Ever Winding Road

"Are we there yet…"

Sweat drips from every pore on my body. Riding for hours without end in the summer heat has completely drained my energy.

"We will reach Leudo soon. Our destination is a little ways from the village, but we can rest there for a moment."

The one answering is the young knight, who somehow seems perfectly fine in his heavy metal apparel. He was the only one kind enough to trail with me at the back of the group as my horse and I struggled to keep up. Katherine is in the middle, reading a book. Considering how I feel sick from the constant rocking, she must be some kind of monster.

At the very front is Leon, who seems to only look forward into the distance. Whatever it is that he's looking for, it must still be far out.

"How are you holding up so well, kid? You should be boiling the way you're dressed…"

"I've grown accustomed to the heat. Much of our training was done in full gear."

"Must be nice being young…"

Our journey has taken us through winding roads that cut through fields and forests alike. There was very little life along the way, just farmlands with the occasional peasant and a one-off traveler. To say that I've been bored this whole time would be an understatement. It probably doesn't help that none of these kids seem to be the talkative type.

At least for right now, I have Bernard to keep me distracted from the aches in my stomach.

"You're a knight, right? Have you seen the mess going on up North, with the war and all?"

"I have not. I only recently finished training, and have been stationed within Theinard itself."

That would explain how he still looks as young as he does. He has no scars, neither physical nor in his demeanour.

"How did a fresh recruit like you end up in a job like this?"

Unlike me, he must have had a choice. Knights are needed everywhere, from patrols to a path of glory through war. Who would take a suicide mission against demons, one performed in near secrecy as well? There can't be anything to make this suffering worth it.

"I had no reason to refuse."

"C-Come again?"

Bernard was completely calm in his response. If I felt like jumping to conclusions, I would think that he put absolutely no thought into it.

"Commander Charles sought me out for my abilities and asked if I would take this mission. I simply agreed."

"But, we're talking demons here! Does that not scare you silly!?"

"Our ancestors fought demons in the past and won. This is not an enemy impossible to defeat, and we were well prepared for this battle."

That wasn't the feeling I got when face to face with the monsters. I may be a lowly peasant with no way to defend myself, but even I can tell how terrifyingly powerful these creatures are. Even with that big axe of his, I'm not sure Bernard could survive a blast capable of disintegrating his fellow knight.

The horror on my face goes unnoticed as the young knight continues.

"It is the duty of a knight to respond when he is needed. My skills were deemed necessary for this mission, so I must respond in full."

"I'll never understand you noble types…"

Doing one job well is one thing, but being at the beck and call of the entire kingdom is too much. Perhaps all of their everyday duties are perfectly manageable with their strength, but I know one thing for certain. This mission is too much for any of us to handle.

The winding road continues until we reach probably the fourth or fifth forest of the trip. However, this one is definitely much larger than any that we've crossed before.

"Be on guard!"

From the front of the pack, I hear the clear voice of Leon. He does not stop as we enter the rows of trees.

"The village is close, but the demons may also be nearby!"

"That's just great…"

Tensions are rising as we speak. Part of me didn't feel like the threat was still far away and that I wouldn't have to deal with it so soon. Now, we're in enemy territory and a fight could break out at any moment.

"Katherine, perform a search!"

"Got it."

Our female wizard closes the book that she must have finished at least five times by now. In its place is now her staff.

"Show me the path of our enemy…"

Her murmurs precede a breeze that likely only I can feel, as even the falling leaves seem completely unaffected. This swirling wind collapses onto her metal staff and collects into a near perfect sphere. In a single instant, the particles break apart and fly off in every direction.

"What is she doing?"

"Casting a spell designed to detect the presence of demons. It is said that they release a certain kind of magic from their bodies, and wizards have created a way to identify it. Of course, the range is not very wide."

"That's quite convenient…"

My heart is screaming, pounding against my brain with every beat. If her spell comes out as a success, then the demons are not only present, they are nearby. Every bone in my body is now trembling with a fear that can only be called trauma.

"Please don't find anything…"

"Leon! Bernard! I got a hit!"

"Oh for goodness' sake!"

I almost fell off of my horse at her report. Perhaps it would have been faster if I did fall, as everybody else quickly dismounts. By the time I'm off my horse, Leon is leading his over to us.

"Which direction?"

"North, no further than a kilometre. From the potency, there are maybe two or three."

"Excellent. We'll tie our horses nearby and commence the hunt."

The young hero is quick on his feet, dropping his luggage and roping his steed to a tree. When I catch a small glimpse of his eyes, I see a smoldering flame that fills me with even more trepidation.