!]

[...]

[Mission System repaired]

I almost had a heart attack when the Error messages appeared. Is my System still with issues, I thought that alluring goddess fixed it completely when she helped me. Seems not.

[New Quest accepted!]

[Protect the gatherers!]

[Make sure the workers from the Demon Queen's domain on [Scavenger's Lake] are not in danger. Either evacuate them or defeat any threat]

[Rewards: XP, Gold coins]

That was new! I got a quest appear on my screen and a new menu appeared for me to explore after Dara explained it.

"Don't expect me to hand these quests so often. I am not gaining enough weekly stones to give them to everyone, so feel proud you were worth it!" Kali said and then she stopped speaking.

I will need to ask questions later, more stuff was happening around me and was getting added to my System.

But I am not going to complain about bonus XP.

"Okay, let's go," I said to Nayleth.

That said, Nayleth cast a healing spell on me.

[HP: 130/130]

It took us around an hour to reach the lake. At no point we found any scout or Sacred Army soldiers, and I was hoping that was not a sign it was the calm before the storm.

It was a big fluvial lake, formed when the stream of two a river moved enough to connect two parts of its stream. It had a crescent moon shape. Why was it called Scavenger's Lake? It seemed serene enough. A bit too much.

But no sign of the workers that were supposed to be around there.

"Probably they are on the other side" I answered, looking towards there, but not managing to see a thing.

Nayleth and I walked around the lake, looking around in case we saw anything. But no sound or noise could be heard, and we noticed no movement around the place. It was oddly silent, only the water of the lake could be heard.

"The forest is quiet right now," I said.

Too quiet indeed. Doesn't this mean something bad is about to happen in movies?

That is when Nayleth pulled my sleeve and then pointed at something in the trees. A piece of torn cloth.

We got closer and then I saw behind the tree a basket full of fish. I kneel to inspect it closely and can feel the smell of the fish attacking my nostrils..

"Seems they were around here and something happened," I said, hoping we were not late.

Not further from that point, into the woods, there was a fishing rod on the dirt, discarded.

I looked at Nayleth and we both nodded at each other. We needed to investigate further.

A couple of days ago, I would be cowering. I must admit, I was scared like I would often, but I understood I needed to be more brave than I ever would. All I hoped was not to run away when we got in danger, especially since this time I was the main damage dealer.

We walked into the woods, walking slowly. No sound other than the wind and the trees, like something just scared the birds and other animals into running away from the area. I knew it was not a good sign, and something might be lurking around us.

That is when I notice a silhouette in the distance. And then others, all on the dirt, silhouettes of people on the floor, lying.

We approached and noticed there were 4 vulpins and a female goblin. All of them except for her were unconscious. Some were bloodied and with black marks on their bodies, clear signs of having been attacked by someone or something.

All of them were tied and with a piece of cloth covering their mouths.

When the goblin girl saw us, she started to shake her head, looking at us with wide eyes, trying to tell us something.

I should have seen coming what was next.

I approached and removed the piece of clothes, letting her talk.

"We are here, what happened"

"Behind you!" she yells when she can speak.

I looked behind and managed to see Nayleth being grabbed by the throat by a human and another one who managed to sneak behind me.

And then I felt something heavy hit me on my head.

[-80 CRIT! Stun!]

[HP: 50/130]

And everything went dark.