At Majerio's Shop....

.......

"You've arrived just in time, my friend. Daedalus wanted you to head right back to the Training Hall as soon as you returned." Majerio exclaimed when he saw John enter his shop. "Oh, you have the spider silk? Give it to me, I'll get right to mixing that explosive powder for you. As soon as it's done, I'll have it delivered to the Training Hall."

"Okay. You said Daedalus was looking for me? Do you know what about?" John asked as he handed the sac of spider silk to Majerio.

"I don't know much but he did say it was an emergency."

"I see, thank you for the heads up."

John bid Majerio farewell and headed to the Training Hall. Once he arrived at the Training Hall, he noticed a group of people standing outside and talking amongst themselves. They casually threw him a curious glance before continuing their conversations. Unsure of what was going on, John reached for the door and pushed it open. Daedalus, upon seeing John, rushed forward with arms raised and clasped his hands on John's shoulders, a grin on his face.

"Thank the Realms you've returned, John!" The old head trainer laughed heartily. "I need your help. The Rath'een army is leading another attack on our village and this time, they've doubled their forces! While I lead the charge against their main forces, I need you to check on the villagers once again to make sure that they are all right and to kill any Rath'een bastards that managed to dig their way into the village. You must protect our people, no matter the cost!"

"No worries Daedalus. You can count on me! It's just another patrol." John replied as he puffed his chest with confidence.

"Don't be overconfident!" Daedalus frowned when he heard John's boast. "Carelessness feeds on overconfidence."

"S-Sorry, it won't happen again."

"Good...that's good. You should go to the Temple and buy some healing potions first. It's always better safe than sorry."

"That's what I had intended."

John bid Daedalus farewell and good luck as he trekked towards the temple. As soon as he arrived, Allegra rushed out to greet him. When John held up the four small boxes, the priestess thanked him profusely.

"You have helped the Temple, and we do not allow a good deed go unrewarded. Here are some silver and some healing potions." Allegra smiled as she gave John a small bag. "If we require your services once more, we hope you are able to assist."

"As long as it's within my power, then I will be able to help." John promised.

"Thank you so m-!"

"Help! Help us!" A couple of voices shouted outside.

"What happened?" Allegra and John looked at each other in bafflement.

The two hurried out of the Temple and saw a group of people both elderly and young. They were rambling something about rat monsters attacking their homes. Allegra rushed to the group and tried to calm them down. After a few attempts, she was able to bring about some order. John walked up to one of the older men and asked what was going on.

"Old man Godwin! What's wrong?"

"Ah, John! I heard you became an adventurer. P-Please help us out!" The old man of the Godwin household grabbed John's hands and pleaded.

"Take it easy, tell me what happened?"

"W-We were just minding our own business w-when a hole appeared from our backyard and four giant rat-like m-monsters climbed out. They were so frightening. They wouldn't stop s-smashing at the doors. We...managed to escape through the front door...but our house...."

"Rat-like monsters? Could they be Rath'een?"

"I don't know about this Rath'een you speak of but those monsters have occupied our home. Please help us." A middle-aged man asked as he hugged a pale, elderly woman. This was old man Godwin's eldest son and the elderly woman was most likely old man Godwin's wife.

"Don't worry. I'll do what I can. However...if they are in the house, things may get messy."

"No worries. We don't have anything in value."

"No!" The elderly woman suddenly exclaimed. "Grandma's vase!"

"Ah yes, I nearly forgot." The son smacked his head as he proceeded to describe the vase.

After John memorized the details, he hurried towards the family's home. The Godwins lived in a house to the west of the Temple, next to a couple of trees and just across the road. It only took John a few minutes to get there. Upon arriving, he could hear a couple of crashes and shuffling noises in the house. He rushed towards the house and hid below a broken window. Slowly, the young man raised his head and peered through the window. He immediately ducked his head as soon as he saw a Rath'een ambling about in the room. Did he get caught? Seconds passed until John stuck his head out once more. Good! It seemed the Rath'een didn't see him. He saw the Rath'een walk out of the room and entered the room on the opposite side of the hallway. After brushing away some broken glass, John vaulted over the window and quietly entered the room. He scanned around before tiptoeing towards the doorway. John unsheathed his dagger and held it in front of him, using the blade as a mirror.

"Hmm, the Rath'een is still in the room across from here. There doesn't seem to be anyone else on this floor. Didn't old man Godwin say there were four? Maybe the other three are upstairs."

Since there doesn't seem to be anyone else on the first floor besides the Rath'een in the adjacent room, John decided to take it out first. He withdrew his steel sword and rose to a standing position. Step by step he inched his way towards the room. Suddenly, the Rath'een appeared before him. The shock of seeing someone caused both John and the Rath'een to froze. But John had expected the monster while it had not expected him, allowing the young Shadow Walker to recover from shock earlier. John kicked the Rath'een back and struck with a Piercing Strike. The Rath'een grunted and staggered back until it fell to the ground. John rushed into the room and stomped hard on the Rath'een's wound causing it to squeal. Unexpectedly, John saw from the corner of his eye...another Rath'een! Shit! There was another Rath'een in the room! And a Rath'een Brawler at that! The Rath'een Brawler lunged towards him with its fists raised. It let out a powerful straight, aiming at John's head. John crouched down and avoided the attack. He brought his dagger in a sweeping motion and slit the Rath'een's throat.

In one continuous movement, John rolled towards the Rath'een Brawler and drove his sword at the enemy. The rat monster punched the sword's spine, deflecting its path. He opened its left fist and tried to scratch John with its claws. However, John leaned back just barely avoiding the attack. As if expecting it, the Rath'een Brawler whipped its tail into John, dealing a whopping forty-two damage. John coughed out some blood as his chest began to bruise and swell. He must have suffered some internal damage from that attack! As the tail shot at him once again, John thrust out his sword and pierced the tail, nailing it into the ground. The Rath'een Brawler roared as it tried to pull its tail out. Seeing that its actions were futile, it focused its attention on John. With a few random swipes, it was able to land a lucky hit on John. The young Shadow Walker roared in anger and fiercely kicked the Rath'een Brawler, causing its tail to split into two due to the force. Not giving the rat any time to recover, John threw his dagger, which embedded itself into the Rath'een Brawler's chest. Then, John whirled around and swung his sword with all his might.

After beheading the Rath'een Brawler, John quickly looted the bodies and hid behind the door. The fighting and the screams had most definitely drawn attention from the other Rath'een bastards. Sure enough, loud stomps could be heard coming from the second floor as they rushed down the stairs and approached the room. John used his dagger once more as a mirror in order to confirm what the enemies were. Turns out there was a Rath'een Brawler followed by a Rath'een Warlock. John held his sword and prepared himself. As soon as the Rath'een Brawler enters the room, John will activate his strongest skill - the Piercing Strike.

STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!

John could see the shadow approaching nearer and nearer. His adrenaline increasing with each stomp. The Rath'een Brawler roared out as it entered the room. It scanned the room for the enemy only to see John at the corner of its eye. It was too late to dodge! The Rath'een Brawler could only raise its arms up as John's Piercing Strike drove itself deeply, penetrating flesh and organs. It was a critical hit! The Rath'een Brawler's health points decreased by more than two thirds. As John pulled out the sword and prepared for another attack, a cold blast enveloped him, causing slowness and freezing. The Rath'een Warlock had just unleashed Frostbite on him. However, luckily, part of the ice attack had also landed on the Rath'een Brawler. The rat monster had just punched out but, due to the slow debuff, it missed. This allowed John to kick the Rath'een Brawler back and sliced its head off with his sword.

Suddenly, John heard some mumbling and the air surrounding him began to fluctuate. That warlock was about to cast another spell! John spun around and rolled to the side. While in mid-roll, he accurately threw his dagger towards the Rath'een Warlock, wounding it and managing to stop its chant. The warlock wrenched the dagger from its arm and tossed it down the hall. It glared at John and reached out with its hand, grabbing a hold of the nearest item...a vase. Vase! That was the vase that the Godwins had described! John stared in horror as the Rath'een Warlock picked up the vase and fiercely threw it at him. John reached over and grabbed vase, letting the momentum of the vase carry him backwards. The young warrior skidded to the ground as he hugged the vase, careful not to break it. John looked up and saw that the Rath'een Warlock had continued its chant. This surprised John. To think interrupting a magic chant won't cause the caster to restart the chant. John quickly stood up and placed the vase on a nearby pedestal. He raised his sword and rushed towards the warlock. However, he was too late.

The Rath'een Warlock finished its chant and unleashed a Cold Blast at John, knocking him back. Not only that, but the continuous ice damage received from the Frostbite earlier activated and John suffered another loss of health. The young Shadow Walker gritted his teeth and shook himself. After regaining some senses, he hoisted his sword and launched it. The steel sword flew through the air like a lightning bolt and pierced the Rath'een monster. John hopped forward and rushed towards the warlock. He was just about to grab the embedded sword when another wave of ice damage erupted and spread throughout his body, causing him to wince and falter. But, John was tough. He had only faltered for a second before reaching over and grabbing a hold of the sword. He feverishly glared at the Rath'een Warlock and saw fear in its eyes. John ripped out the sword and, with a spin, appeared behind the enemy. He reached over with his sword and sliced the bastard's throat nearly in half. As the body teetered about and seemed to be falling towards him, John harshly kicked it away. However, that's when he saw it...the vase! The Rath'een corpse tumbled into the pedestal where the vase was placed on, causing the Godwin family's treasure to tip over the edge of the podium. Oh no! John rushed forward as fast as he could and dove....

..........

"The house has been cleared, old man Godwin, you can go home now." John replied as he arrived at the Temple.

"Really? Thank you so much!" The old man expressed his gratitude.

"Yes. Though the only problem is the mess...."

"No problem, we'll take care of it. Thank you again, John."

The other Godwins also thanked and praised John's abilities. The old woman grabbed his hand and asked about the vase. John seriously looked at her, causing her to have different thoughts. But then, John flashed a rare smile and brought out the vase from his bag. He was able to save it from falling to pieces. It was close...but he was lucky. The old woman hugged the vase and thanked John once more. Soon afterward, John escorted the Godwin family home. Once they reached their house, John bid them farewell and continued his search for any more Rath'een intrusions.