Pantheon Online

Chapter 12 - Homecoming

As they drew close to Ania's village, Colt could not help but frown. 'It took hours for us to get here, but my DP still hasn't regenerated.' This perplexed Colt to no end. He had assumed that DP worked like mana in other games and would regenerate over time. However, that did not seem to be the case.

'Is there some kind of specific action that I need to perform?' Colt felt like this might be the answer, but he had no idea what he was supposed to do. He could only hope that he would stumble across the answer soon.

Ania felt the uneasiness in Colt's mind and misinterpreted it as him being displeased with her village. Her heart began to race as her lungs forced her to breathe more quickly.

"L-Lord Exile, I know it isn't much, but I welcome you to Eraldsfen." Ania's tone was hesitant as she played with her hair. Her eyes remained fixed on the ground as if there was something profoundly interesting about it.

"Eraldsfen?" Colt cocked an eyebrow at her. "Like the name of your family?"

Ania shivered when she heard that question. Her legs began to tremble beneath Colt's gaze. "I'm sorry that my family was so presumptuous as to name a piece of this realm after ourselves! We shall change the name right away and name it after you! Please, don't hurt the villagers! Take it out on me!"

Colt coughed a couple of times as she gazed at him with pleading eyes. 'Dammit! I keep forgetting I can't expect to have a normal conversation with the NPC's. What should I say?' Ania looked as though she was about to throw herself to the ground and grovel at his feet when he hesitated. Naturally, she thought he was considering wiping out her village!

"Don't worry. Eraldsfen is a good name. I like it." Colt put his poor acting skills to use once again as he glanced at Ania to make sure she did not see through him.

Ania heaved a sigh of relief. She was glad that her people had not accidentally offended a God. Her smile became brighter as they passed by the first few houses. Soon, a woman shouted as she rushed towards Ania with her arms stretched out wide.

"Ania! You're ok! Thank the heavens!" Sarri Eraldsen, Ania's mother, screamed.

Ania soon felt as if she was being smothered as Sarri swept her off her feet into a tight embrace. She appeared a bit helpless as she remembered that her parents must have been worried about her disappearance. She had been so swept up by Colt's presence she completely forgot about the consequences of her kidnapping.

"Mom! Put me down. I'm fine!" Ania complained, feeling embarrassed that her mother would treat her like this in front of a God.

"Nonsense dear! Let me have a look at you! Where did they hit you? We found blood by the river. It was those slave traders again, wasn't it! How'd you escape?" Sarri was frantic as she looked over Ania from head to toe, unable to see any apparent wounds. "Oh, Gods! Don't tell me! They didn't, did they?"

Sarri jumped to an obvious conclusion that most mothers would make if their young daughter was taken away by force. What else would she think when a group of men were likely involved, and blood was found at the scene, but no apparent wounds were on her body? A few of the nearby villagers looked on with sympathetic expressions.

"Gods no! Mom, stop it!" Ania complained. This was definitely not something she wanted to discuss in public. Especially since it did not happen.

"Fine, fine. Then tell me how you got away? Can you describe the men so we can send some warriors out to hunt them down? I think Harald's already gone looking for you. He'll be so happy to find out you're ok." Sarri beamed as she mentioned Harald. After all, he was the first one to notice that she had gone missing!

Ania's expression, on the other hand, turned ugly at the mention of his name. A few of the villagers noticed her expression and began to think of her as being ungrateful. Her betrothed had rushed out to rescue her, or worst-case scenario, avenge her the moment he noticed she had gone missing.

"It was Harald, Aegir and Gorm that abducted me. They planned to sell me off in Korden." Ania practically whispered. However, her words fell like a hammer on all those who heard her. Suddenly, they began to recall how Harald or one of the other two were always the ones to discover when a young woman went missing first.

It all made sense, but they had never noticed before. However, what Ania said was a serious accusation and insulted the honour of three warriors. Even if it did appear to be the truth, they could not simply accept it. Sarri's expression, on the other hand, turned livid as she thought about how they had almost given Ania away to a slave trader.

"Just you wait until your father hears about this! He'll hunt them down and make an example of them! What kind of Skardian sells one of their own clansmen off as a slave!" Sarri was rightfully fuming as her face turned red from outrage.

"He's dead. They all are." Ania whispered again. She had hoped to avoid talking about6 this any further. After all, they should be welcoming the God that accompanied her! 'Wait! Why aren't they saying anything about Lord Exile?'

Ania's head turned just in time to see a farmer walk straight through Colt without any reaction. Ania felt as though Colt was showing a sad smile towards her. It was then that she realised that she was the only one who could see the God among them. As Ania's expression froze at that realisation, a rough voice sounded among the crowd as a burly man with a long braided grey beard barged through the crowd.

"What do you mean my son is dead!"