Becoming Legend

The event that took place laid waste to the market that was once a bustling place of people trading a thing or two. Debris from unknown materials scattered the place, once a place full of dancing trees and stalls that stand full of goods ready to be traded, was now a barren burnt to nothingness.

Not far from the market was Granny's cabin, luckily the attack didn't reach their place. But because of the attack, Granny's cabin was now visible within the naked eye. Now with Sir Edwin added, the group walked to Granny's.

"Let's go," Sir Edwin ordered. Ending the hug Toni gave to Ned.

"Sir Knight, what kind of monster was that?" Naa'ri asked, worried took her eyes.

"I don't know," the knight replied. Shaking his head, he added. "It's the first time that I saw...that abomination."

"Where did they came from?" This time it was Toni who asked.

"Gate," Ned answered, mentally shaking his head. Forgetting that it was only him that knew where the ghouls and the Devourer came from. Now Ned was sure they will throw questions directed towards him.

Lifting a part of his brow, Sir Edwin was the first to ask, "how'd you know that kid?"

"Uh…well..uh..." Ned stammered and hammed. "My Master, yes, my Master told me that if a monster, especially a horde of monster, appeared out of nowhere, they probably came out of Gate."

Toni was about to ask but was stopped by Sir Edwin's interjection.

"It seems that your Master knew a thing or two about the Gate." Sir Edwin said.

"Yes, he was once…" Ned paused. Thinking it might be a piece of sensitive information that he was about to share, or almost.

"Ned?" Toni asked, patting Ned's shoulder.

"Once a?" It was Naa'ri, seemed curious about the conversation Ned about to share.

"Once a merchant, yes, that's why he knew a thing or two." Ned suppressed a smile.

Sir Edwin fell silent, but his eyes showed a glint of doubtfulness.

The group passed burnt trees, shredded houses, charcoaled bones the size of a human leg. They even smelled flesh and hoped that it was from a dead creature than human.

Curious, Ned asked Sir Edwin why he was outside the town gate and decided to travel with them.

"The town hall was overrun by stronger ghouls, I alone was enough, the problem was there was a lot of non-magic user citizen. And of course, since I'm the knight of the kingdom, the citizens comes first." He said, resting his arms on his sword. His tower shield hung on his back. The size almost half of his body, but seemed to be weightless from the way he walked.

"I already set up ships to be used to transport the remaining citizens of O'rriadt, made a bargain with pirates, so now, we have enough ship to board the stranded. That's why I was out, looking for remaining citizens." He added.

"How long before the aid from the Kingdom come?" Ned asked, scraping a part of a tree that was almost smoked to dust.

"Four or six, depending on the weather."

"That's fast," Ned was surprised by the Kingdom's diligence.

"No, months," Sir Edwin paused and smiled.

The two, Toni and Naa'ri who was just listening almost fell to the ground, without the kingdoms force, they might as well leave now than wait for the Kingdom's force to save them.

"Don't worry, we have two more days before the ships left, the ghouls are afraid of waters, especially sea-salt. And we'll take that as our chance." Sir Edwin explained.

"What about the purple, bony dragon?" Naa'ri asked.

"Barriers are already up protecting the ships, that's why I said we have two days, that's how long the barrier will hold."

Seeing that the cabin was near, the group stopped, sensing that something was inside the cabin appears to be not human.

"Wait," Sir Edwin raised his hands, signaling the group to stop. "Detect Life," he muttered. Then Mana visible to the naked eyes formed a circle inside his body, that was slowly getting bigger and bigger until it reached the cabin. "It's fine, that ghoul is dead. Also, I detect two people inside, one appeared to be injured."

The cabin was tattered to countable pieces, the wooden roof was visible of holes, some small, while some big, and the edges of the hole was still smoking hot.

The wall, that was made of cooked bricks inlaid with some wooden planks was splintered.

Inside, they saw Xi helping Granny supporting her self with a stick as a crutch. A long leather sling-bag strapped on her shoulder, Ned guessed that it must be his book. But of course, forget Xi, but not the book and her pipe.

Adjacent to them was the Ghoul, a head popped out its body, with a number of arrows pierced into its chest. Dark blood dripping out its gut. The room reeked of the dead decaying smell

"What took you so long," she grumped. Chewing her non-lit pipe.

"Sorry Granny, there's a lot of that thing"—turning his head towards the dead ghoul—"outside," Ned said, while he ran to help Xi to support Granny.

Her leg was cut open, blood dripped off from the deep wound. But her face shows no fear nor pain, just her face twitch from time to time.

Ned and Xi laid Granny in an open field outside the reeking cabin. She then stretched her wounded leg. Raising an eyebrow from Sir Edwin, Toni, and Naa'ri. They knew that the wound was deep, not even a tier-three spell could heal her wound back to how it used to be.

"I'm a healer," Sir Edwin said. Walking towards Granny as he throws a gaze on her wound. "A Fake one you could say, I'm sorry to say this, but your wound was deep, you might need two to three healers to help you fully recovered, that Jason kid, he could heal your wound with ease since his a Light Magic-user. But he died not long ago," his flat voice accompanied the bad news he said.

Instead, Granny shrugged her shoulder and smirked. Lifting her chin with the pipe she chewed. "Kid light my pipe," looking at Xi.

The two seemed to be more acquainted by the day's Ned left Xi with Granny. Xi took the torch that was half-lit attached to the wall. Lighting the pipe Granny chewed.

"I know what you mean, Knight," chewing the now lit pipe. "But your knowledge about things is not renewed. Here—" raising her dominant hand, she stretched to reach her wound— "let me refresh your Kingdom's healing magic."

Without chanting, or waving her hands, the light of different hues formed and enveloped the wound.

"That's just a Tier-one healing spell Granny," it was Naa'ri.

Moments passed the wound that was almost a foot long slowly healed. Not instantly, but it started from the inside. The wound then healed, going out until it reached the last remaining layer of skin.

"How?!" Sir Edwin's calm demeanor was shaken, her face twitched left and sometimes right. He almost gaped by the sight of a tier-one spell healing a grave wound, but was suppressed maybe by the years of his training.

"See that kid?" Granny said, emphasizing the word 'kid'. And winked at Ned whose smile was kept to none. "That's the book in action."