Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 747: Into The Lion’s Den

Riding a wolf-like beast of horror with flesh and bones twisted and torn, Raven rode at the helm of the army with Erika on one side and Helga on the other. Before him lay the army of a thousand different horrors, each a mindless glob with no real special abilities. The rest he kept in reserve for scenarios that required more specific abilities.

Even so, as he was done explaining everything that had happened to Helga, he couldn’t shake the fear of losing countless many of his soldiers along with those that the Valkyrie had brought with her.

”Still better than those civilians if you ask me,” turning her head, Helga glanced back to the worker’s carriage, within which Dandy, Holly, Jess, as well as everyone that she’d brought, was staying. ”Shamisha can handle herself, the same goes for Mono and Aradin and his group. Now I’m not sure about that Mercedes girl–all I ever saw her doing was hauling cargo at the beach, but I bet even she can handle herself better than that dark elf and those two humans.”

Turning her head back to the front, Helga stared at the back of Raven’s head.

”At least you didn’t bring Rose and the others; they’re better off staying with Maria and her group for now.”

”Nobody’s safe if we can’t stop the demon general,” glancing sideways at the Valkyrie, Raven finally spoke up. ”This war...if we lose, what other army is ever there to stop him?”

Keeping her eyes locked with his, Helga hummed curiously to herself. But then, as her head turned to the front, the valkyrie took a deep breath and whispered.

”I think I should get back to my daughters,” worried that if the army failed, her daughters would be in danger as well, Helga kept her head straight to not seem like she was asking for permission.

”We can make use of someone with your skillset,” making her bird lag behind a little, Erika moved beside Helga, although much like the valkyrie, her attention remained focused on the front. ”If you leave, there’s bound to be more casualties.”

”If it takes me being present to ensure that, then as soon as I’m not here, your army will crumble either way...” The valkyrie quickly retorted.

”Doesn’t change the fact that you can still save lives.”

”Doesn’t change the fact that my presence alone will cheapen the experience that your soldiers should be getting if they’re gonna be fighting more wars like this.”

”Maybe, but–”

”The brambles, I can see them from here!” Cutting their conversation short, Raven raised an arm and stopped the army in its tracks. Turning around, he glanced over to Regali, who’d been in the extreme middle of the army. With just a subtle nod, he relayed his intentions to her, and without wasting any time, the wolf-girl began issuing orders for the soldiers to start setting up tents for the night.

’We first need to deal with that guy who attacked Elowen. Given the force of his attacks, taking an army inside the woods would be nothing short of mass suicide.’ Planning to take care of that threat first before leading the army inside, Raven quickly reached out to the only candidates who would accompany him into the brambles for now.

Amedith, Liliyana, Flitza, the elves, Dandy included, as well as Erika, Frazer’s and Felix’s group, were all quickly issued commands to catch up with him at the head of the army. The monster girls were also going to accompany from inside the bracelet, the same went for the djinn sisters, although Elana and the prince would remain outside.

But only after a few minutes, another headache landed in Raven’s lap. After the army had stopped moving, Mono walked out of the carriage and decided to check up on the very front. Her curiosity led her to Raven, and she obviously wasn’t the kind to leave before her mind had been sated.

”What’s going on?” She asked.

”I should get going.” Taking advantage of that moment, Helga placed her hand on her teleportation ring and went back to her daughter’s side in an instant.

Glancing between the spot where the valkyrie had been and Mono, Raven clicked his tongue with annoyance, for the queen was causing more trouble than she was worth by bringing her along in this fight.

”I’ll explain in a moment, just let everyone come here first,” although angry at her, Raven kept his cool and waited for the rest of the people to group up at the helm. Amedith, Liliyana and the elves were the first to arrive and not long behind them were Felix and Frazer’s group. Flitza came not too long after either, but from the look on her face, it was clear that she was feeling defeated for quite a while.

’What’s going on with her?’ Raven pondered, unsure what had changed for her to go from being obnoxious and energetic to visibly tired with no sense of urgency. ’Whatever, I’ll deal with her later.’

Relaying all the necessary information to everyone, Raven sent his summoned horrors into the brambles first and then led the charge for the party on foot. While making his way over to the forest, however, he decided to warn everyone about the dryad and Frazer’s party. Sharing that information through the mental link, he made sure that the dryad had no clue what was happening.

’If something happens, kill them. We can make up some excuse about their deaths being from the enemy, but don’t make it too obvious and don’t do it for the sake of doing it!’ Sharing the last part with just his own party, not even Felix and the rest, Raven glanced back at his people and nodded. ’Knock out Flitza first if you need to do it; she’s the only one who might talk outside the group.’

And with that said, everything was settled. One wrong move by Frazer’s group and his entire party would be slaughtered. But would that really happen, or has the dryad already thought of a way out of such a situation? Well, nobody could tell until it actually happens.