The Gambling Hero

Chapter 11: Beast Hunting

I introduced myself to Bastrin, and gave him a basic rundown on both Lilith, and I. Bastrin was inspired by my story, and proclaimed, "Dante after hearing that I have no choice, but to come up with an even better dream" he smiled smugly. I put Bastrin in my backpack, he had also explained that he did not have a gender, but instead he could change it whenever he wanted, so I should just refer to him based on whatever I felt came naturally. I had one question to ask Bastrin before we left the home though, and based on how he answered it would decide what I would do next. I spoke up, "Bastrin why did you never decide to leave this house?" I could hear Bastrin shuffling around, and he responded after a few seconds, "Those beastmen had tricked me long ago I only meant to stay for a mere week, but they tricked me, and told me this house would be a good place to stay for awhile." Bastrin continued seemingly bothered, "The beastmen sealed this place off for many many years, but eventually their seals weakened, and as it turns out I can now break out whenever I want. I had originally planned on waiting till they had fully vanished, but with your visit I guess I will be breaking out faster than planned."

I asked Bastrin one more question, "The beastmen locked you away for centuries, and tricked other humans into wandering into a starving demon's place? That's horrible, and extremely vile what would cause them to do that?" Bastrin sighed, "The beastmen have always been fearful creatures; they hate what they do not understand, and so they resort to extreme measures. They are notorious for doing anything to survive." This angered me, and for the first time I felt rage for the beastman race, "My companions, the beastmen have robbed many unsuspecting people of their lives. I would like to provide them with some punishment for their actions. First Lilith I will have you undo soul castle, and then we will get back at these beastmen." Lilith seemed to want to complain, but complied by chanting, "Open the gates" with that chant I felt something leave my head. Lilith appeared out of thin air, and took form through the light that was forming out of my head.

Lilith looked disgruntled once she was fully formed she said, "Master I understand your feelings, but we really don't have time to play with these strays." Bastrin held the opposite opinion, "I disagree Dante let me loose on this town, and we will be on the road again in an hour I promise." I disagreed with both their choices, "I want to punish them, but I don't want them all to die." I thought for a moment, and decided, "I would rather not have these beastmen hunting me down, so instead we will destroy any shop in town in addition to this I want to make sure they never try something similar to this again." Both of them looked at me seemingly unsatisfied, but they agreed that it was the quickest way that also held good weight as a punishment. Destroying their means of supply, and demand would at least for a while cripple them financially, but it was also not bad enough to damage them forever.

I walked with them to the center of the shopping district. Many beastmen when they say us froze in fear some shouted out "H-how can this be." They also pathetically tried bargaining for their lives, or cursed me, and Bastrin for escaping their house of death. Bastrin was the first to start rampaging; he had turned into a full on flesh monster again, and had started destroying any store in sight supplies, and all. I left him to his destruction Lilith, and I interrogated one of the beastmen we asked him where the leader of this town was. The beastman fearfully said, "The person who runs this t-t-town is the mayor, and he runs the town from up there." The beastman pointed to a building on top of a hill that looked like the biggest, and nicest building in this entire town. Lilith and I began walking towards this building, and we knocked on the door on the tall, and fancy building.

Nobody answered, so we walked inside dim candles guided our way as we walked further in, but there was no sign of anyone. Suddenly we heard banging coming from the upstairs bedroom. We ran up the nicely carpeted stairs, and broke open the door. Inside we saw a very weak looking beastman on the ground frantically gathering documents, and what appeared to be money from a drawer in what looked to be his office. I grabbed his collar angrily "Who are you?" He cried out "I am the mayor please don't hurt me I just want to get out of this town, so spare me. I can even give you some money if you want it isn't mine after all." It looks like he let his tongue slip a bit too much I asked again in a loud voice "Whose money is it then? Did you steal it?" The mayor looked shaken badly by this question, "I ugh got it by directly extorting money from the civilians, but please dont hi-" I punched him right in the face before he could say anymore. He let out a cry, "W-what do you want from me."

I said in an angry voice, "I don't want anything from you, especially not that dirty money. I just want you to shape up, and I will warn you only once major if you dont there will be consequences." The mayor shakily asked, "What are you gonna do to me?" I smiled "Listen up in one year someone will be passing through this area, and I am gonna send word to him to go to this area specifically. I will give you exactly one year to shape this place up, and if he so much as gets a sprinter I will tell him to take everything from you no questions asked. Once he passes through here you won't know who he is either, so don't try to put on a good act just because he's here." The major shook his head up, and down it seemed he understood. I spoke up again, "If word gets out that you were just putting on a little act while my friend passes through, so help me if word ever reaches my ear of this place again I will be back. Next time this happens you wont get so lucky." I relaxed a bit and said, "Alright so tell me then how do you receive, and get mail in this town anyways."

The mayor having been shaken up squeaked out, "We get everything by bird we send them out, and they fly back when we receive something." I asked forcefully, "Let me use your personal carrier pigeon, and get me a piece of paper and pen." The major got up, and on shaky legs he brought me the animal, and the paper I had asked for with the pen. I took the pen, and wrote a brief letter about how my adventure had been up to this point leaving out some details that would worry my parents. I also told them to rely on what I wanted Noland to know, and once I was done I turned to Lilith. I said to Lilith can you contract this bird to head to Middleton for me, she nodded, and proceeded with the steps to contract with the bird. I turned to the major, and told him to get out of my sight he scrambled away like a wounded animal . Once Lilith was done, and we had let the pigeon fly away I made my way back to the center of the shopping district to where Bastrin was still rampaging.

I called out to Bastrin, "Hey Bastrin we forced the mayor to compile, and I think it's about time we go." Bastrin looked disappointed but he seemed to understand that they had dealt enough damage to the town. The townsfolk were in utter disarray they were cowering in fear, and some were begging for forgiveness from the flesh monster. Bastrin transformed into a cat again, and placed himself in my backpack again. The townsfolk relaxed a bit once he was properly out of sight, and I proceeded to call out to the nearest beastman. I spoke up, "Hey mister where do you keep your horses I plan on taking two of them as part of the payment for what you guys did to me earlier." The man looked frightened, but answered, "They are in the stables in front of the exit to town, please just pick out two, and leave." Since it was impossible for us to shop in town we would likely have to shop elsewhere in Swinhal, so it was nice that we could get a fast ride for the next town.

I wasn't really in the mood to speak more with him since coming here I had grown a slight distaste for the beastmen. These feelings were not intentional, but after almost dying, and being treated in such a way by these beastmen I couldn't help but feel this way. I took him up on his offer, and we proceeded to the back of town where the stables were, and the exit to town was. The stables had about five horses. I chose the big black horse, and Lilith chose a slightly smaller silver horse. I decided on the name Midnight in my head, but Lilith chose not to give the horse a name. At least she didn't tell me if she did. It seemed she probably wanted to avoid getting too attached to the horse. I hopped on the horse's saddle I had rode a horse before my dad had taught me, and it seemed that Lilith had too since she naturally got used to her new ride.

I decided to speak up before we headed out. I should probably inform the both of them where I planned on heading next after all. I spoke up, "Alright guys we really need to resupply, and sell our monster materials that we have, and will gather. I have decided before we get to the middle country of Hastain this will be necessary since there will be no preparing in Hastain." Lilith seemed to understand why, but Bastrin asked, "Why? What's so bad about Hastain?" I responded with, "The country of Hastain, unlike Swanfri, and Swinhal with a loose, but present government Hastain is a completely lawless area, where very few towns are present. The towns you will run into are not very inviting, or so I have heard." Hastain was the first country I also have only heard bits, and pieces of information on, so I was going in blind. I would need to fill in the map as we traveled rather than knowing the layout of the land beforehand. I took the reins after it seemed like Bastrin had understood, and I set off for the town of Astran near the border of Hastain.