"Watch out!"
"Move! Move! Move!
"You fucking idiots! I told you not to get near it!"
Turning around to find the source of the screaming, Mary spots a trio running through the bushes behind them. As soon as they jump over a fallen tree, it becomes clear that a massive boar is charging right behind them as it piles right through the thick tree.
"Missy! Run!" shouts the skinny man in the front. "Get away from here!"
"Momma?" Jacob whines as he hides behind the woman, covering his face with her dress.
Mary pushes Jacob a little further behind her and tells him to not move. As the trio get closer, Mary pulls her arm back and balls up her fist. She lowers her body then steadies her breathing.
"You need to run away with us!" yells the only woman on the team as they dash past the pair.
"I refuse to let my son get hurt!" Mary declares as she swings a massive punch under the boar's chin sending it flying backwards. Standing back up, an ominous air surrounds the woman. With her eyes locked onto the massive boar as it starts to get back up, she marches over, readying her fist for another swing.
However, as soon as she's about to punch the boar, a small squeal sounds from a little ways behind. The boar turns around and loudly grunts in the direction of the small squeal. Not long after, a small baby boar pops out from the bushes and scurries over to the bigger one.
Mary takes a step back as she notices the large boar's demeanor change. Her ominous air subsides once she realizes that it's just a mom protecting her baby.
"I get it," Mary chuckles as she crosses her arms and nods her head. "You were angry because someone was messing with your child." Approaching the boar, Mary reaches out and pats the momma boar's head as if it was a domesticated pig. "I'm sorry that I punched you. I hope you'll forgive me."
As if it was natural, the boar sniffs Mary and then lightly nudges her. The baby boar runs around her feet with happy squeals which causes Mary to laugh and beckons her own child to come closer.
Trusting his mom, Jacob walks over and takes Mary's outstretched hand. She guides him over to the large boar who quietly stands next to them. Jacob's eyes widen as he realizes that he's touching one of the wildest animals in the forest without fear of it attacking. A huge smile rips across his face as he pets the giant boar. The little one notices and runs over to him. Jacob glances up at his mom first to see if it is okay to touch it, and Mary simply nods, so Jacob kneels down and pets the small one as well which causes it to want to play.
Watching her son run around with the baby boar, Mary softly smiles before remembering how all of this started. She turns around and finds the trio standing behind her a few feet back. Mary sharpens her gaze then points at the ground in front of her. "Here. Now" is all she says.
Terrified by what they have already seen so far with her strength, the trio do not dare to say no and obediently come closer.
"Sit down," she commands after stomping her foot on the ground and conjuring up three dirt stumps for them.
Again, out of sheer fear, the trio quietly do as they are told and sit down.
With her arms crossed, she fiercely stares at them. Her eyes paralyze the group as they struggle to even attempt to lift their heads.
"You, big one, tell me why you were being chased by the boar," Mary demands, pointing at the large muscular man in front of her.
"W-we were hunting for the large boar because there was a job posted at the guild regarding one that was disrupting the ecosystem of the forest," he begins to explain. His face drenches itself in sweat as Mary slowly steps forward. "We-we saw the small one and thought that if we followed it, it would lead us to a den where hopefully the larger one would be hiding."
"Don't b-be grouping me with you idiots!" the woman shouts without raising her head. "I told you it was a bad idea!"
"Look at me. All of you," Mary simply orders.
Scared to meet the gaze that awaits them but even more terrified of what might happen if they don't, the team slowly raises their heads. Shivers shoot down their spines as they come face to face with something scarier than the large boar. A smiling woman who clearly isn't happy.
"So you thought it would be a good idea to mess with a baby knowing that there might be a possibility of the mother near by? Or did you not think that far ahead?"
"We didn't think that far ahead," the group says in unison.
With a long sigh, Mary taps each of their heads as she shakes her own in disbelief. Each tap comes with it a light glow similar to the one that enveloped Jacob earlier. The light scratches and bruises disappear from the trio's bodies, and their fatigue subsides, leaving them feeling a bit refreshed.
"Woah! Did you just use healing magic on us?!" the skinny one asks as he jumps up like a spring chicken.
"We don't have the money to pay for your treatment," the woman mentions as she approaches Mary.
Mary waves her hand at the woman. "I didn't do this for money. I just couldn't let you guys leave in the state that you were in good conscience."
"Are you a battle angel or something?!" the big man shouts, punching the air in amazement. "I haven't felt this good in a while!"
"No, I'm not," Mary laughs lightly as she watches them.
"My momma is a saintess brought down by the heavens!" Jacob answers, running over to the group. He raises his arms to be picked up to which Mary obliges. "The heavens smile down on my momma and gift her all sorts of powers and stuff."
"I'm not a saintess, either," Mary denies, tusseling her son's hair.
"Well…?" the group questions as they actually take a good look at Mary.
"White silk robe," the skinny one comments.
"Beautiful appearance," says the large one.
"Followed by an adorable angel," finishes the woman.
"You guys," Mary grumbles, throwing her face into her hand.
As if by instinct, the trio kneel in front of Mary which takes her by surprise.
"I'm Marc Grimward," says the skinny one as his curly red hair sweeps over his face when he lowers his head. "Rank B Adventurer. Vanguard and leader of Valor Ring."
"My name is Orissa Ardelis," introduces the woman while her green cape settles behind her. "Rank B Adventurer. Cleric and member of Valor Ring."
"Razel Hardwyn, Saintess," the larger one completes, almost hidden behind his massive shield. "Rank B Adventurer. Tank and member of Valor Ring."
Giving up on trying to not be called "Saintess", Mary motions for them to stand up. "My name is Marisabel Alvarado de la Cruz. You can call me Mary, though. Just an ordinary person and mother to this little one."
"My name is Jacob de la Cruz!" announces the little boy with a proud smile after he is sought down and walks over to the group.
"That's an interesting name," Marc says while dusting off his pants. "I don't think I've heard anyone have more than two names except for nobles."
"What do you mean?" Mary asks.
"Most people just have a first and last name," Orissa clarifies. "Nobles have names in the middle that signify their realm that they govern over. The lord over this town is called Marquess Olwen Thamiel Ironheart Valmont, for example. The territories he maintains are mainly mining lands."
"Ah, okay," Mary says, slowly getting the idea. Noticing it getting dark, Mary whistles to call Jacob over. Without being told, he slips his hand into hers as soon as he makes it to her side.
"Do you mind showing me into town? I'm not from around here, so I don't know how things work in your area."
"Leave it to us!" Razel assures with a proud grin.
"Oh! Can you introduce us to a nice inn?" Mary adds as they start their journey to town. "One that also serves meals?"
The group kind of trade glances at each other.
"Um, Saintess, I hope you don't mind, but…" Orissa weakly smiles as she rubs her neck.
"What is it?"
"The town we are heading to is a rather… small one," she finishes in almost a whisper.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"The town that's up ahead is what most people call a forgotten one," Marc tries to explain. "It was quickly built to accommodate the miners that came into the city long ago and is now only managed with the bare minimum since it lies near the border of the Valmont territory."
"In other words, it's run down to put it simply," Mary sums up with a sigh.
The group nods in agreement as they sigh along with Mary.
"We've been staying in this town for a couple of months now to try and help the residents clean up the place to make it more presentable," Orissa says with a dejected look. "But bandits frequent the town claiming to be Lord Valmont's men and ransack everything, and we can't do anything about it because we have no proof that they aren't with Lord Valmont."
"I've been trying to work with the mayor of the town to figure out ways to bring people from other towns in, but we have been at a standstill due to the lack of funds," Marc adds in, clenching his fists. "Due to the mines being exhausted, Lord Valmont doesn't allocate a lot of money to the town anymore. Just enough to keep the residents fed since it's a crime to neglect a town in one's territory."
"Can't people just move to another town?" Mary asks with furrowed eyes. "Why stay in a town that even the Lord doesn't want anymore?"
"People don't have enough money to," Razel answers. "Yeah, they can simply pack their belongings and move, but the nearest town is three days by foot. Camping isn't an option because no one is strong enough to fight off the beasts outside, and hiring a cart and even escorts is out of the picture due to the lack of money."
"So the residents are essentially trapped in this town, and Lord Valmont isn't trying to help them," Mary concludes now with more anger in her eyes.
As they get closer to the town, their descriptions couldn't have been any more sugar coated. Dilapidated buildings. Stick-like people. Silence and death loom over everyone and everything.
"Oh… my goodness…"