Chapter 253: Follow the plan

The blustering, explosive sound that came with the powerful shockwave of energy caused a wave of dread to wash over the large, gathered group of people. Although they weren't fighters, most of the ex-enslaved knew that whatever could produce such an incredible, earth-shatteringly powerful display of force couldn't be normal. The orcs were brutal and fierce but none of them ever seen such a display of power from them. They were mostly physical beings, rarely seen using any of the mystical energies.

The few elves that were more knowledgable in matters of the supernatural, had a much more frightened look on their faces. The twins, who were the last to be set free were visibly shaking as they tightly held onto each other, unable to mutter any meaningful words.

Hearing the grave threat in the blonde amazon's last words, Scarlet turned to look at her with a dour expression on her face. 

"What do you mean? What could have happened?"

"The sound came from the orcs settlement. Most likely Aiden has got into some tough battle. The guards will now be on high alert, we can't spend any more time here, we have to leave the jungle immediately."

Naybeah spoke with the same stoic expression and grave tone in her voice. She pulled her large weapon to her hand, and walked forward, stopping a few steps away from the large crowd. She turned around, and with a cold, icy look she addressed the frightened ex-slaves.

"Get ready people, we don't have any more time to waste, we have to leave NOW!" 

Although she had more questions, the look on the amazon's usually cheery face and her unusual tone froze all of them in Scarlet. She turned serious, and whilst pulling the borrowed dagger from her belt she followed after her. 

"Seriously, what could he have done? For us to feel and even hear his attack from all the way over here, he had to encounter something unexpectedly powerful." Sarah kept her gaze looking towards the source of the sound a bit longer before she shook her head with a wry smile appearing on her face.

Following after her 'partners-in-crime', she got in front of the group. 

"So how should we do it? We need at least one of us on the front, and someone in the back. We have a very large group, traversing through the forest whilst keeping everyone safe will not be an easy task." Sarah spoke up with a plan already forming in her mind. Before the other two could chime in, she continued glancing at Naybeah.

"We also cannot return to our camp site, it's way too close, and if what you said is true, then with the increased patrols it is very likely that they will discover that place."

"I also hate the thought, but our only chance is to get out of the forest. We can only place our trust in him to complete his task." Naybeah added, agreeing to the purple-haired woman's suggestion.

Scarlet, however, couldn't accept the thought of leaving his dear brother whom she had just reunited with after so many years of being torn apart. Vehemently shaking her head, she almost exploded with these agonizing thoughts.

"NO! We can't leave them behind! I CAN'T DO THAT! NOT AGAIN!" She screamed at the two, her body almost shaking just at the mere thought.

Seeing the state Scarlet was in just at the mere thought, Sarah could only look at her with a wry look on her face. Forcing a compassionate smile on her face, she reached out, gently grabbing her weapon-holding arm, giving it a light tap.

"Don't worry, your brother will not be left behind. Aiden is looking for him, and I'm absolutely sure that he will do his utmost to bring him back."

Then she turned to look at the expectant-looking crowd behind them, as she continued with the smile on her face curving slightly higher.

"Still, we can't just abandon these people. They have suffered enough. Look into yourself and tell me, could you really leave them be?"

"I… But my brother…" Having trouble expressing herself due to the tumultuous storm raging in her mind and heart, Scarlet could only mumble, turning towards the crowd first, then shifting her gaze towards the distance where the settlement lied.

"Don't worry, hubby will get him back! He is strong, a few mere pig brains, can't stop him!" Naybeah chimed in, her confident grin returning to her face, even if it was forced on for the sake of the fiery, red-haired girl.

"Yes… 'AIDEN' will get him back, don't worry about that. He will return to the city with your brother in tow. We can regroup at the Adventurer's Guild in the morning after we escorted these people away from danger." Sarah added, emphasizing the boy's name as she gave a cold look to the grinning amazon.

"I... *sigh* Yes, you are right…" Scarlet finally gave in with a defeated sigh escaping her lips, turning back to the group of people. "I need to trust them, we can't do anything else." 

Taking another, longer exhale to calm her raging emotions, she returned to her focused, serious self. 

"Compared to you, I'm more on the agile side, I would be best to stand at the core of the group and assisting both of you. I can get to the front or to the back to assist if needed. Besides, I'm not that familiar with these woods…" She advised, averting her gaze and lowering her voice at the end.

"I will stay at the back, if the orcs come, they will most likely come from behind us. I can hold them up while Scarlet comes to help, and you will escape with them." Naybead added turning away from the group and looking at the group of people that meanwhile got mostly ready for the long and arduous journey that awaited them.

"Fine, but let me know if any of you spot anything unusual." Seeing the determined, confident look on both faces, Sarah knew that arguing would be futile and could only acquiesce. 

Turning towards the group she raised her arms in the air, grabbing the attention as she addressed the group once more.

"Okay everyone, we are leaving NOW! Try to keep up the pace we have to move fast at least until we leave the immediate vicinity of the orc's territory!"

---

"[Orc] The captains most likely will send out patrols around the area to search for signs of the culprit. If master's friends are close by and if they will be discovered…" Roas spoke, answering her young master's question with a haunted expression on his face. His voice was much meeker than usual, not daring to look his young master in the eye.

Aiden didn't respond for a while but had a contemplating look on his face. Yes, he could storm out, fight his way through the army of orcs and get back to the girls, but he knew that they wouldn't want that. He had to complete the task they originally set out to do and gather information on the true intentions of the horde. He also had his System-assigned mission about this 'Demon Grotto' and that was something that he absolutely had to do, or he would be punished with an unfair death.

"[Orc] I see…" He responded after a long while. Heaving a sigh, he turned towards Drake who looked at them with a puzzled expression.

"There is a slight change of plans… Unfortunately, we can not leave immediately, the orcs are on high alert after my break-in. Supposedly we are safe inside this building, the orcs consider this building holy grounds and they will not cross the doors. We only have to deal with some envoys from other tribes and the higher-ups, the leaders." He explained in a brief manner, looking calm and collected on the outside. 

"W-what about Scarlet?" Although he had many questions about the long-winded discussion with the orc servant that seemed troubling just by watching the changes in their expressions, Drake's first thought was the safety of her sister. 

"I have already freed her, don't worry about it, my friends are probably escorting her and the other slaves they freed out of the forest as we speak." Aiden responded dismissively, but then as a question came into his mind, he looked at the silver-haired prince with a much colder look than before.

"By the way, how could you leave your sister chained up like that? We just freed her from that horrid place, and your first thought after setting out together was to place her back in chains? Are you really this stupid?!"

"S-shut up! There wasn't any other choice! We had to go along with the plan! Haven't you seen that there are no females in this camp, like at all?! All of them are held as livestock outside the main camp's grounds! She knew we had to keep up the appearances!" He retorted. 

Although knowing that their plan was bad, they still had to go along with it.

Still, he did feel guilty about the fact of leaving her like that, but he could do nothing.

"Besides she knew I will get back to her after learning about the true intentions of these monsters…" He added, muttering under his breath, not expecting Aiden to actually hear his words.

Aiden's expression changed as he heard Drake's last words. His already cold look turned stern, he clenched his fists in an attempt to quell his rising anger.

"What did you say? Who gave you this task?"

***

Please read the author's note just below! Thank you!