Free Zectas Volume III: Malediction of Veneficatl Valley by John Nest, Timaeus, Vaanouney, You The Reader Page A

limb for a few more minutes until Smoke heard Sharur call out to Sierra that the militia were ready.

"Oh, right. I'll be right there. Just give me a second. Listen, Smoke. Since we already have the Guildium I wanted to ask your opinion on the names I came up with." said Sierra.

"Come on, I told you that I didn't want to do anything with the guild." said Smoke with a hint of annoyance.

"Please, just hear out a couple of names?" pleaded Sierra.

"Fine..." stated Smoke.

Sierra then started to give out the names. "What about Vagabond Freedom Fighters?"

"Why Vagabond? Isn't that a dead giveaway of my hidden Job?" he asked.

"I wanted something that would put your presence into the guild's name, but don't worry I'll think of something else." she said in all seriousness.

"I'm not too sure about the Vagabond part, but I definitely don't like the Freedom Fighters." said Smoke with conviction.

Smoke stared in front of the Ifrit Vigilantez painting and said. "What about Vigilantez instead?"

"Vigilantes?" asked Sierra.

"No, Vigilantez with a Z." replied Smoke.

              
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    They were greeted by a wide red wall of mountains when they got out of the tunnel of Mount Aeriloc, the commanding mountain range of Margome.

Fifty kilometers out on the other side of Mount Aeriloc, they got closer to the mountains and they realized just how tall each mountain was.

Their map indicated that they were still fifteen kilometers away from the base of the mountain, but they could no longer see the summit of any of the mountains.

Smoke scanned the vast area with his Telefax Vision and saw a resemblance of a settlement. He ordered Laernea to head west, in its direction.

Ten kilometers from the foot of the Margome mountain range, and they found the settlement that the Condortlian Scouts created. Sadly, everything in sight was destroyed.

Smoke, Ichaival, Espion, and Igniz got down Laernea's carriage.

"Are you sure I can't stay?", asked Laernea.

"We've been through this before. I want you to be our back up, and you protecting Condortl reassures me of residents' safety."

"Alright, alright. But I still say I'd be more help here, with you."

Smoke took in a deep breath before he tried to explain himself to Laernea again.

"Like I said. You work best with your stag moose, Tulin, by your side. Also, we need to be covert from here on out, and you guys would stand out."

"Okay. Just give me a call whenever you need me then, and you can count on me rushing to see you."

Smoke smiled. Laernea opened her arms for a hug, to which he casually pushed Espion and Ichaival in front of him and had the two of them hug her instead.

They bade their farewell to Laernea and proceeded to investigate the Condortlian's settlement.

Clay pots were broken and scattered. Their tents were torn to pieces. Dried blood covered most of the settlement. Curiously, the Scouts' food supply remained intact.

On a field some distance behind them, Smoke and his men found small red flags planted on the ground.

He assumed that these were the landmarks of where they planned on making their corn field. He looked around and found them plowed with corn seeds sown into the fertile soul.

There was a decent sized stream, that had a general width of ten feet, near the plowed field. Ichaival stood behind the crouched Smoke and whistled loudly.

"I can't believe the Condortlian Scouts' chosen location. This place is beautiful."

Espion couldn't help but ask Ichaival's observation.

"Beautiful? Did you forget about the traces of blood in the settlement?"

"I'm not talking about that. If you take away the ransacked settlement and just focus on the view, then I'm sure you'll see what I mean."

Espion turned his head from left and right to watch the great wall of red mountains. Before he turned back to Ichaival with a raised eyebrow.

Ichaival shrugged.

"I guess you got too used to the dungeony ambiance inside the