I woke up to a bright new day. It's been six months since I last saw my brother. He ran from me, and I never saw him again. I knew why he might of ran, but it was a long stretch. But I know if it were what I thought (mind control), he'd return and make things right. But for now, I'll just keep doing what I've been doing.
Today was a special day, it's the first day of me opening my training hall to those of the Guild who need help getting stronger. I gathered what I thought was necessary for my class. From survival guides to combat and learning magic that would help someone in the wild. I had everything that I needed to start the class off right. When I got to the training hall, I saw that I had a crowd of people. Everyone who just started today wanted to see what I had to offer.
I had a few older guys in the class, but everyone else where in their early teens. It was like I was back in my world, teaching. I smiled and started asking a question first. "What is the common way new adventurers die on their first mission?" I asked, and one girl said out loud. "Goblins sneaking up on them?" Then a Boy said after her, "Poor survival equipment." I nodded and smiled at them, "Both are great answers, and both are correct. When a new adventurer joins up, they believe that they are immortal. Until they have no food and a horrid of Goblins invade their camp."
I said to them, and a kid from the back laughed. "Like that matters, those people were meant to die. If you don't have the talent, you'll be the first to die in the field." I walked passed everyone and got right up to the dog kid. "You think so?" I asked and he nodded, then I looked back at everyone whom I walked passed. "He's not wrong and but yet that's not entirely right either." The kid looked confused, then I added. "Those who tend to die off first or get hurt badly are people like this young man. People who are full of themselves, people who think that they are better than anyone else in the group."
The Kid looked at me like I was full of it. "You're telling me that talented people like me are the first ones to die out there?" He asked and I shook my head, "No, those who think they have talent, but no survival experience. Nothing that combat can teach about surviving a cold night or wounds from battle. This class is just about learning to fight. I'll teach you life-saving techniques and teach you to tend to deep wounds. Back when I was in my world's Navy, I was trained in Combat and as a Medic. Here it's easier because you have potions."
I said, going over all that I picked up in this world and my old world. From tracking to showing everyone how to listen for changes in the environment. The kid who interrupted before scuffed at my lessons until Mayan came to inspect my lessons. She smiled at me and never took her eyes off me. Everyone seemed to be distracted by this and asked. "Why is the Princess here, Mr. Hunt?"
Said the annoying kid, and Mayan smiled. "She's my.." I stopped as Mayan came up to me and said for me. "He's my boyfriend, and he's a S-ranked powerhouse of an Adventurer. Listen to him because if you don't, I promise a lot of you will get hurt or worse." Hearing her call me her boyfriend made my ears burn with embarrassment. "Are you all ready to get this work done then?" I asked, and everyone seemed to be even more eager to learn.
After the class ended with the annoying kid was now becoming more studious. I then heard the doors open, slamming hard on the walls. Keith and Kelly came running into the hall. "Mr. Hunt, it's Joan and Andy, hurry." They said in a tone that told me something was wrong. I stopped class as I ran to the guild infirmary. Kelly took me as Keith told the Princess what happened. (Kelly) "Jack, we were in the valley taking the Demons the weapons Mr. Darrel made for them. Then, a small group of human soldiers came out of nowhere and struck the camp where the Demons were."
"Both Joan and Andy got hit by a poison spell. They collapsed, and we took them to the medic. I managed to help the demons get rid of the raiding humans. But those two are not doing good." Kelly told me, and I patted her head as I got to Andy and Joan. Joan was awake but in a lot of pain. The Guild medic looked at me and shook her head. "All I could do for now, all we can do is hope the potion works. But they are out of immediate danger."
The medic told me, and I thanked her as I pulled out a potion I was working on. It was made from three types of recovery recipes. One cures curses, the other heals cuts and deep wounds. The last one recovers one's energy to full. I imbued them with my magic to make them stronger. I split it into two parts and splashed it on my kids. They began to heal right away. The Medic looked shocked as Joan and even Andy sat up in the bed.
I gave the medic a copy of my experimental recipe for her to make more of it. She walked away, and I asked them, "Who was in charge of them? Who were the humans following?" I asked Joan and she got up from her bed. She stretched and shook her head, "It wasn't your brother, apparently they were looking for him. He deserted his duties with them and vanished." She told me, and I let out a sigh of relief.
I then asked what happened, and she told me where the conflict started. The Demons were in the fields training when the attack started. The humans saw my party and tried to ask where Kolber was. Then a spell ball hit them, and that was when hell broke out. The younger members, like what they told me on the way here, drove the humans away. As they told me about all of that, I heard a couple of voices behind me.
"Darling, are you sure you want to visit him? He's..." A woman said as the door flung open to reveal an Elf woman and my brother. "Kolber?" I asked, and he smiled at me. "Jack, brother, what happened. I heard your party got hurt because of me." Kolber said, making the girl next to him look at him with wide eyes. "Did you say brother, the woman said," and I laughed. "When did you get into town, little brother?" I asked Kolber, and he scratched his head.
"Celsia, when did I first come to the inn?" He asked the Elf, and she responded. "About six months ago, you've been working with us ever since then." She said, and I walked over to my brother. He flinched as I went in for a hug. "I missed you, brother. You should have come to find me." I told him, and he pulled away. "I didn't want to until I was ready. Being here has changed me."
Kolber said to me, and the Elf looked at me. "So you did know him. Why did you hide that from me?" She asked him, and Kolber told her, "He was with his daughter, and I didn't want you to be concerned about my past problems." He explained to the woman, and I saw she was not worried about his past. She was more upset that he hid it from her. She shook her head and hit Kolber in the gut. Then she came up to me holding out her hand.
"I'm Celsia, I'm the Innkeeper near Mr. Darrel's shop, the small one." She told me, and I held out my hand. "I'm Jack, it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Celsia. Don't hold a grudge against my brother; he has been through a lot, and I know why he hid his identity from you. What he's been through, not many would be able to recover this quickly." I said as Princess Mayan walked into the room.
She noticed I was talking to another human, not my party. "Is this who I think it is, Jack?" She asked and I nodded, "He's been living at the small Inn near our friend Darrel." I told her, and she grabbed my brother and hugged him. "I'm sorry you had to do all that with the humans." She said, and Kolber looked confused, "You know about the mind control they had me under? How, I never told anyone about that." He said to her, and she looked at me. "I had my suspicions, little brother, and from you running it made it easier to figure it out."
We chatted for a while, then I let Kolber tell me what he did under mind control. Mayan stopped him and told him to tell the Queen about all he did. Kolber was hesitant, but he did what Mayan asked him to do. We took him right to the Queen. Kolber looked scared about what might come. But we came into the throne room, Queen Leeah smiled at Mayan and me. But when she looked at Kolber, she stopped.
She sat back in her chair. "You found your brother. What did he want to tell you?" She asked me and I shook my head, "My lady, He has not told me yet. Mayan suggested that he tell you, too." I told her and she smiled at me. Then she looked at Kolber again. He knelt and told her everything he remembered. "I am responsible for the complete devastation of many towns. I was manipulated by a charm to unleash my power on what the King ordered." Kolber told her, telling her more about his tasks, and as He finished, I saw a tear.
"I can't give back what my actions took, I can't bring back those who died. I'm sorry, Queen Leeah, I want to repent for…" He said, pleading for forgiveness. The Elf girl Celsia grabbed him and she broke rank, telling the Queen. "He's not a bad person; he was forced to do things beyond his control. He's been in Dragonus for six months, and he's proven to be remorseful and wants to redeem himself." She spoke with clarity and held onto my brother.
A smile came over my face as I felt Mayan's hand on my shoulder. I looked to see that the Queen had conflict in her eyes. "You'll be known to the world of where you are. I need to get your confession to the council of the world's leaders. The Humans are now going to be dealt with war crimes. Would volunteer to be taken into custody so we can get everything you did under their manipulation?"
She asked him, and he wiped his eyes dry and nodded. He looked at Celsia, then hugged her. "To keep everyone safe, I'll write a book for you. But please, can you keep my home safe?" He asked the Queen, and she sighed, "You mean with the Inn?" She asked, and Kolber nodded, "Yes, they sometimes get Kolbolts that like to pester or damage the inn. I've been acting as security and a bartender."
Kolber told her, and the Queen nodded, agreeing to his request. Kolber was then taken away by the guards. Princess Mayan and I stood there for a moment. Then the Queen said, "He'll be protected, Dragnar will watch over him. Don't worry, dear, I won't dare harm an in-law of mine. Plus, he could help protect the city." I smiled at her, "Thank you, Leeah, please look after him, and I'll be back to talk to him later. I have kids to go check on." I said as I went to see Joan and Andy. They were just getting home, and I helped them in and ordered them to stay off their feet for a while.