The Moonlight Swordsman

The afternoon seems to stretch on forever as the sun beats down on the land, casting long shadows from the trees. The air is still and quiet, with only a few birds, calls breaking the silence.

The group of hunters and mages have gathered in a clearing, their weapons at the ready, as they await the start of their goblin raid. The hunters wear leather armor and carry bows, swords, sabers, etc while the mages wear long robes adorned with mystical symbols.

Despite the tension, there is a sense of anticipation in the air. For weeks, the hunters and mages have been preparing for this raid, and they are excited to put their skills to the test.

The sun begins to dip towards the horizon as the afternoon progresses, casting a warm orange glow over the land.

Aizel noticed that David and the mages were engaged in discussion.

"It seems like they are about to start the raid." He said.

"What about Lucas? He hasn't arrived yet; is he not coming with us?" Harry inquired, his gaze drawn to Alisha as if she might know something.

"I'm not sure; he hasn't told me anything." She said it with a sigh.

"Well, I think then it's just the three of us," Aizel said as he glanced toward the town's gate as everyone started moving out, indicating the start of the raid.

As the group of hunters and mages sets out towards Lockwood town, the sound of wheels rolling on the dirt road and horses galloping fills the air. The carriages were lined up in a tight formation, with the hunters riding ahead to scout for possible dangers.

The mages were riding alongside David, not only to protect him from any potential threats but also to show some pride and arrogance towards the hunters. While some of the last remaining hunters were riding behind them. Aizel and his group were among them.

There were two more hunters riding with Aizel, Harry, and Alisha in the carriage they were traveling in.

A young woman with brown hair and chestnut eyes wielding daggers around her waist and a young man with black hair and black eyes wielding dual swords.

"My name is Harry, this is Alisha, and that handsome young man is Aizel." Harry broke the silence and introduced his group with a smile.

Aizel expected both of them to ignore Harry, but the girl smiled and introduced herself, much to his surprise.

"I am Alisme, and this is my husband Nathan." She introduced herself and her husband, who simply nodded.

"Is this your first raid?" Harry further asked as it seemed like he was interested in conversing with both of them.

"Yes," Alisme replied.

"Ours too; we should stick together. What do you say, Alisha?" Harry asked as he looked towards Alisha who glanced towards Aizel as she was waiting for his approval.

"I don't mind," Aizel said.

"Do you think the raid is going to be difficult? I mean, we had so many hunters and even 10 mages." Alisme inquired with a shaky smile.

"Why do you think we have 10 mages and so many hunters with us? It's quite the opposite; even if they haven't mentioned it to keep the atmosphere calm, everyone knows the difficulty of this raid." Alisha replied to her honestly.

Meanwhile, Aizel was lost in thought. He's been feeling strange since the day they arrived after saving the villagers from the bandit.

He suspected that something was wrong, but he wasn't certain; he had taken Daisy's advice to heart, which was not to trust anyone in this world.

"Let's see what you've got planned for me for this raid," he thought as he closed his eyes and took a short nap.

*****

After a long journey, the sun had already set, and the half-moon was shining brightly. Carriages came to a halt. The hunters and mages could hear the sounds of the forest as they set up their camps and started a fire. Owls hooted in the trees, and small animals could be heard rustling in the underbrush. The hunters gathered wood and built a fire.

While the mages did the same for themselves and for David.

Aizel and his group, along with two new members, set up their own tents and woodfire while grilling meat and drinking beer to relieve the stress and fatigue of the journey.

"Hey Aizel, do you have any girlfriends?" Suddenly Harry asked as they were drinking together,

"Nope," Aizel replied while taking a sip from his favorite beer, Alesmith.

"Man, what will happen to me if a guy like you is single?"

Aizel looked confused and asked further, "What do you mean by a guy like me?"

"I mean, you are handsome, you have quite a build, and...he got closer to Aizel and whispered in his ear, "You are a fucking mage."

Aizel finally understood the meaning behind it.

"It's not like that; it's just that I haven't found someone yet," Aizel replied.

"What about Miss Leah?" Harry asked with a tease, while Aizel spit the beer while coughing upon hearing that.

"Dude, are you crazy? What if someone hears that and don't ever think like that. There's nothing between us." Aizel replied while averting his eyes.

"Hehe, everyone says that at first, but after a while, they start becoming all lovey-dovey." Harry chuckled while Aizel stood up and went for a walk in the nearby forest.

The half-moon continued to shine brightly above the camp, casting a silver glow. The hunters and mages ate and drank to their hearts' content, enjoying the warmth of the fire.

As the night progressed, the hunters and mages retired to their tents, tired but content. They were well aware that they had a long journey ahead of them, but for the time being, they were safe and comfortable in their camp, surrounded by the beauty and mystery of the forest.

Meanwhile, Aizel was walking alone through the forest.

"Hmm, tomorrow we'll arrive in town and attack the goblins, where I'm expecting the Grade II monster.

"Even if it's a Grade II monster, there will be plenty of hunters and mages to hunt him down. Leah informed me that this raid is crucial for his brother.

"Lucas has not joined us for the raid, and the mage who was the boss of the bandits went to Chester town to strike some deals; he might have noticed the villagers arriving. Leah told me that he might be one of the Paul family members.

"Paul family and the Rosewell family are both noble families.

"Do they fucking think I am a noob?"