[ FOUR YEARS LATER ]
The wet dirt was fresh on the ground and so was the humidity within the atmosphere. Fresh downpour was falling somewhere far away. Dark clouds gathered and roared like nothing else. The monsoon was at its peak.
There was hardly any day passed without rain in the month. As annoyed as common people were with this behaviour of the weather, farmers were as happy as they could be.
Rain was a lifeline for the crops afterall. And the crops …there would hardly be anyone except newborns who were oblivious of the importance of crops and food in the world.
Maybe the beings who did not need to eat. Perhaps the mindless beasts who don't have the capable mind to think about this kind of stuff.
In that nameless town, people were busy doing their everyday chores. Some were opening their shops, some were getting ready for other work but most of them were farmers here. So people of this town were naturally hardworking.
One of the streets of the town seemed completely empty as Shelly ran her way through the whole place. She, well normally no one would have complained about her running through the street because she was shelly. But today was special.
Her overly cautious father forgot to bring milk back home. Which was a kind of breakfast drink for their town. Due to the minimum number of trade from the main city of Eldonia they had to produce their food themselves and had to rely on that, most of the time.
It was not that difficult of a task however, their resident nobles were kind enough to take care of the town by themselves.
Thinking of which there was another thing weighing on Shelly's mind nowadays. The thought was bothering her for quite a while for now. It was August, he was acting kind of distant lately. Like there was something he wanted to ask but feared to hurt her?
He was kind of sentimental after all.
On her way she saw younger kids trying to enjoy every second of their childhood in the rain. There wasn't much rainfall today but the downpour was still happening.
Throwing rainwater at each other from the small puddles on the ground was surely unhygienic but what does it matter to kids who just wanted to play and enjoy.
Shelly gave a long cheerful smile, indulged herself in playing with them for a while but suddenly remembered the errand she was running.
Yes, she was always like that, always forgetting the things that mattered most.
Finally she reached the local vendors who were thankfully open this early.
"Uncle Logan!" Shelly greeted the familiar vendor with joyful eyes, "how are you today?"
"Ah! Good little Shelly" the vendor named Logan replied with a warm expression, "I'm good like always. So what can I do for you today?"
"Nothing much uncle" Shelly replied massaging her temples as though trying to remember something, "oh! Yes milk, it was milk."
"Is that so?" Logan said with a faint disappointment in his tone, "then I fear you might have to go home without milk today."
Answering the unasked question he said with a sigh, "there were rumours of a monster in the farm area, so me and my wife refrained from going that way."
"No need to fret though" he said making his tone sound lighter, "Lord Valerius is trying to hunt it down. I'm sure milk will be available Tomorrow."
Logan, was the local vendor who owned a farm of beasts capable of producing milk for their young ones. There were many types of beasts domesticated by people for their own uses. Like this all so familiar vendor Logan.
He was the vendor Shelly always bought milk from. So there was a special place for the milk from his shop in Shelly's daily routine. And for Shelly messing up with the routine meant for her whole day to go waste.
She couldn't possibly let this lesser monster trample over her comfort food. Shelly was pretty strong herself after all.
"No need to wait uncle Logan" Shelly said, making her expressions exude extreme determination, "i will go with you."
Shelly was an infamous warrior of the town. She was rumoured to kill a lesser monster all by herself. She did kill that but In reality the monster was injured already. And she just so happens to deal the final blow on time.
Including her warrior status she was also a wind element type mage who was being taught by Lady Sophia herself so there was no reason for Logan not to trust Shelly's words.
"Really little Shelly?" Logan said as his eyes glistened with hope, "you'd do that for me?"
"Of course" she replied, lying off her teeth, "who else would I do that for?"
There it was, Logan agreed to go to the farm which was situated near the southern forest. At the boundary to be precise.
Logan closed his shop and left for the farm with Shelly. On the way however, Logan began to tense up a bit, "is that really okay for you to come without a weapon little Shelly?" making his tone sound serious, "I mean there are rumours that a great monster is also roaming near the forest."
"Why of course?" She replied without thinking much, "I can handle that, don't worry."
Logan couldn't help but feel more nervousness at her words. In reality he was but a normal human with no aptitude for magic and he was very happy at that. Magic isn't good news for all people.
So, people like the vendor feared the monsters and creatures making them rely on people with aptitudes. The people who were powerful enough to save them from those life threatening beings.
That's also why Logan and his wife didn't leave for the farm today. Because people tend to value their lives above everything else. And mundane people were helpless against those kinds of threats. So they had to wait till a mage or warrior defeated the openly roaming threat.
The way to the farm was dangerous indeed. Walking path was covered with bushes and the branches of tall trees not letting a ray of sunlight pierce through them. The bushes covered the path from both sides making the way even harder to walk on.
It has become a very ideal hiding spot for any beast or monster if they wish to do so. Shelly walked ahead of the vendor trying to ease him a little bit.
Logan however wasn't feeling the same. He held the two buckets he brought with him to store milk, near his chest and walked slowly on the seemingly dangerous path.
After a while without having to encounter any threat they reached the farm safely.
Before Shelly, a large plane stood between the tall trees covered with wooden fencing in a circular fashion. At the corner of that, or it did feel as a corner, a wooden shed stood in its half beaten down shape.
Shelly waited as Logan slowly opened the lock on the wooden fencing. He opened the wooden gate and gestured for her to enter. Then he opened the shed gate too, allowing numerous beasts to come out.
The beasts were the size of a buffalo. Four limbs, two eyes, ears and tails. Two dark horns curled upwards in an irregular fashion. Making it harder to discern its shape. Large furry beasts looked more of a threat than they actually were.
Logan grabbed hold of one of the white with dark spotted beasts. for the milk, it should definitely be a female. He let others go loose within the boundary of the farm and tied the one he selected to take milk from.
A small version of the beast tried to approach it for milk. Judging from the similar patterns, the smaller one seems to be her calf.
There was a main rule for owning domestic beasts. You have to let the calf have its share first. Mother's milk belonged to the calf by birthright after all. So no one was allowed to strip them of their birthright. It was also an issue of moral and ethics.
While Logan was busy taking milk from the beast, Shelly looked for any monster activities nearby.
Luckily she found none. After a while, when Logan was done he put all those beats back into the shed and locked the door. Now they were ready to head back after he fed them of course.
"Thank you very much little Shelly" Logan said sincerely, "it's because of you my Lumora beasts will not starve today."
The milk producing beasts were called Lumora. Their only quality made them irreplaceable and people used to domesticate them in hordes. Just like vendor Logan.
They both felt lucky of not having to encounter any wild beast or monster on the way. But not for too long because on their way back there was something in the bushes waiting for them.
— — —
Walking on the path completely covered with the greens, Shelly heard strange rustling coming from the nearby bushes. Alerted, she immediately assumed a defensive position and the vendor felt afraid. Moving closer to the source of the noise Shelly took every step carefully. The only thing she was afraid of was the danger spotting them first. And judging from the situation they were safe, yet.
She silently raised a hand signalling Logan to remain at the place. The simple vendor did as he was told and never moved a muscle even with the weight of heavy milk containers dragging him down.
Shelly carefully approached the bushes. As she did however, someone jumped out from within them startling Shelly and nearly killing the vendor named Logan with a heart attack.
"BOO!", A boy with raven black hair shouted as he jumped out of the bushes nearly dodging a blow from Shelly's startled fists, "Surprise, surprise"
Shelly stood frozen for a moment processing the visuals before her eyes. Still searching for any signs of monstrosity in the dark and red eyes of the boy standing before her. He was of somewhat short stature, dressed in black clothing. His outerwear flowed like a cape behind him.
His raven black locks moved steadily with the gentle breeze. Of course Shelly knew him well. He was her best friend and like a brother after all. She always felt happy seeing him around. Everytime she had a hard time, he was always there to comfort her. He was a person anyone would love to be around with.
In fact Shelly was about to leave to meet him after finishing the milk request of the vendor. But now, things are different. Or one could say, things suddenly changed in a moment. With his childlike behaviour Shelly was about to hit him, considering him as a beast.
"You!" She shouted in a somewhat angry expression making the boy before feel the weight of her words, "what is this behaviour? I could've hurt you just now."
"Is that so?" the expression on the boy's face hardened for an instance but then grew aloof as he was just pretending to be serious just a moment ago, "Or, were you startled just there?" the corners of his lips curled upwards in a teasing smile, "oh! My, Were you afraid? Have I made you cry little girl?"
"Argh!" Shelly scoffed, gritting her teeth in something which resembled annoyance more than anger, "No, I wasn't …startled. I was just …you know, careful and all." coming terms with her excuse she said making her tone sound casual, "besides" Poking his cheek she hugged him tightly, "long time no see, bro"
"Get away!" he said opposingly. Gently pushing her away, "we were together just yesterday."
"Exactly!"Shelly said, crossing arms, "How can I stay away from you for this long, my brother."
"Cut it out" He replied, striking her with the hilt of his sword, "what are you? A clingy monster?"
Just then a small gasp escaped someone's mouth. They both looked at the direction of the vendor named Logan and then gazed at the sight he was frightened of. Immediately assuming a battle stance and covering Logan from both sides they faced a lizard-like beast who happens to be of a lesser rank.
— — — — —