Chapter 6: "The Knight of the Plague"

After half a day of walking, we reached a lookout. From there, we could see how the valley opened like a deep chasm between colossal mountains, forming a depression that seemed to suck everything toward its center.

Around it, rocky walls rose sharply. They intertwined, forming a natural labyrinth. Thin waterfalls cascaded down their faces, creating subtle pockets of mist.

“I think we should follow that river,” I said, pointing to a stream that gathered the water from the waterfalls and wound its way through the mountains.

Ahead, the tallest peak of all looms. That is where our goal lies.

“Look, Darek, from here you can see Villa Solaria; even in the distance, Lusthal, the city where we met,” Zera said.

Taking in the view, we began to climb the mountain. We tried many paths, but most ended in sheer cliffs.

“I’m getting tired; we keep going back and forth. I’m fed up with this situation. Couldn’t the Garden of Thorns have been located any worse?” I said, unable to hide my bad mood.

“Don’t be like that. Just walking around here is thrilling: landscapes like this aren’t common. Besides, the name ‘Garden of Thorns’ is kind of appealing, isn’t it?” Zera replied, her explorer’s attitude shining through.

Names don’t matter; what’s in these places is what counts.

After that, we found the right mountain. Its surface was wide and steep. The trees were spaced far apart. Large stones, standing like soldiers, appeared here and there, several wrapped with red ribbons.

“My legs hurt… I pray we’re close,” I said, exhausted from seeing so many mountain ranges.

We pressed forward with difficulty until we saw the ground stained with a deep black. The plants and trees bore it too, they looked withered. An eerie silence ruled the atmosphere, heavy and unsettling.

A dense fog appeared. We stood petrified for a few moments, unable to grasp what was happening around us.

"Is this the summit? And the Garden of Thorns?" Zera asked anxiously.

"If it is, I didn’t imagine it like this."

The vegetation isn’t dead—it clings to life with difficulty. Why do the plants look like this? Are they rotten?

Suddenly, a distant rock exploded. Through the haze of dust, a figure advanced with imposing steps. A two-meter-tall Knight, wearing black armor and a bird-beaked mask. He held a long, ornate spear.

"Look at the symbol on his chest—it belongs to the Order of the Infected," Zera pointed out.

A Knight… Then this part of the forest isn’t rotten, but ravaged by the Plague.

"What’s he doing in such an isolated place? You know his Order controls Plague magic, right?"

"Yes, everybody knows that! In fact, they’re at war with the Order of the Unbeaten Sun. Or do you live under a rock?"

Why can’t she shut up? She makes me feel stupid—and I hate her for it.

"Could he be the guardian of the Garden of Thorns?" I asked, trying to return to the important matter.

In the distance, the Knight let out a muffled growl, as if his vocal cords were broken.

Many Knights of that Order surrender their bodies to the Plague as a show of faith, even knowing they will lose their senses or their habilities.

I saw him ready himself for battle, releasing a dark aura: it was magic leaking out of his corrupted body.

"Don’t worry, Darek. Even if it doesn’t look like it, I’m very strong." She put on her leather gloves, prepared to face the enemy barehanded.

We’re in serious trouble. The terrain is too steep; we can’t steady our footing—we’ll fall off the cliff. And on top of that, I don’t have my sword, only a dagger!

"If we go back to the forest, maybe we can lose him," I suggested, already preparing for retreat.

The Knight leapt forward and lunged at Zera. In an instant, he closed the distance between us.
She held the impact by grabbing the spear. He tried to pull it back, without success.

Zera is tougher and braver than I imagined. Now that the enemy is this close, I can see his armor is cracked and broken in several places.

After a few moments of struggle, the Knight channeled the magic inside his body toward Zera. If it touched her, the Plague would destroy her. Desperate to defend her, Imbedded my dagger into one of the weak points in his armor and pierced his abdomen.

Immediately, he released a burst of Plague near my face. After the attack, he retrieved his spear and stepped back several meters.

If I had kept stabbing him, I would have gotten myself infected. His armor contains the Plague within, keeping it from spreading. The more damage we inflict on him, the more magic he’ll release—and soon it will be impossible for us to fight him.

"Something about him is wrong, he doesn’t even seem human. Besides, if we keep hurting him, the Plague will cover him completely, to the point we won’t be able to get any closer."

"Then we need to get past him, reach the Garden of Thorns, and with that sword, kill him in a single blow, right?" Zera suggested.

Though it’s not my style, I admit it’s an excellent idea. If I were alone, I’d have already run away terrified. Under normal circumstances, I could face a Knight, but without my sword and on uneven ground, it’s unthinkable.

His beaked mask appeared before my eyes and he attacked again. I thought I could block his thrust with my dagger, but his devastating strength hurled me off the cliff.

I’m flying again, yay!