Chapter 9- Just Another Day As Ray

I usually start off with a hello. But that's when I'm not being chased by a giant were-beast and the possibility of death is very real. So, on with the story!

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Ray yelled as he sprinted away from the aforementioned beast, rapidly running through the village with the beast close behind. Smashing his way through the village, Maya and goblins in tow. "Goblins protect Ray! Stop that beast!"

The goblins though as skilled at hunting as they are were not able to subdue the large beast with their spears, it's hide was apparently incredibly tough. The spears merely bounced off or scratched him a little, this only sought to enrage the beast.

"OH GOD NO!!!" Ray ducked behind a building in time before the beast attempted to chomp down on him. "Elizabeth! You said you wanted me alive right!?! I surrender, so get your mutt off of me!"

Elizabeth who was following close-by, had a dead-eyed expression on her face as she began panting heavily. "G-g-give me a moment...to *heavy breathing* ..catch my breath."

Why are the people I encounter so useless... thought Ray before the beast decided to smash it's way through the straw house, interrupting his train of thought. "Goddamnit! Can't I catch a *heavy breathing* break!"

As Ray continued being chased around the village, a sleepy Ted came walking out of one of the houses. Ray didn't want him sleeping in the same house as him. Stupidity is contagious.

"Ah. Good morning Ray." he would say rather nonchalantly.

"It's the afternoon idiot! Help me!"

"Eh? OH GOD WHAT IS THAT?!"

Soon, Ted joined Ray in his running adventures. You know, for a life and death situation, it feels more comedic than anything. "Ted! What the hell are you doing! Use some magic or something!"

"I can't, I'm too scared! I know this is a game and all but it really feels like it's going to kill me!"

Well, I mean, it will. "But you're in a game! What does it matter!"

"But it looks like it'll hurt! I hate pain!"

Cool. Me too, especially when the thing causing the pain kills me for real... "I have a plan! Can you use your wind magic to hide us or something! It's either that or we both feel very very painful!"

"Ok! Ok! I'll do it!" As they both ran, Ted started channeling mana from his body to his hands and began reciting an incantation. "I call upon the winds of the north, south, east and west!"

Oh my god, he's chanting! Shit! This is going to take a while isn't i-

Ray suddenly couldn't move, falling to the ground with his entire body frozen stiff. Huh?! He desperately tried to move, forcing strength into his legs however, he had lost all feeling in his legs.

"I ask for a loan of the power of the wind!"

Crap, crap, crap. What the hell is going on! Ray could only lie there as Ted, who had gained a bit of distance from Ray, continued to chant. The beast now loomed over Ray, his shadow covering him. A soft growl could be heard coming from it...

Ray, with a last burst of numbing strength, yelled to Ted. "Hurry the bleep up!"

"To shroud us and protect us from harm! Air Cloak!"

As the jaws of the beast man came down upon Ray, a strong gust of wind was unleashed from Ted's hands, temporarily stunning the beast. As the beast recovered, it noticed that Ray and Ted were gone.

It sniffed, trying to find their scent but they were gone. Then he remembered the goblins and the girl with them, they're gone too. In it's confusion, it began searching behind buildings and inside of them, unaware that Ray was just helplessly below him. Frozen stiff.

Oh god, oh god, oh god. I'm alive. Thank you god, that should probably be Bob wouldn't it? Then again, he never told me if there was a being that ruled over the gods. But I shall give thanks to Bob, for now.

"Psst, Ray, are you alive?"

Ray would have liked to punch Ted in the face unfortunately he has come down with a case of numb body disease. "Yes. I'm still alive."

"Tch. I mean great! Right now, we're completely hidden from sight and smell. Isn't wind magic amazing!"

Did he just get annoyed...? Never mind, we need to subdue the beast before it destroys more of the village. "Ok Ted, I can't exactly move right now, so as hard as it is to admit it..I leave it to you."

"Eh?"

...

The beast after losing track of it's prey had taken to eating the village's food supply, mainly the meat while Elizabeth was clumsily hitting it's back. "How could you lose them! All you had to do was catch him!"

Sigh...now what...we lost track of every single person in the village. People don't just disappear! What is this! As Elizabeth turned around to go look again, she suddenly felt arms grab her from behind. It was Ted, with a nervous grin. "Caught you!"

Elizabeth was temporarily stunned but gave him a smug look as she looked to the beast. "Rolf! Fresh meat!" But, the beast did not respond. Instead, it continued to chow down on the village's food. "Hey Rolf! Hey! You dumb mutt!"

Yet he still wouldn't respond and Elizabeth could only angrily glare at him.

"It's useless, he's currently isolated from us. I used Air Cloak to make sure he only can smell and see things that I want him to see. Pretty useful eh?" Ted said rather smugly.

Wow, this guy is cocky... But still, without my beasts I'm kind of helpless...who knows what they'll do to me...I'm..I'm..

With that Elizabeth began crying softly while Maya, who was watching Ted carry out Ray's plan of kidnapping the beast owner, could only look at him with disgust. "Enemy of womenkind..."

Ted began to panic a little, "Hey, hey. It's ok, it's ok, we won't hurt you. Eh, um...I think at least." That only served to make her begin wailing as well as causing Maya to glare him down. Ray only sighed, well at least the plan worked. Judging by the way Air Cloak work, it seems you can use the wind to deny certain things such as sound and smell from reaching a particular person. A powerful spell indeed, looks like Ted isn't as worthless I thought, though I think Maya has some dislike of him.

After some consoling from Maya and Ray, Elizabeth stopped crying and calmed down her beast. Returning him back to his slightly less intimidating form of a large human.

"Well then, now that you aren't trying to kill me, what were you trying to do in my, uh I mean Maya's village." Ray was almost about to say that it was his village, but a 'gentle' reminder in the form of a slap from Maya reminded him of it.

"...I just wanted to say sorry..but, but, you came out and started insulting me! So-so-so I wanted to teach you a lesson!"

Elizabeth said with a matter-of-fact expression on her face, meanwhile Maya and the goblins slowly turned towards Ray, glaring at him intensely.

Ray felt chills go down his spine. Shit, I didn't actually think she was the type to say sorry...Oh god. "Uh, I mean, that is.. Um...I'm sorry?"

One goblin pile driver and Maya punch later.

"Excuse Mr Ray for his horrible attitude. I am Maya, I am the leader of this village. We hope you will accept our apologies for listening to this fool." Maya sincerely bowed, her hand on Ray's head, forcing him to kneel before Elizabeth.

"Mmmm...ok!" she smiled, enjoying the state that Ray was currently in. He sort of deserved it after all.

I know you're happy and all, but I'm dying here...please have some mercy...

"Ah Elizabeth, there's one last thing I need you to do."

"Hmm? What's that?"

"Clean up your mess or you'll get a taste of my Maya punch." Maya clenched her fist tight while she looked down on Elizabeth, a strong blood lust coming out from her.

Elizabeth lost all the feeling in her legs as she looked at Maya and quietly bowed. "Yes, I'll fix it..."

"Very good! Don't worry, I'm sure you can fix it all in no time!" Maya's blood lust quickly dissipated and she gave off a cheerful smile.

With that, the party of 3 plus goblins grew into a party of 4 plus goblins. Ray could only smile in his beaten state, at least now, he would have some company.

To Be Continued

Authors Note: I'm thinking I should change the title to the misadventures of Ray instead. If anyone still reading is against this, feel free to let me know. The original goal of politics, magic and etc will happen, just later.