Misplaced

Chapter 6

     The stagecoach was leading the way, with two more large cargo carriages behind it. With Inston, the passengers included Dimora, Zeno, and I. There were two slaves in each carriage, one steering while one keeps an eye on the surrounding area. The carriages held an assortment of armor, weapons, and materials needed to make simple fixes to the equipment. 

     "I don't like being stuck in this tiny cart. My movement feels so limited and it's difficult for me to keep watch." Zeno's complaining, of course, hadn't stopped since the moment we stepped inside. 

     Dimora sighed for what seemed like the twentieth time and said, "Zeno, for the last time, we don't have much of another choice. We would be much too vulnerable to ranged attacks if we were to follow beside the cargo."

     My sword was resting on my lap, the sheath made it too difficult to sit since it was tightly fastened onto my waist. 

     Although the forest was beautiful and healthy, the paranoia was starting to affect my senses. My brain repeatedly tricked me into believing I was hearing rustling in the shrubs, or seeing a strange shadow in the trees. Eventually, I gave up, leaving the watch to Zeno and Dimora, considering their experience. 

     Sensing my uneasiness, Dimora reached over and patted my back in a reassuring way. 

     "If you'd like, I can lend you a novice spellbook to give you some time to study."

     Inston, after being silent the entire ride, finally let out a little laugh. "Novice? You brought a novice on an A-rank mission with you?"

     Dimora cut her eyes towards him and sarcastically replied, "How about you two have a friendly spar and see who wins?"

     My entire body tensed up at that comment. Although Inston had mentioned he has no combat experience, I have only had martial arts training. Regardless of martial arts, the sheer size of his body could easily overpower mine. 

     Inston eyed me down for a moment before letting out an even louder laugh, "I think I'll pass on that offer. Even the novice spells can be a handful to deal with without a ward."

     Dimora chuckled silently, reaching into her bag to pull out the spellbook. 

     I paused for a minute, debating if it would be a good idea to ask my question, but the curiosity took over. 

     "What exactly is a ward?"

     Inston didn't react to the question, surprisingly. Instead, his face was pointing down and it seemed as if he were trying to get some sleep.

     Zeno spoke up to answer my question, "A ward is basically a shield you create using your mana. A physical shield is very limited whenever it comes to defending magical attacks, so most use a ward to defend against spells instead. Although, it is very difficult to control your mana to such an extent, so most wards aren't strong enough to fully block a spell."

     "I see..." 

      Although the spellbook was in my lap now, Dimora was still rummaging through her bag. I opened the thick book to the first page, only to find myself staring at an unknown language. Before I could mention it, Dimora pulled out a pair of strange goggles. 

     "They're enchanted to allow you to read whatever you'd like, as long as it is a language known to the public."

     Enchantments seem to be very convenient in this world.

      "Thank you."

     Dimora shook her head gently and pulled out a book of her own, with papers bulging out of it.