The Way of the Future: Age of Machines(Completed)

Ambush

The group embarked at the break of dawn, wanting to arrive at the Eastern Fortress City before the week ended. They were supposed to cross the Great Eastern Swamp before finally arriving at the Hiltzr Plains west of the Fortress City. The other adventurers with the same mission as they have set out a few days before, going against the orders of Izrael and wanting to complete the task all by themselves.

Did greediness run high for adventurers for this mission, 30,000 Aureus, and bonus Aureus? Yes, such money would give them power and wealth comparable to that of a noble family in the kingdom. But they failed to see the hidden warning, why were they giving out such a reward for the mission?

It was because the higher-ups and Izrael knew, most of them won't return and those who do, will probably not even accept the reward. The information they gave them was limited; the clergy knew full well that the enemy was unlike anything they've ever encountered.

It was a cloudy afternoon, and the group has reached the swamp.

The horses struggled to pull the cart with their equipment through the marshes, and Grey was forced to use some of his magic to mitigate the strain to the horses.

The swampy landscape was a foot deep and who knows what lied beneath the deepest reaches?

"It smells so bad here," Shialynn complained, covering her nose with her right hand.

"We're in a swamp, what did you expect?" Liz retorted.

"If you keep complaining the rest of the way, I will shut your mouth," Liz glared at Shialynn from her horse.

"Yes, ma'am!" Shialynn replied, terrified but was still annoyed by the smell from the swamp.

As they went deeper and deeper into the Great Eastern Swamp, the rays of the sun began to become dimmer and dimmer until the sun itself was covered by the thick treeline and fog which covered the landscape.

The sounds of nature were peaceful to their ears, the simple chirps of the birds which flew and stood on the branches above and the croaking of the frogs which called the swampy land their home. They bounced on top of floating water lilies, and several other animals and amphibians swam through the murky water.

The group enjoyed the scenery, nothing but nature's beauty itself was upon them. Even if they were to travel here often, they would not get tired of nature which surrounds them.

"I thank ye, Goddess Of Nature," Grey began to pray in whispers, he was a devotee of the church and seeing this beauty further developed his fondness of the deities which created this world, specifically nature said to have been created by the Goddess Of Nature and her angels.

Liz smiled at Grey, she was always happy when she saw any of her friends happy, and Grey was the most joyous of them all. Almost everything can make him smile and his smile, though average, emitted energy which gave others strength.

"You know.." Rudolf suddenly remarked, breaking the natural peace which had been with them.

"We could become true adventurers," He continued, real adventurers were adventurers who embarked on exploring unknown lands for the sake of exploration and fulfillment. Unlike what they were right now, they act more like mercenaries rather than people who go on adventures.