Ricky instantly turned around and began to hurry away from the scene. Within seconds the surrounding was not visible to Daniel, Stella and the angry creatures that banged on the door of the cage.

         Crack!

     The wooden lock of the cage final shattered leaving the door to open easily for the beast which jumped out of it immediately like they were happy to be free

“Let use the spark burst skill.” Stella’s voice ranged in Daniel’s head like she talked directly into his brain, this was the effect of the though share

“Good idea.” Daniel replied almost immediately with his gaze fixed on the flame devil which slowly advanced toward him while the metal foot for Stella

“Spark burst activate.” Daniel shouted in his heart hoping that Claudius, his tentadrone will hear his call.

      Instantly, a hive of golden fireflies appeared in front of the flame devil which instantly got distracted and began to chase them. Stella on the other hand also did the same and successfully distracted the creature which was now trying to cage all the fireflies into its mouth.

     Boom!!

     The creatures which were happily feasting on the fireflies exploded within an instant splattering their cold blood around the surrounding. The fireflies immediately disappeared leaving Daniel and Stella tied to the tree.

[Congratulations host you just completed your first mission and I will give you your reward as promised]

“Thank you so much Claud but, you said one large beast and these one are small.” Daniel screamed in his heart almost jumping himself out of the tight rope which spiraled around him

[Well your first kill is an intermediate, so it’s equal to a large beast. Anyways answer this]

«Would you like to claim gift [Yes : No]

       Yes!

 «Race – Half-elf          EXP. 500

 «Companion – Stella Croft

 «Stats – Strength – 14

                  Speed – 12

                  Stamina – 12

                  Endurance – 13

                  Agility – 12

                  HP – 1002

                  Chi – 41

                  Mana – 212

                  Divine – 1%

  «Mission : Make a guild of 4 and have the required number of participants

    Reward : New stat ‘Charisma’

    Time to finish quest : 93:59:58

    Penalty : -2 points in all except Chi, Mana»

 «Skills

……

[Color spray – A dazzling array of flashing, colored light springs from your hand, could lead to temporary blindness. NOTE has a 50/50 failure or success.

Time limit – 4 minutes]

[Fire spray – A puff of wild fire attacks your target which could lead to burning. Maximum of 3 slot.

Time limit – 40 seconds]

    Daniel heaved a loud sign upon seeing the newly installed skills, but most of all it gave him something that could be very useful to him in his current situation, the ‘Fire spray’

     Daniel instantly activated the Fire spray skill on a part of the rope and successfully activated it. The rope instantly dropped on the ground releasing both him and Stella who instantly jumped off and untied the gag from their mouth

“Ahh, so good to hear my voice.” Daniel sigh staring into the sky of green leaves and brown branches

“Yeah, but we have to get out of here first,” Stella walked around the scene staring to all four directions “But the problem is how do we know the way out of here.”

“Easy, Roger walked straight.” Daniel instantly began to run toward that path while Stella followed behind him curiously.

     After walking a long distance, they reached a large bronze door with a lock-wheel which were connected to the thick tall and brick fence. Daniel face was already pale scared of what he was going to see outside, was it going to be a field of war again, he stepped in front of the door with a sigh and pushed the door. As expected the door opened revealing the bright blue sky and flat grassland with varieties of strange flowers, they instantly stepped out with their eyes half closed due to the harsh sunlight which flashed on them.

      Stella walked further into the land with admiring eyes, there were few short trees which serve as shades for fine cottages which arranged orderly while following the path of a marbled pathway which led to a place unknown to them.

“Beautiful, everything looks so perfect.” Stella spoke amidst tears, she walked closer to a thick tree and touched it. With that she burst into tears.

     Meanwhile, Daniel eyes fixed on the sky admiring it beauty. Six months without seeing the outside world had really done much to him, he could not even remember what the sky looked like during those period but now he had been reminded.

“Yeah, beautiful.” He looked toward the nearest cottage and smiled, he hurried to Stella and tapped her thereby jerking her off her admiration, she quickly cleaned her tears which the help of her dirty palm

“Yes.”

“J-just come.”

    Daniel walked in front of the cottage and heaved a sigh, he walked closer and pushed the door open while Stella stared quietly behind him.

“Ha-ha,” Daniel stared at a little elfin who ignorantly giggled at his sister who busily gulped a glass of water down her throat “Hahaha, how did it feel.”

“Bad, why didn’t you tell me it’s that sour.” The girl retorted banging the tumbler on the wooden tile of the room, she instantly tilted her head to the door and furrowed her brows

Ahhh!

    The boy screamed in terror and ran into another room. Meanwhile, the girl sat on the ground, unable to move an inch, her chest pumping in and out violently while her mouth began to shiver

“Mom, the squishy-killer is her with a girl.” The girl managed to mumble, summoning all the courage, she jumped from the ground and ran into the same room her brother ran.

     Daniel and Stella stared confused of the children’s action, why must they had called him a squishy-killer, they both walked into the room and shut the door.

“My stories has really gotten-” An elven woman of a chubby figure and a short green hair stepped out of the room wearing an apron with a flat wooden spoon in her hand. The woman raised her head to Daniel and Stella who stood in front of the door, her jaw dropped with her eyes wide opened

“Children run to your room.” She ordered and the children who shivered behind her ran “You two must be the slaves of mistress Galena.”

    Daniel rolled his eyes feeling not too surprise about the woman knowing their identity, after all their dirty clothes and lean figure made it vivid. Daniel nodded and the woman who had regained herself by closing her mouth

“Escapees, you may sit.” The woman offered them a bench “I was almost done cooking, excuse me.”

    The woman left the room leaving Daniel and Stella to stare at the surrounding. After some seconds, the woman returned back into the room holding two plate of purple soup.

“Here.” She handed the soup over to Daniel and Stella who accepted it with a look of confusion on their face “It’s called pod stew, liquid but very satisfying.”

“Oh, okay.” Stella sipped from the stew and her eyes instantly widened, she continued to drink until the plate became empty “Sweet and really satisfying.”

Daniel took his own turn in drinking and finished the plate within seconds

Burp!

    A loud belch roared out of Daniel’s mouth in an instance, he dropped the stew on his laps and made another belch

“I’ve never tasted something so good as this in the past years.”

“Thank you,” The woman took the plate from both Stella and Daniel and took it to the kitchen. After some time she returned to the room and sat on an armchair which was in front of the bench

“You know, elves are now one of the richest race since the race change.” The woman sighed giving a sympathetic gaze towards them

“But you know, it will be a risk to me and my children if we help both of you, especially when we are located in the front of the gate,”

“I really want to help you both but I think its too much of a risk so please, you’ll have to leave.”

“I understand, I think we would try to leave this territory now.” Daniel answered to the woman statement without any arguments, after all he had to leave sooner or later even if she offered them some commodities.

[Good thinking host, by the way don’t forget about your mission]

  «Mission : Make a guild of 4 and have the required number of participants

    Reward : New stat ‘Charisma’

    Time to finish quest : 92:46:13

    Penalty : -2 points in all except Chi, Mana»

“Mam, we are really thankful for the delicious meal, but I and my colleague will have to leave now.” Stella stood up from the bench and greeted with a bow. Daniel also stood up from the bench and made his own line of acknowledgement to the woman.

     Daniel and Stella tiptoed out of the house and took  a brief stare at the further path.

There was still a long journey to go.