Chapter 81 Return To Grove

(Author Note - unedited chapter)

John fell to the floor screaming, his body covered in cold sweat. He was back in the room with the altar and Silas was just next to him.

"It... Was all that real? Is that really going to happen...!?" John was in disbelief. His body was shaking and his heart was beating so fast it hurt.

"Yes. What you saw was a vision of the future, the same vision each of us have seen." Silas stood up and raised his hands while looking at the others spread around the cave. "He has seen the truth, just as we have. He is one of us and will help us save the world!!" He proclaimed.

"W... Wait, what? Hold on... I didn't say..."

"Come brother. We have many things to do before you can truly become one of us." A man in robes helped John stand up, completely ignoring the latter's words.

He lead John out of the cave and they disappeared around a corner. "Will he really be joining us? He still doubts the Great Ones vision..." A man in robes asked Silas.

"He will. He believes his friends will die if he doesn't help us, so of course he will." Silas replied and a silence followed. The man in robes look like he was contemplating something but Silas spoke again.

"Help him form a pact as soon as possible."

The man's eyes went wide "What!? You want to give him a pact already!?" He exclaimed with an indignant tone.

"He joined us to gain the power to save his friends, if we do not give him power, he will seek it elsewhere. We have need of him, so we must do what is needed to keep him." Silas answered.

The man was shocked and felt that this was unfair but he agreed to do as instructed and left to go on with his duties.

"We shall see if you are truly as useful as they say, John." A frown appeared on Silas' face "I certainly hope you are..."

***

Leo and the rest of the group had been traveling for days. Stopping at towns some nights and camping in the wilderness on others.

They had done their best to avoid attention, all wearing regular clothes and talking to as few people as possible.

They chose not to wear the military uniforms as they would attract a lot of attention. The military weren't often seen in villages and towns. Only those in the cities were used to their presence.

They were finally nearing Grove village and as such, everyone was ready to finally arrive and begin their search for Umbra.

Two guards could be seen standing outside the entrance to the village, each of them wearing armour that looked to be made up of pots and pans melted together. They had old and shabby looking spears by their sides that looked like they would break at any moment.

A higher quality carriage was riding towards the town being pulled by 4 horses. The quality of the carriage surprised the guard, as nobody of such importance would have business here.

p Nila had done her best to get a carriage that wouldn't stand out too much, unfortunately this was the lowest quality carriage her family owned. It was still luxurious enough that most merchants would spend their life savings to have it.

As the carriage arrived near the gate, the younger of the two guards stepped in front of the horses and they slowed to a stop. The one currently driving the carriage was Cain.

The group had been rotating who would drive but most of the time it ended up being Cain, by his choice. He claimed that he would rather drive the carriage that still and do nothing.

The horses slowed and came to a stop a few meters in front of the young guard while the other guard moved around the horses and closer to the carriage.

This guard looked exactly like the other, only older. "What is your business here?" He warily questioned while looking at Cain.

Leo was inside the carriage and heard a familiar voice directing a question towards Cain.

"It's none of you business is it? We're here for personal reasons so just..."

"Calm down, Cain." Leo was stepping out of the carriage door and landed on the ground. "You remember me, right?" Leo asked the guard.

Flashes of Leo killing the bandits that had attacked the village flashed through the guards mind. "Y-Yes of course..."

"Mister Leofalor!" The younger guard who Leo knew as Jason shouted as he ran towards them.

"You've come back! What happened to you? When the military arrested you, we thought you were done for. How did you get out?" He bombarded Leo the second he arrived in front of him.

"I just told them the truth and they let me go. It was all a misunderstanding." Leo replied bluntly.

'Leo was arrested? When did that happen and why haven't any of us heard about that before?' Clay thought after overhearing the conversation. The others had similar thoughts to this but everyone chose to let Leo finish before they asked him about it.

"Wow, I'm glad you didn't get in trouble. You saved our village after all!" He exclaimed in an excited tone.

'He seems to hold me in high regard so he should be willing to answer my questions truthfully. Let's see if he knows anything.

"Yes that's true. So, Jason, I was hoping you could help me with something. You see we are looking for someone." Leo said.

"Yes, of course I can help. Can you describe the person for me, or maybe you know their name?" Jason replied, excited that he would be ale to help the person he idolized.

"We don't have a name, but they always wear a dark cloak and mask."

Jason's smiling face changed into one that dipictated fear. "I-I don't know a-anything about that..." He stumbled over his words as he replied.

'Why is he so afraid?' Leo thought as a look of confusion and concern appeared on his face.