133 The Appearance of a Hero!?

First Fleet Master Kose stood on the wooden balcony as he looked out to the mass of tiny islands and sails spread out before him. He rapped his fingers against the wooden railings as he waited for the messenger wyvern's handler to finish securing the message tube on to the small wing blue-green reptile which looked like a tiny version of a fighting dragon. The Blue Spotted Wyrven patiently withstood the minstrels of its handler, who hand fed it with strips of raw fish. The handler whispered into the ears of the Blue Spotted Wyrven who cocked its ears as it listened to the instructions.

Bobbing its head in acknowledgment, the messenger wyvern with an intelligence of a 10 year old child gave out a squawk before spreading its two meter long wings out and catching the warm sea breeze. Its forearms hugged the message tube secured in a harness over its half meter long serpentine body and with its wing filled with wind, it kicked off from the wyvern roost and allowed the warm air currents to boost it into the air like a kite, and it slowly disappeared into the redding sky.

"Fleet Master, it is done," The wyvern handler gave a salute, left hand with open palms against the chest, touching the right shoulder. "It should arrive within six days."

Kose nodded and continued watching the scenery in the roostery. Tiny islands cleared of all vegetation were used to grow a sugar crop called Cococane. The thick segmented stalks ended in palm like leaves with large hard shell meaty and juice filled nuts. The stalks were crushed to produce a sweet greenish nectar which could be drank directly or processed into sugar.

The sweet nectar was fermented into a strong alcohol which was in great demand in as a trade good, making it the Isles primary cash cow, earning the island nation millions in gold royals annually.

Kose took a deep breath of the salty air, enjoying a moment of peace, watching youngsters playing and running along floating bridges that linked the tiny islands together. The Isles buildings were built out on the seas on tall stilts and wooden floats to compensate for the ocean tides.

Land was at a premium, as it was to be used to grow both cash crops and food crops for the nation. Terraces were dug out by hand and magic on the mountainous slopes, where the rich fertile volcanic soil provided nutrients for the grown crops.

Several large floating harbors housed the mighty naval fleet of the Isles. If the Isles' Navy claimed to be second best, no nation in the New World will dare to claim first place.

Kose gave out a deep breath and waved his hand. His attendant waiting on him approached from behind and waited for his command. "Instruct the Third Master to prep his fleet for sail. Inform him to be ready to sail with the tide in three-five days."

The attendant saluted and retreated out, leaving the First Fleet Master alone in his thoughts as he viewed the scenery in the tower.

-----

Somewhere near the town of Falledge

"Come on, Dante, are we seriously going to fight the rebels?" A slim, roguishly looking elf stepped out of the foliage while grumbling, "Damn insects and trees, nothing but trees, bushes, trees, oh look! More trees!" He brushed off a fallen leaf from his shoulder and stood with his hands on his hips, a rapier dangling on his belt while a knapsack was carried on his back.

A young looking male wearing full plated ornate armor stepped out behind the rogue, sweeping his golden hair off to the side, his youthful good looks and bright blue eyes took in their surroundings in one glance and he smiled radiantly at his companion, "Come on, Stab, look around you, can't you feel the surrounding beauty of nature?"

"Hell no!" Stab slapped an insect away and wiped his sweaty brow and paused halfway, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Wait a minute, why are you not even sweating in that armor of yours?"

"That is because, unlike you, my hero can't sweat!" A female voice came from behind Stab, "Move out of the way, you sleaze bag!" A staff rammed against the Stab's bag, pushing him out of the path of a dark purple robed mage.

"Wait- what?" Stab hopped nimbly out of the way, "That's cheating! You waste your magic on making Dante not to sweat?"

"Of course, unlike you," The female mage turned and smiled sweetly at the sheepishly looking Dante who gave a helpless shrug, "My hero must always present the best of himself!"

"Hahaha, for who to see in this endless parade of trees?" Stab rolled his eyes, "Ohh, maybe that wyvern there? Or those little ants at your feet?"

"Come on guys, stop fighting," Another female elf dressed in a hunter attire with a longbow and quiver hang over her hip appeared before them, "Liz and Stab, please?"

"Hmph," Liz turned her head away from Stab and marched over to fawn over Dante who was helpless in his efforts to fend her off.

"I found a game trail leading towards Falledge," The Huntress reported, "It should take us a day the most if we follow it, instead of going by the main road."

"Good work, Evelyn," Dante gave a charming smile, which dazed Liz, and making Evelyn blush.

"Tsk," Stab shook his head, "Come on, let's hurry, I can't stand trees and more trees, I wanna have a drink and a proper bed!"

Dante nodded and gestured for Evelyn to lead the party while Liz waved her staff and their luggage floated along with them as they followed Evelyn.

After walking for a distance, Dante suddenly stopped the party, "Wait!" His handsome features narrowed in concentration, "We got company! Make ready!" He pointed towards the left of their party towards the thick trees surrounding them.

"Oh, I was getting bored," Stab jerked his neck sideways, making popping sounds and he loosens up his muscles. "What do we have?"

Evelyn leaped up effortlessly onto a tree branch and readied her bow, deftly stringing the bow and drew a couple of arrows pinched between her knuckles of her index, middle, and ring finger. "Smells like goblins?"

"I hate goblins," Liz dropped her magic over their luggage and stood with her back against the tree where Evelyn was in. She raised the head of her staff up and a four greenish magic circle formed, "Nature Protection All!"

Dante and the rest of the party bodies glowed green and a warm, fuzzy sensation covered their bodies before fading away. "Thanks, Liz!" He unhitched the massive kite shield from his back before drawing his great sword out from his back. "I sense over a hundred of those evil beings... They have not sense us yet!"

"Attack or ambush?" Stab asked as he held a long stilleto in his left and gave his rapier in his right hand in few quick flicks.

"Wait, I see them, about 150- 200 feet away," Evelyn peered through the forest in her vantage point, seeing dozens of shadowy figures moving between the trees. "It looks like a raiding force."

"There must be a village or farm nearby if they are moving in such numbers," Dante guessed, "We will attack."

"I thought you say that," Stab gave a sigh, "Usual formation?"

Dante nodded, "I will be the vanguard, Liz, and Evelyn on the rear while Stab, do what you need to do."

"Got it."

"Yes, my hero!"

"Uh-huh..."

Dante went down on a knee and closed his eyes, his greatsword, normally a two-handed weapon for others, but used single-handedly by him rested against the dry forest soil. "Sun God, hear my prayers," He heaved his kite shield on his left arm, "Grant me the strength to wipe evil off the land."

Standing up, "For I am the Hero of the Sun!" and a radiant glow burst out from him, gaining him a great increase in strength, agility, and resistance. "AND I SHALL KNOW NO FEAR!"

He took over in a sprint, faster than a horned rabbit, leaping over massive tree roots like a walk in the park before his glowing figure slammed into the flanks of the goblin raiding party.

"Damn, it must be that damn Sun God's blessing that makes him so ... bright and popular with the ladies," Stab rolled his eyes and sprint after Dante, his body was feeling lighter as Dante's Sun Bless Aura affected him too, granting him increases in his stats.

"Ahhh, wait for me!" Liz cried as she chased after Dante's after image, her pink eyes glowing with passion. Her short stature having a problem keeping up with both Dante and Stab's speed despite the Aura effects. Her oversized wizard hat flopped madly as she navigated her way around the trees, seemingly glued to her head. "My herooooo~!!!"

Evelyn shook her head and leaped from one tree branch to another, making sure to stay within sight of Liz as they approach the one-sided slaughter happening ahead.

A wooosh of wind generated by the greatsword's after swing, sent a couple of weaker goblins tumbling down on their backs while those unfortunate enough to be in the way of the sword parted into halves. "Haaa..." Dante breathed out deeply, releasing his pent-up breath as he swung his greatsword. A trail of broken and sliced body parts followed behind him, yet despite all the blood and gore, none touched his body nor armor.

The goblins were stunned by his sudden glowing appearance and even more so by the sudden carnage wrought among them within seconds. They stood there dumbly for a while before some goblin let out a cry of fear and the rest was jolted awake.

Some ran while others charged towards the glowing figure, swinging their crude weapons wildly. Dante ignored the flimsy attacks and just focused on swinging his greatsword, cutting down dozens of goblins with each sweep.

Stab flicked his rapier and a goblin grasped its torn throat, trying to staunch the green blood. Stab sighed as he watched Dante swinging his sword around energetically, while he sidestepped and riposte a clumsy swing from another goblin and ending its life with an elegant stab into the right eye with his rapier.

A blood-curdling roar suddenly broke out and a huge figure charged out from the depths of the forest. A forest troll armed with a broken off tree branch swung it mightly at Dante who stabbed his greatsword into the ground and bracing with his shield, taking the attack head on.

"Other than his godly looks and strength, that kid is just all muscles and no brains," Stab shook his head, and stepped into the shadow of the tree next to him and disappeared from sight. He suddenly reappeared behind the troll, emerging from the shadow of the troll and stabbing deeply with his stillelo at the left thigh of the troll, effectively hamstringing it, bringing the troll down on one knee. "Now, that is a good boy."

"Thanks!" Dante yelled, flashing a perfect row of pearly white teeth, and beheading the troll half-kneeling before him. "Just the right height!"

"Fight with your brains! Not with your muscles!" Stab yelled as he neatly skewered two goblins in the heart with his rapier. "Like this!"

Suddenly several bolts of white magical energies smashed into the far ranks of the goblins. "Hmph, you dare lay your filthy stinky hands on my hero!" Liz appeared, panting angrily as she stood on top of a tree root, "DIE YOU FILTHY ANIMALS!" Her staff glowed and six massive bluish glowing magic circle appeared before her, one over each other, "MAGIC MISSILE TIMES ONE HUNDRED!!!"

Dozens and dozens of energy bolts rained out and slammed into the shattered goblin raiders, causing heavy casualties and blowing away trees and creating holes to the forest ground. "WAAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!" Liz stood there with her hands on her hips and threw her head back laughing madly in triumph.

"Are you trying to kill us too!" Stab cursed, as he stepped into the shadows to evade the magic missiles and reappearing next to the tree where Liz stood, while Dante heroically stood there unflinchingly with his sword and shield, painting a heroic scene with the background in explosions and death.

Evelyn gave a sigh at the antics of Liz and Stab and turned to look at Dante, secretly admiring Dante's pose which painted a heroic scene with the background in explosions and death.

*** Author's rumblings ***

N-NANI!!!! A hero!?

Cococane is basically sugarcane + coconut ... btw its a drink too ~ Tastes pretty good, when mixed together with some squeezed fresh lemon.