Once things had calmed down somewhat, every villager was gathered in the village square. A danger has appeared that threatens their very survival and they need to decide on a course of action. It was either flee or fight.

  “Didn’t you see that monster? We have no choice but to run!” one exclaimed.

  Now that they know what they are up against, some people say that they should run while they can. Orcs have often been described as man eaters afterall. This is due to incidents where they hunted men for both sport and food. And if those incidents are anything to go by, they are likely too much for mere villagers to handle.

  That said, it's not like they strictly only eat humans. They are carnivores like any other, and therefore, should the villagers decide to run, it’s unlikely that the orc would give them chase. It’s also unlikely that they will destroy the village itself as there will be nothing of interest in it for them.

  Short of it is, they can bring all their livestock and food to take refuge until the local lord sends out a force to hunt down the orc.

  “Run and then what?! We have to fight for our homes, and for those that fell before us!” another exclaimed.

  On the other hand they could also stay and fight the monsters. It's been said that five men could fell an orc and there are hundreds of them in the village. Meanwhile, there can only be so many orcs.

  With the time they have before the orcs return, they can also fortify the village’s defenses, and make makeshift weapons to fight back with numbers. There’s a lot of things they can do to fight back against the monsters.

  “The hunters were able to hurt the monsters earlier. If we use heavier bows, we can do more!.”

  Those that had witnessed the rampaging orc noted that arrows from their bows could penetrate the orc’s thick skin. If bows used for small game could do so, bows with heavier draw weight used to hunt boars and the like would definitely deal significant damage to the orc.

  “And who’s gonna use the bows, huh?! Everyone that can use them died in that forest!”

  Also, even though so many hunters fought back then, they weren’t able to take down a single orc. “The tales lies! No man could win against such monster!” While five well-armed trained men might stand a chance, the villagers are clearly unfit to take on such a challenge.

  Everyone is feeling stressed and pressured to act fast. They have to do something for their own survival and they have to do something fast. The sense of urgency is driving everyone into a panic, turning them against each other.

  Discussions were going nowhere with everyone shouting at everyone—unwilling to yield. That was when scouts sent to the forest came back bearing news.

  “The orc is nowhere to be seen. Its footsteps lead beyond the river,” they reported.

  This was both good and bad news. Without any immediate threat, they could make thorough preparation for whatever it is that they decide to do. But the fact that the orc retreated drives the fact that it’s not a lone stray orc. Rather, it’s part of a larger pack.

  “We will evacuate to Durainsburgh,” the village head stated.

  After the previous head passed suddenly without any descendant, the current head was chosen by the people due to her wisdom. She’s blessed with intellect and a passing scholar had recognized her talent. She was given a scholarship to study at a school for the common people, which made people strongly rely and believe in her decisions.

  “Lord Duraint is no tyrant. I’m sure he will listen to our pleas and lend a helping hand during this time of need,” She clarified her decision, before telling everyone to make their preparations so they may leave as soon as possible.

  The villagers then turned to look at each other. Some clearly still had complaints but they held it in their throat. They believed that their leader would do them no wrong and they believed in the wisdom she's been taught at school.

  For the village’s evacuation, livestocks are quickly gathered. Cows and chickens are food for the orcs after all and they wouldn’t want to lose precious resources if they could help it.

  Since they had just harvested their fields, the village granaries are filled to the brim with wheat. While it's also precious resources, orcs are carnivores that don’t eat grains. Therefore, there’s no need to bring everything with them. Just a couple week’s worth of food would be enough.

  Able bodied men and women are all hauling necessities to their caravan while the elderly and children too young to help are waiting inside the wagons. Among them, Gale is also waiting for everything to be loaded for their evacuation.

  When she found him in one of the wagons filled with people, Lyra, the village head approached the wagon and began supervising the other villagers from a close distance to the vehicle.

  She hadn’t said anything, but she witnessed how Gale had sent the orc from earlier flying. After seeing that, she actually thought that her village had a very good chance of winning against a group of orcs. But while it wasn’t a bad idea to stand and fight for their village, she had much to gain by bringing the boy to town and personally presenting him to her lord.

  The lord of Duraint has been looking for talented individuals since long ago, and she herself was one brought to her lord for this reason. She still remembers how the scholar was handed several glistening coins after presenting her intellect and she can't help but feel excitement well within in anticipation of the money she can make. If her somewhat higher than average intellect can score the scholar several coins, a kid blessed by a spirit can no doubt score her a fortune.

  The threat of some orcs was no longer in her mind. The boy would definitely keep her safe from harm. More important than that, her mind was filled with the unpromised rewards that she would receive from her lord.

  A few days ago, in Duraint’s castle, one of the lord’s officers, William, was called to his charge’s office. Soft thumps of leather against the stone castle floor could be heard echoing around the empty halls as the man made his way before stopping at one of the doors that could be found on either side of the hallway, he knocked on the door and announced his arrival to the person inside the room.

  “Come in,” said a voice from the other side of the door.

  William twisted the door handle and pushed the door open to reveal a middle aged man working on his desk alongside some scholars. His advanced age shows in his already grey hair and face that has wrinkles contrasting the sharp gaze in his eyes.

  Then, below his neck, it was almost as if an entirely different person. The bulges of his muscles are clearly defined even through the somewhat loose clothes he has on, oozing a powerful presence from every part of his body that betrays his own age that should have been long past its prime.

  Vincent Duraint, even in his advanced ages still participated in battles and ruled his domain with might unrivaled in his kingdom. As a duke, his political standings and power is below only that of the king’s. As a knight, his mere presence strengthened the heart of his allies, and faltered that of his foes.

  “My lord, have you called for me?” William asked after closing the door behind him.

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  “A few days ago a man was reported missing from a village further south.” Vincent said, urging the scholar inside the room with him to procure a scroll and lay it on his table facing William.

  Seeing the scroll laid out for him, William approached the desk, picked the scroll up and started reading the details written on it.

  “A search party was then formed and sent to look for the man—the entire party never returned. It was rather small due to lack of available hands, but they should have known where to look. There shouldn’t have been a problem looking for one missing man.” Vincent continued when William started reading the scroll.

  “What is the result of the investigation?” William said after reading the last bit written on the scroll that noted an official had been sent to investigate the incident on site.

  “I just received a report this afternoon. The investigator said that it was likely kidnapping done by bandits.”

  “Bandits, my lord?” William asked. Considering his post and his skills, he was one of the few often sent to deal with bandits. Naturally, his experience has taught him more than a few things about how they operate.

  “Do you find it strange too?” Vincent asked after noticing the sceptical look he’s been given.

  “This doesn’t seem like banditry.” He noted. “From the facts stated, it is likely that the first men went missing along with the village herbalist. Bandits should know that a herbalist living in the woods is a detachment from a nearby settlement. If they are large enough of a band to handle the settlement, they would do so instead of going for a single herbalist. If they are too small to handle it, they will steer clear of it altogether.” William’s experience has taught him of how bandits are a cowardly bunch.

  “What if it's a band of bandits too small to attack the village, but too large to make do with kidnapping just one person?”

  “You mean to say that they specifically targeted the first missing men, the herbalist and the search party?” He stopped to think for a while. “Unlikely,” He noted in conclusion. “The number of men allocated to the search party is uncertain. Should the search party be particularly large or keen, such as when they include hunters, they risk being found.”

  After hearing his subordinate’s thoughts on the matter, Vincent then leaned back on his chair and pondered the matter further. His regions are all going through harvest, so he’s somewhat hesitant to send one of his best men to deal with this problem. On the other hand, the man before him is without a doubt the best man for the job.

  “I believe caution would be much preferable to optimism for this case, my lord.” William said as he noticed his lord in deep thoughts.

  “Is that so?” Vincent said before going back into his thoughts. After a short while of pondering, the look on his face changed as he had seemingly come to a decision. “Gather some men for what you think is appropriate force to deal with this incident and make haste towards Carmul.”

  “My lord! It shall be done.” By order of his lord, William gathered a force fifty strong and set off towards the reported village. The number was from an estimation based on the village population of about seven hundred. For such a large village, should the incident actually be a bandit kidnapping incident, the band of bandits should consist of about seventy men or so.

  With that consideration, the force William had gathered would be outnumbered, especially since they also had to protect the villagers. That said, William himself is a noble of pretty high standing who had earned his position through his deed in battle. A seasoned and skilled archer worth more than a few dozen men.

  William Hilsberg of the Bow was molded by his lineage and hard labor steeped in his own sweat and blood before being reforged in the crucible of battle. Born into a lineage of archers, he had received training since a very young age.

  Like any seasoned soldier, his frame was toned, but on his upper body—his shoulders, back, and arms—years of dedication to the bow could be clearly seen. His upper muscles are unusually dense and he had arms slightly longer than most. Training and experience sculpted him beyond the common soldier which helps him wield his warbow with more than 100 kg of draw weight to it. His archery easily fell enemies before their warcries could even reach his ears.

  “If it's not bandits, what do you think it could be, captain?” one of William’s men asked him.

  The fifty strong force is now gathered around a few campfires while some of them are further away to keep watch of the surrounding area. The village is just some distance away and they are now resting through the night.

  “Who knows? Might be our Divine Mother playing tricks.”

  “Our Goddess, the birther of souls? I’m hoping for something I can shoot with my bows though.” William’s men said while drawing his bow for emphasis before loosening it gently.

  While the chatter continued around the campfire, William turned to look at his side. A seasoned veteran is seated there with a bowl of steaming soup in his hand. Though he had retired some years ago, there was a time when William had fought alongside this man, long before he himself had reached his current position.

  The veteran reached out to him and asked to come along for this quest. While he did consider that there was a risk the veteran could sabotage the quest, William ultimately decided to let the former soldier join him. He knows how trustworthy the veteran is from their time fighting together in the field.

  One of his sleeves flutters about in the wind as proof of his bravery in battle. While such a wound would render most men incapable of combat, William knows that his skills and experience in battle are more than enough to compensate for it.

  The wound had forced the men to retire and at the time, and William thought of what a shame it was to lose such a man. His skills in dueling were almost incomparable to anyone else at the time, and William was sure he had the capabilities to rise to the rank of captain despite his low birth. The battles they fought together convinced him so.

  When the men noticed William staring at him, he gave him a slight smile. “A few weeks back, a couple children were attacked in the forest by one armed apes.” The man then proceeded to explain what little he knew about the incident. He must have thought William was probing him.

  “You live in the village—What’s the name…”

  “Carmul, sir.”

  “Ah yes, Carmul. You’ve lived there since your retirement, haven’t you, Robert?”

  “Yes, sir. One of the children is under my care while the other has been learning the sword under me.”

  “I’m sorry for that.”

  “Thank you for your concern, sir. Both of them have received treatment and have recovered well.”

  “That’s good—and what of the forest?”

  “They were attacked in a part of the forest that shouldn’t have been the apes’ territory. Someone who lived in the forest told me then that something in the forest is expanding their territory and is pushing everything else closer to the village.”

  “So we’re up against beasts?”

  “Is what I assume.”

  Everyone around William’s campfire then all nodded to each other in understanding. They were going in blind so any kind of information was welcome to help their chances. Just then, a voice could be heard from the outskirt of their camp.

  “Torch!” one of the men assigned to keep watch exclaimed for the edge of their camp.

  Hearing this, William grabbed his bow on the ground next to him and got on his feet. He walked through the somewhat tense men around him to the edge of the camp to find the one who shouted earlier.

  In the distance, he could see the burning torch coming closer and closer, bobbing up and down as it made its way towards the soldiers’ camp. It’s the movement of a horse rider bearing a torch to light his way through the night.

  “Halt!” William exclaimed to the man once he deemed the distance between them close enough. The men complied and immediately pulled the reins to stop his horse. “Have you come from Carmul?” William then asked.

  “Yes, sir! I rode to ask for aid from lord Duraint!” He shouted in response so the other party could hear him clearly despite their distance.

  Hearing this, William made his way closer to the messenger for a conversation. “We are men sent by lord Duraint himself to investigate matters in your village. Has something urgent happened?”

  “Sire, our village has been attacked by an orc.”

  “An orc you say?”

  “Indeed. It murdered our man and woman alike before it retreated back to where it came from.”

  William looked back to his men briefly thinking about what he should do. The situation has changed. Orcs are intelligent but irrational monsters. If they found a human settlement, they would definitely raid the settlement for sport and food.

  Things are looking bad for the village, especially because they had let the first orc get away. Since the monsters live in packs, the first orc would definitely inform its pack of the village and they’d come in larger numbers for a hunt.

  “Pack up, men! We ride to hunt orcs!” he shouted to his men. They meant to rest for the night so that they’d arrive at the village refreshed and ready for immediate battle. But against those maneaters, they had no time to rest.

  “Sir!” his men replied in unison. Everyone then proceeds to pack up the camping equipment they have set for the night. The campfires were extinguished and they packed their tents to a cart to be pulled by a couple horses.

  William himself prepared himself for battle before riding his own horse. It was a good thing he had brought a horse for each one of his men. It was actually excessive just to hunt bandits, but since his lord’s force would be focused on Duraintsburgh where a large harvest festival is to take place, the horse would’ve been left doing nothing anyway. They have to reach the village as soon as possible and the horses he brought is a large boon for this purpose.