A Forgotten Hero - Volume 1 Chapter 23 Silence Is Fun.

It took an explosion of powder, but I now know how I will deactivate that barrier. Smirking at my plan, the thief and the bodyguard looked at me as if I am crazy.

Sadly they just don’t understand the turmoil I have been facing!

Alright, now I just need to take Zurie’s bracelet back.

“So the thief helps her bodyguard” With a cold tone, I say.

“Thief? What are you talking about! Why are you fighting Boku!” Furious at my comment, the girl goes off at me like its MY fault!

Honestly, they stole the bracelet yet I am at fault?

“Don’t play dumb! My bracelet is on your wrist!” I point to her wrist.

The thief starts to have a baffled expression once she sees the bracelet “What? When did I have this!”

Is she playing dumb, cause she knows they can’t win?

As I was about to attack “oh my God, I don’t know how I have this! I am so sorry, here take it back” The girl took off the bracelet and tossed it back to me!

“huh?” I catch the bracelet; placing it back on my wrist and look at them confusingly.

“You stole his bracelet?” The swordsman who seems to be called Boku asks his companion.

The “criminal” cheeks go bright red “O-of course I haven’t! I don’t know how this happened!” She starts to shout at Boku. She needs to calm down.

Well…now what should I do with them? They gave the bracelet back and truly seem to be confused on how they got possession of it.

“Alright, I will let you off this time, but take something from me again, intentional or not, I will punish you severely” After some thought, I break up their small “quarrel”;stating my decision, I walk back to the inn.

Seeing Jack head off, Ellen bowed her head and apologises to Jack for the misunderstands that were caused. It seems she completely glanced past the fact that Jack was beating up Boku like paper.

Though she didn’t think much of it anymore, Boku on the other hand still had it in mind since leaving the village, this was his first loss. He knows if Ellen did not help him then he would not be standing right now, the pain Jack caused still stings his stomach.

Ellen and Boku headed back,with Boku being supported by Ellen. When they arrived home, her mum tended to Boku’s injuries and was furious at her daughter’s behaviour. It was one thing running off but coming back with injuries? She was just thankful that it wasn’t Ellen with the injury as, unlike Boku, she would be in a worse state.

The three chatted with each other about the events that transpired; leading to Ellen’s mother to gasp in shock about Boku losing to someone, considering she herself saw Boku take on people many levels higher then him. It lead her to be in deep thought about the events

After a few minutes of deafening silence, Ellen was going to speak but then her mother asked what the person looked like which Ellen described Jack being tall, messy black hair, dark piercing eyes and always having a dull expression. She proceeded to describe his attire but there wasn’t much as he only had a black robe with a hood and simple shoes. After her daughter explanation of Jack, she asked how he fought which Boku answered telling her he used the ice element but only freezing his fists.

Now Diana (the mother) felt a little lost that Boku lost to someone who didn’t even use a proper spell or technique! She wasn’t the only one confused as Ellen also wondered the same thing, since she saw only the ending of the fight, she believed Jack used magic before and trapped Boku..but he didn’t!

Even Boku understood that they were confused since, he too, was lost on how he was beaten without the use of proper techniques or magic. The opponents he faced, would use some form of magic but his sword techniques would always win yet not only did Jack not use magic, he managed to figure out the ‘mystic mist step’ flaws! in fact Boku is very impressed with Jack and wonders if he is a master swordsmenif only Boku knew the truth, Jack did not know the flaws of his techniques, he simply dodged due to his fighting instincts! Boku continued his explanation of the events.

Eventually, the talk about what happened changed to the identity of Jack and how grateful they should feel that he did not go further.

An hour passed of their little discussions, Diana prepared some food for dinner. She made some pepperoni and lemon pizza with hot steamed bread. They weren’t the richest, so they had water as there drink.

“How’s work mum?” Ellen asks, taking a slice of the pizza.

“*sigh* its stressful, less customers come in each day. Honestly old man Joe might be moving his business soon” After some thought, Diana decided to come clean of her job.

“Really? Joe is planning to leave Tatis?”

“Mhm, says it’s getting too difficult to work here and as he saved up before that despicable man came to Tatis; so he has enough money to leave and start his business somewhere else.”

“Wouldn’t that mean he would have to start all over again!?”

“He says it’s better than slaving away here” Diana broke down to Ellen and Boku, though he doesn’t understand much of it, about what her boss is thinking of doing and the chance she may have to find a new job.

Boku seeing their expression, cheerfully explained “Don’t worry, I will leave tonight so you won’t have to spend any more money on me.”

Boku really can’t read the room, silence once again fell on the family, for him, he feels like he is helping them by leaving while they are lost for words, especially Ellen who’s quivering her lips.

“Your leaving?” Finally, Diana asked Boku.

“Yes, I must continue my journey, I have stayed here for over a month, which I deem is enough time.”

“Alright” Unexpectedly, Ellen answered Boku indifferently.

Dian looked at her daughter sympathetically “At least stay the night, tomorrow morning you can head out alright?” She asks Boku.

Boku was about to decline but then agreed as they are his benefactors and if they offer it then he shouldn’t refuse as it could make him seem ungrateful.

The dinner ran smoothly thanks to Diana continuously speaking and holding a conversation with Boku and Ellen.

It was late in the evening, while they were continuing their dinner, at a hidden church near the Tatis kingdom there are a few hundred vampires a few miles away from the church. All, but one, are invisible thanks to an invisible spell they posses. The group have different expressions, some are excited, some anxious, some annoyed and some look tired like the head of the group Ian! He is the only one that is visible and waiting for someone.

‘Has he really managed to take the barrier down?’ The longer he waited for Jack, the more suspicious he became.

As there were no signs of Jack nor the barrier deactivating, Ian was going to gather his troops and leave, but just in time Jack runs up to Ian!

“Oh, so did you succeed?” Seeing Jack ran to him, Ian felt some hope that Jack succeeded.

“Yep. Where’s your army?”

“Tsch, clearly not since the barrier is still active!” One of the four appeared.

Seeing some just appear, he knew the others must also be invisible. ‘Impressive’ he thought.

“So impatient, Can you use fire magic?” Jack asks Ian.

“Yes i can, why?” Curious on Jack’s plan, he asks.

“Send a heatwave to their church and the barrier will deactivate”

Ian and everyone that heard Jack were surprised at what he said! If a simple heatwave could deactivate the barrier then we would already be in!! They thought collectively.

“Alright,” Stretching his hand out, a circular faint red appeared at the end, the faint red circle shot out from his hand, getting larger as it travels. As it travels, the red aura spreads at the back so when it goes through the church, the temperature skyrockets in its path! However this temperature increase would have no effect on high leveled vampires, all it would do is alert them! So what on earth was Jack thinking by asking this? Was the plan to get them to attack? But not all of them would leave to attack!

Before anyone could ask what on earth was wrong with Jack’s head, green smoke started to appear around the church and inside the church! This green smoke started to spread, eventually covering the entire church! As it spread, it stopped due to the barrier, however right now there is a hemisphere of green smoke, unable to stretch further.

Moments later, the barrier deactivated thus dissipating the green smoke. Once Ian saw that, he ordered his man to charge at them!

As they charged, Jack smirked

“My stink bomb worked”