Runes - A Tale Of The Abyss 33 Chapter 30 - The Dead Are Here

To see what exactly Griff was confused about we better take a few steps back. Right after Reiner explained the quest details to him on going forth to subjugate an undead infestation at a village on the outskirts of Alfrum, he went to meet Selena and talk with Rin.

Rin, as usual, was in her tsundere mood and just acted like she didn't care to see him back after a year. Selena, on the other hand, seemed to get along with him pretty well.

'Holy shit... I guess this is what master Alatar said cuts as "hot."'

Selena was an elf with very long white hair, a trait special to elves. Elves' hair color was mostly white and yellow. Moreover, her ears were pointy, signaling her ethnicity.

Not only that, she was wearing a black jacket with black trousers and her hair was tied in a pony-tail.

Well, even though she looked elegant, the large beer mug in her hand and her blushed face betrayed everything.

"Eh? T'is the new punk that'll join us?"

Reiner laughed.

"You see Griff, she's not always like this. Whenever our missions end she drinks till she's silly. On missions you can't even recognize her."

Griff sweatdropped.

'Yeah right. Like this other drunk is any better than useless James. However... now that I think about it... he did break free from slavery, kill those guards, and teach me close combat... Gotta give the old fart some credit.'

Just then James sneezed, and started shouting to the guild members.

"Which of ya pricks are talking behind my back!"

He drew his sword, and a small, "harmless," brawl started behind the hot blooded adventurers.

"Yeah... I'm pretty used to this now."

Griff smiled warmly.

"So, Reiner, when do we head out? Should we wait till this drunk woman regains her consciousness?"

"Oi oi! Speak better with a lady!"

Griff slowly narrowed his eyes and smirked mischievously.

"Well... I can't see a lady from all that smell of booze."

"Why you!"

Selena was flustered as she tried latching on to Griff, but Rin decided to act and was holding her back from her trousers.

"Not on my watch..."

"Thanks Rin..."

Rin just looked at Griff, and turned her head around.

"Same old same old. Anyways. So, a request came in saying that a village on the outskirts of Alfrum had spotted a couple of ghouls destroying their crops. They decided to take matters into their own hands, so the men, with makeshift spears and pitchforks, went out to hunt them. Well, the thing is next week they were found to be walking with those ghouls as, you know, ghouls. The whole village was terrified and asked us to root out the problem. Kind of like pest control."

"So even though the mission sounds cool we're just pest control in reality... only on a bigger scale..."

Reiner sweat-dropped seeing that Griff was a little furious. He was sweating as he nodded.

"But! It's not as boring trust me! Plus, those villagers are scared shitless!"

'The hell am I even hesitating for...'

"Yeah yeah got it muscle head."

"Sweeeeet!"

Reiner slapped Griff in the back very harshly, causing a small sonic boom.

"WHAT THE FUCK!"

Griff flew across the room, and was about to collide face first into the wall, but he erupted in black flames.

"Condense!"

Condensing his flames, he pushed himself back, saving his beautiful face.

"You almost ruined my handsome face you bastard!"

"Ehehehe."

"How the hell did you get so strong! Last time I saw you a goblin king almost killed you."

"Kid, we haven't been waiting helplessly while you were training you know."

As the two were chatting, Selena sneaked up on them, and banged their heads together, knocking them out cold.

'Pretty stars... twinkle twinkle.'

Were Griff's last thoughts.

———————————————————————

Griff suddenly bolted awake, sweating.

"What...the hell... just happened..."

"I knocked you two out. You were taking too long talking nonsense like pre-schoolers while villagers are out there horrified."

"Selena?"

"Yup."

"Wait a second."

Griff realized he was sitting behind a horse cart with Rin and Selena in the front, and he and Reiner in makeshift beds in the back. Reiner was still out cold. The horses were galloping very fast.

"The hell! How did I end up in a carriage again! And also why in the name of god are we moving so FAST!"

It was true, the horses were moving at abnormal speeds.

"I used speed magic on them... we don't have the luxury of time."

"It feels like my skin's gonna get peeled off!"

Rin sighed.

"Ah yeah, I forgot to cast 'Healing Magic: Serenity' on only you."

"You didn't what?"

"It's a purifying spell. Master class magic. The air pressure will feel like an itch after it. Healing Magic: Serenity."

Griff felt that now his skin was slightly tingling instead of being peeled off.

"Wake the muscle head up, we're almost there."

Griff started slapping the still unconscious Reiner who was not budging.

Rin butted in just then.

"Let me handle it."

She pinched his cheeks, and Reiner bolted awake, crying like a little girl.

"Why my beautiful cheek!"

"Tch... remind me how we're related?"

Just then Selena shouted.

"Everyone! There's no one in sight! We just passed the fields but none of the villagers were out. Something must have happened!"

Everyone gathered their shit together and let go of their goofy attitudes.

"Rin! Man the carriage. I'll scout using my arrows. Reiner, I need you to be ready to use strength magic to plow anything that seems suspicious. Be alert."

"Wow... she's some natural born leader."

Rin giggled at that.
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"She's capable, unlike a certain brother of mine..."

"Griff! You can use offensive, wide-area magic, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Stand next to me... I think things aren't about to go our way."

And it turns out that karma was not on their side... As they arrived at the village...

"Dead... all of them... ghouls."

The villagers had already turned.

Chapter end