Chapter 89: Three is all I need
Generally when fighting a pack of Dread class monsters, unless someone is ranked at least a mythril or a 6 star mage, you would need a team of Platinum ranks with one or two Diamond ranks.
A Platinum rank can kill a Dread class monster, but when faced with a pack, it is exponentially harder.
Jack cut him off with a faint smirk that carried more confidence than any boast. "No. You, me, and Corvin will be enough."
[Most nobles would send thirty to fifty men and several mages. You apparently think three constitutes an adequate force.]
’Three’s all I need,’ Jack answered inwardly. ’Any more and it’s just wasted food and fresh graves.’
[Logged under "Concerning Leadership Decisions." Your tactical confidence continues to exceed your actual combat experience.]
Caelen’s eyes widened. "My lord, I appreciate your confidence, but surely you cannot mean to face such creatures with only..."
"Trust me," Jack interrupted, and something in his tone made the priest pause. "I’ve dealt with worse."
Caelen’s eyes flicked to Jack’s shoulder, where a small raven perched, preening its wings with apparent disinterest in the conversation. His brow furrowed in confusion. "Surely you do not mean to count... a bird among your fighting strength?"
Jack reached up and stroked Corvin’s feathers once, feeling the familiar warmth of their bond thrumming beneath his fingers.
The raven croaked softly, a sound of acknowledgment that seemed almost amused.
"No," Jack said with a grin that held anticipation of the priest’s reaction."Walk with me, I’ll show you exactly what I have."
"Corvin is not a simple bird."
The raven launched into the air with a beat of wings that seemed perfectly ordinary for perhaps half a second.
Then his body shimmered like heat waves rising from summer stone, feathers elongating into ink-dark blades that caught the morning light.
His wings spread wider, far wider than any natural bird. His form grew, shadows stretching across the floor as he transformed from a simple raven into a giant beast.
Caelen staggered back a step, staff gripped in both hands, his training warring with disbelief as he stared at the supernatural creature now circling the room. "By the Light of the Divine... that is no earthly bird."
Corvin settled back on Jack’s shoulder with a satisfied croak, his form condensing back to that of an ordinary raven.
Jack folded his arms, pleased with the demonstration. "He’ll scout ahead and identify their positions. You’ll provide healing and support magic. I’ll handle the killing. Simple division of labor."
The priest continued to stare at Corvin, clearly reassessing everything he thought he knew about the young noble before him. "What manner of creature...?"
"A loyal friend," Jack said simply. "One with very sharp talons when the situation calls for it."
They stepped back into the building.
Jack turned his attention back to the children and the injured woman, his voice gentling as he addressed their obvious fear.
"Seraphina will continue to see that you have food and a roof over your heads. No more running. No more looking over your shoulders. You’re safe in Sorne."
Seraphina, who had slipped into the room silently during the tale with the practiced invisibility of an experienced servant, inclined her head.
"I’ll see to their needs personally, my lord. Clean clothes, proper meals, and beds that don’t require sleeping with one eye open."
The refugees bowed low, eyes wet with gratitude.
Margaret, the injured woman, managed to speak despite her obvious pain. "Bless you, my lord. We... we have nothing to offer in return."
"Your safety is payment enough," Jack replied. "Rest, heal, and when you’re ready, we’ll find ways for you to contribute to Sorne’s prosperity. Every person has skills worth nurturing."
Caelen clasped Jack’s forearm with a warrior’s grip, his hand firm despite the exhaustion that shadowed his features. "You have my strength until these beasts are ended. My magic, my staff, my life if necessary."
Jack nodded once, appreciating the priest’s resolve. "Then rest, we’ll set out tomorrow to take care of the problem."
As the refugees settled into their temporary quarters, Jack found himself studying Father Caelen more carefully. Level 47 was nothing to dismiss lightly.
This was a man who had seen real combat, faced genuine threats, and survived them all until the Gravehowl pack had overwhelmed his village.
His skills would be invaluable, but more than that, Jack sensed the kind of steady reliability that made for lasting alliances.
"Tell me about your abilities," Jack said as they walked toward the door. "If we’re going to work together, I need to know what you can do."
Caelen’s expression grew more confident as he discussed his strengths.
"Divine barriers that can turn aside claws and fangs. Sacred flame that burns particularly hot against creatures of darkness and shadow. Healing magic that can close wounds and restore strength." He paused.
"And if necessary, I can call upon the Light for... more aggressive interventions."
"Good. We’ll need all of that." Jack’s mind was already working through tactical possibilities. "The fear effect is what makes these creatures so dangerous. Can your magic counter that?"
"To some degree. Blessing of Courage can steel the mind against supernatural terror, though it requires concentration to maintain."
Jack nodded. "Then that’s where we’ll start. Fear is their greatest weapon. Remove that, and they’re just large wolves with bone armor."
As they reached the common room’s entrance, Jack caught sight of the children once more. Thomas was showing Anna something he’d carved from a piece of wood, probably during their desperate flight. The simple act of childhood creativity in the midst of trauma spoke to the resilience of the human spirit.
’We’ll make sure they never have to run again,’ Jack thought with quiet determination.
–
The next day, dawn broke pale and cold, mist rising from the river like ghostly fingers reaching toward the lightening sky.
Jack tightened his cloak around his shoulders as he stepped beyond Sorne’s gates, his breath visible in the chill air.
Caelen walked at his side, staff in hand, the priest’s expression hard but resolute. He’d traded his torn robes for practical leather armor borrowed from the guard armory, and the change made him look less like a village priest and more like the battle-tested cleric he’d proven himself to be.
Corvin circled above them, a dark shadow against the morning sky, his keen eyes scanning the forest ahead for any sign of the creatures they hunted.
They followed the path toward the river where the guard patrol had found tracks. The woods whispered with sounds of birds, but beneath it Jack could feel a tension, a silence between them.
Small animals had learned to avoid this area, their instincts warning them away from the hunting grounds of apex predators.
Caelen finally spoke, breaking the companionable silence. "Are you certain of this approach? Packs like these... even Diamond-ranked adventurers would organize larger expeditions, bring more equipment and plan for weeks."
Jack’s lips curved faintly, blue lightning sparking briefly at his fingertips before he controlled it. The display was casual but pointed. "They’re just Dread-class jackals with bone masks and fear magic. Trust me, this will be over quickly."
Caelen paused as sweat beaded down his face. ’Lightning Magic!’ He thought intensely, not many people could wield lightning magic.
Caelen’s frown deepened as he studied the young man beside him, clearly trying to reconcile Jack’s apparent youth with his supreme confidence.
"You speak as though you’ve faced worse than a coordinated pack of supernatural predators."
"I have," Jack said simply, and the certainty in his voice made further argument impossible.
Above them, Corvin wheeled in a tight circle, his dark wings beating against the dawn air. Suddenly, his cry split the forest silence...
CAAAAAWWW!!
The sound echoed through the trees like a war-horn, sharp and urgent with discovery. Jack stopped mid-step, every sense sharpening to razor focus as his bond with the raven flooded his mind with images.
Caelen’s grip on his staff tightened, divine energy beginning to gather around him in a faint golden glow. "He’s found them."
Jack’s smile was grim, anticipation singing in his veins as electricity began to dance around his fingers. "Good. Then let’s begin."
AWWOOOO!!!
In the distance, an answering howl rose from the forest depths. It was a bone-deep and terrifying howl, the sound that had frozen an entire village in helpless terror just four nights ago.
Jack’s grin only widened. ’It’s time to level up!’