Chapter 11: A Warrior's Choice

[ ] = main character thoughts

{ } = system message

"Help!" The desperate cry pierced the air.

[Help? What's happening?]

"Lillia, tell me what happened," I said, keeping my voice steady as I faced the distraught woman before me.

Through her tears, Lillia began to explain. 

Her voice trembled as she spoke: "Frenya and I were just going about our business when we encountered a small group of monsters. 

Defeating them wasn't difficult, but while we were exhausted from the fight, scavengers surrounded us. 

Frenya... she wouldn't give up, even though she was drained. 

She created an opening for me to escape and ordered me to run.

 I refused at first, but she insisted.

 She's still there... I don't know what's happening to her. 

Please, we have to save her!"

"Stay calm," I said, my mind already calculating possibilities. "First, tell me how many scavengers we're dealing with."

"Three," Lillia replied, wiping her tears.

[Should I help them? I could walk away. In this world, many die like this every day.]

[Remember Thorin's words: Show humanity when it's needed most.]

"I won't make any promises," I said finally. "I'll do what I can, but if things get too dangerous, I won't hesitate to retreat. Understood?"

After Lillia's nod of agreement, we made our way to where she had left Frenya.

 Within minutes, we reached the location.

 With a silent gesture, I motioned for Lillia to follow me behind a large boulder for cover.

"Complete silence from here on," I whispered. "No matter what happens, don't make a sound.

 Follow my lead exactly. Clear?" She responded with a slight nod.

[Let's assess the situation.]

[I've never taken a human life before...]

[ this make me nervous a little bit ]

The scene before us unfolded like a taut string about to snap.

 Frenya stood defiant, her sword raised against her attackers.

"Back off, or this blade will be the last thing you see!" Frenya's voice carried steel in it.

The first scavenger raised his hands in mock surrender. "Easy now, we don't want to kill you. Just hand over your belongings."

"Never," Frenya spat.

"That's unfortunate," the first scavenger's voice dropped dangerously low. "We might have to get... unpleasant."

"Shame we couldn't catch her friend," the second scavenger chuckled darkly.

The third leered, his voice thick with malice. "True, she was quite the beauty. Though this barbarian woman isn't bad either, with that figure and—"

His words ended abruptly as his head separated from his shoulders, falling to the ground with a dull thud.

"What the—!" The second scavenger's exclamation cut short as my borrowed crossbow bolt found its mark, sending him crumpling to the earth.

"You'll pay for that!" The first scavenger drew a frost-covered weapon, ice crackling along its length.

"Now, Lillia!" I commanded.

"Right!"

Protected by Lillia's magic, I hurled my dagger at the remaining scavenger. 

He dodged, but in doing so, left himself open. 

As he blindly launched his ice weapon at my protected form, I seized Frenya's sword and in one fluid motion, separated his head from his shoulders.

Three lifeless bodies lay before us, their blood staining the earth.

{You've killed a human.}

[My first time taking human lives, yet I feel nothing of what I expected. Perhaps that's for the best.]

Lillia rushed to embrace her friend, tears of relief streaming down her face. "oh you're alive, Frenya!"

But Frenya's expression remained hard, her eyes fixed on me. "Never mind that. Where did you find this one, Lillia? Last I saw him, he was begging for his life."

"Don't speak of him that way," Lillia protested. "He just saved your life!"

I stepped forward, my voice calm. "Let me explain how..."

The Plan

"Lillia, first I'll approach the one with the crossbow," I explained precisely, keeping my voice low.

 "Once he's down, fighting will become easier."

"Understood," Lillia nodded, her eyes focused and alert.

"Then, when I give the signal, cast your ice protection spell on me. If you look carefully, the scavenger closest to Frenya wields an ice-infused weapon. He likely took it from a Luminousa Ice Beast. We can't underestimate it – I'm not sure what it's capable of. Got it?"

"Yes, don't worry."

 After the Battle

"And that's how we saved you," I concluded, surveying the aftermath of our brief but deadly encounter.

My eyes fell on Frenya's torn clothing. Without hesitation, I began removing garments from one of the fallen scavengers.

"Here, put these on. They'll be tight given your warrior's build, but they'll provide coverage at least."

"Thanks," Frenya replied curtly, "though I didn't ask for your help."

I turned to leave, my boots crunching softly on the blood-stained earth.

"You're leaving?" Lillia's surprised voice called after me.

"Yes, I have no reason to stay," I replied without turning back. "And try to stay out of trouble, both of you. Next time, I might not be around to help."

"Leaving just like that? Without asking for anything in return?" Frenya's voice carried a mix of suspicion and disbelief.

"I don't take advantage of people in distress."

"Acting so noble to make me look cruel, aren't you? Do as you wish – I don't care where you go. But take what you're owed first, then you can disappear."

"Hey, Barbarian, didn't anyone teach you how to speak like a normal person?"

"What did you say?" Frenya's anger flared, her hand instinctively moving toward her weapon.

"If you hadn't just saved me, I'd have killed you already, you know that?"

"Try it if you want," I replied coolly. "Just don't complain about the outcome."

"Hey, stop fighting, both of you!" Lillia stepped between us, her voice carrying a surprising authority. "Let's do this instead: why don't we travel together? We can form an alliance contract and split the spoils fairly."

Chapter-End