A Journey of Adventure and Battle (Pt. III)

The wind blew gently but felt dry, carrying fine dust from the stone road they were walking on. The sun hung high in the sky, heating the atmosphere and shining down on the vast grasslands that were beginning to turn yellow, signalling that summer had reached its peak. The blue sky stretched without any shadows or clouds to relieve the scorching heat.

Hours had passed since Garel and Ikuro met with the emissaries from the Kingdom of Euria, who were about to return to their kingdom. The emissaries were Airani Evelyn Euria and her bodyguard Mira.

The Garel horse-drawn carriage continued to move slowly along the uphill track. The sound of wooden wheels rubbing against small rocks became a monotonous music that accompanied their journey. In the distance, the silhouette of the Soroaqo Mountains began to appear, towering high like giant walls guarding the boundaries of nature. The mountains looked lush, even though low-hanging clouds were starting to shroud their slopes, as if hiding a secret.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was not much different from outside. The canopy covering the horse-drawn carriage fluttered slightly in the wind, but the hot air still pressed down on them from all sides. Sweat began to fall. Ikuro sat leaning back, his head tilted slightly upwards, gazing at the merciless sky.

Meanwhile, Airani sat in the middle of the carriage, slightly further inside, with a stiff and restless posture. The long dress she was wearing was not designed for long journeys in weather like this. The thick material clung to her skin, making every movement uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and lifted a small fan from her bag, trying to cool herself down a little.

‘Huhh... It's hot,’ she muttered as she fanned her neck and face.

Mira, who was sitting not far from her with a straight posture and a calm face despite the intense heat, glanced briefly before speaking.

‘Princess Airani, I brought some spare clothes. These clothes are lighter and more flexible for a trip like this. If you want, I can help you change clothes.’

Airani paused for a moment, then smiled slightly. ‘That's a good idea, Mira. I... really can't stand this dress anymore.’

Airani leaned forward slightly. ‘Mr. Garel, can we stop for a moment up ahead? I want to change my clothes,’ she said softly.

Garel glanced back briefly, then replied kindly, ‘Of course, Princess. There is a small river and some dense trees up ahead. It's a good place to take a short break.’

‘Huh... thank goodness. Sorry for troubling you, Mr. Garel. Hehe,’ said Airani.

‘Ah, it's okay, princess,’ replied Garel kindly.

Airani then leaned back and fanned herself. As she leaned back, she realised that Ikuro had been staring at the sky without saying anything since earlier.

Out of curiosity, she struck up a conversation with him. ‘Hey! Why have you been daydreaming all this time?’ asked Airani.

‘I don't know, I'm just bored,’ Ikuro replied flatly as he leaned back and gazed at the sky.

Airani could only shake her head as she watched Ikuro, staring blankly at the sky.

'Oh yeah, Ikuro, right?' asked Airani.

‘Yes, princess?’ Ikuro replied, straightening his back.

Airani chuckled softly when she saw Ikuro's brief but polite response. ‘Just call me Airani, no need to be so formal,’ she said as she smoothed her hair, which was slightly stuck to her neck from sweat.

‘Yes... Airani...’ Ikuro said softly, then he looked back at the sky.

The journey continued, the sound of wooden wheels scraping against the rocky ground and the soft whinnying of horses being the only sounds accompanying their steps. The hot air showed no signs of letting up.

However, the calm did not last long. Mira, who had been sitting quietly, suddenly gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, her body tensing instantly.

Ikuro, who was sitting nearby, reacted immediately. ‘Something strange, huh?’ he asked quickly.

Mira nodded slightly. ‘Yes... there is something,’ she replied softly but cautiously.

A few seconds later, shadows began to pass overhead. From a distance, the sky, which had been bright with sunlight, suddenly dimmed, covered by a flock of small creatures flying high above. But these were no ordinary birds; the creatures moved in a strange, tight formation, silently.

‘Legion...’ Ikuro and Mira said almost simultaneously.

They all now stare upwards at the flock. Towards the flock commonly referred to as the Legion, small creatures the size of sparrows with dull feathers and glowing but faint eyes. The flock circles in the sky at an altitude of about two thousand feet, blocking out the sunlight and leaving a grey shadow that spreads across the grasslands.

‘How did they manage to appear at this altitude?’ Garel muttered softly, pulling on the reins to bring the carriage to a complete stop.

‘I don't know...’ Mira replied briefly. ‘But it's impossible that there isn't something more dangerous lurking beneath them,’ she continued.

The air, which had been extremely hot, suddenly turned tense. The wind now carried a strange scent. The smell of dug-up earth, trampled grass, and a faint odour... the smell of blood.

Airani clutched her fan tightly, then turned to Mira. ‘Those who are lurking beneath them...?’ she asked.

‘We'll see,’ Ikuro replied briefly.

From behind the grass and trees in the distance, a large shadow began to appear. Due to his limited vision, Ikuro used one of his skills. ‘Focus,’ he said softly.

His eyes immediately became sharper. The Focus skill he activated expanded his range of vision, making everything in the distance appear much clearer, even silhouettes hidden behind trees and rocks now seemed to be within reach. A few seconds later, Ikuro narrowed his eyes.

‘...A large body... and sharp teeth. It's a Raptor Golem,’ he said softly.

‘Raptor Golem? Seriously?’ said Mira, turning her head quickly, her expression becoming tense.

‘Not only that...’ Ikuro continued in a lowered voice. ‘There are also packs of hyenas, but... they're not hyenas... they're Cravhunts. And... there are Strimalks too.’

Mira's eyes widened. ‘What?! Strimalks?!’ Mira exclaimed in surprise.

Ikuro did not answer immediately. His gaze was still fixed on the distance, sweeping across the entire line of creatures that were beginning to move out of their hiding places.

‘There are... about twenty of them, wait... twenty-five... no...’ he said.

Ikuro fell silent for a moment as he looked at it seriously.

‘There are thirty-five of them in total!’ he continued.

‘Huh?! Thirty-five?!’ said Mira, almost in disbelief.

Ikuro nodded slightly, then his face suddenly tensed. His breath caught in his throat when he saw silhouettes that were vastly different from the ferocious monsters. Emaciated bodies with strange movements were dragged out from behind the dark rocks. Their movements were very slow, but extremely unnatural. They did not display the instincts of animals or ordinary monsters. They were...

‘Undead...’ Ikuro said softly.

‘Undead...?’ Airani asked, looking at Ikuro in confusion.

‘Wait, you mean... Doom?’ Mira replied, her tone tense. Her eyes narrowed as she squinted, as if to confirm what she had heard.

Without saying a word, Mira slowly stood up, her hands now tightly gripping the hilt of the sword at her waist. ‘Are you sure?’ she asked softly but firmly.

Ikuro nodded slightly. ‘Yeah... I'm sure,’ he replied briefly but firmly.

He then took a slow breath, lowered his gaze, and closed his eyes to stop his vision.

Airani still looked confused. Her face showed a mixture of fear and disbelief. ‘Doom... creatures like that... can appear this far away? Aren't they usually only found in old forests or cursed ruins?’ she asked.

‘If the Legion has appeared,’ Mira said quickly, ‘it means there is a large mana fluctuation around here. And places like that always attract something worse than just monsters.’

Garel, who was still in control of his restless horses, nodded slowly. ‘This is not just a passing herd,’ he said, his voice trembling but trying to remain strong.

Suddenly, a cracking sound was heard from afar. One of the large rocks slowly split open, and a giant figure crawled out from the crack. It was another golem, but much larger in size, and its body was covered with black roots that pulsed like blood vessels carrying dirty mana. Its eyes were empty, but full of magical pressure.

‘Ikuro, we can't just stay here,’ Mira said firmly, stepping forward to Ikuro's side.

‘We only have two choices... run away or fight,’ Mira continued.

‘Run away?’ Garel shook his head slowly, his voice deep and heavy. ‘We don't have time. They're not coming as a random mob. One by one, and we'll be overwhelmed before we can get far. We have to face them here.’

The atmosphere suddenly became silent. Only the sound of the wind and the roar of the monsters filled the air.

Ikuro exhaled deeply, then nodded slowly. ‘All right. Let's get off. Come with me,’ he said firmly as he jumped down from the side of the train.

Airani and Mira followed suit, although Garel remained in the horse-drawn carriage.

‘Airani...’ Ikuro called out without turning his head.

‘Well, Ikuro?’ she replied.

‘You can use magic, right?’

‘Hmm, I can... although I haven't mastered Tier-S magic yet,’ Airani replied, a little hesitant but still confident.

Ikuro glanced at her. ‘That's enough. Stay behind. Guard this line. Cover us. Don't let a single one break through our defences.’

‘Understood. I will do my best,’ said Airani, clutching her magic fan tightly. A silvery glow began to form a magical pattern in the air, vibrating gently with the flow of mana.

‘Yosh...’ said Ikuro.

Ikuro raised his face to the sky. The Legion was still circling above them, spreading out like a black cloud, bringing disaster.

‘Wait for my signal,’ he said, then looked back at the monsters.

He slowly drew his sword. The sound of steel scraping against steel rang out loudly in the oppressive silence. He took a fighting stance, his eyes fixed on his enemy.

The wind howled louder. Dust swirled around. The scent of blood, earth, and broken mana filled their lungs. The world seemed to pause, waiting for the first explosion. And also... the inevitable battle, followed by a silent and tense atmosphere.

Airani bowed her head for a moment, praying silently. Then she whispered, ‘May... God Daus protect us all...’

One by one, they took their last breath before the battle began. A breath of courage. A breath of determination.

Feelings of fear and trepidation, but also enthusiasm and determination, mingled together in their hearts.

And with his eyes fixed firmly ahead, Ikuro raised his sword.

‘Come on... Let's fight!’