Chapter 4 - Part 40 (Book 1 - Fantasy World)

Valessandria's eyes desperately stared at the tall grass that flew by as their group galloped forward, hopeful of finding out what was happening and why she was feeling a similar sensation as when her eyes were exposed to the horrors that lay beyond the pyramid. The inner voice screamed and pleaded that the students were wrong, and there wasn't any sound of a horse. How they needed to escape from the grasslands.

Wanting to clear her mind of the bubbling anxiety piled on top of their current mission and what she had experienced in Leaf Village -- exposed to a being that shouldn't exist in their plane of reality -- for a moment, her hands twitched towards the pouch containing the mana crystals. Her mind shrieked at the dangers and how it wished the exhaustion would end and things to be better. On the horse, racing on the worn road, balancing herself on top, was just another layer of stress piled on. Despite the awareness, a thought oozed alluringly past all the warnings. Just another crystal to help alleviate all her weariness. Merely one more to help her through the nightmare.

Clenching her hand on the reins, she forcefully shifted her concentration to finding the scout that had returned. The scout would need a competent leader, not someone saddled by stray thoughts. It was all on her shoulders to get them all back alive to Illumin.

Scowling, Valessandria knew that once she returned, the Student Council would have words with her about how she had positioned students under her care in danger. Regardless of how many innocent villagers were to be slaughtered by the blight the Lunar Empire had become, many of the members would regard what happened to a small remote village with apathy. Though they would claim that, as the Student Council, their obligation was to the students of the Academy, deep down, she knew that they were far more interested in preserving the balance which allowed Illumin to be independent. The independence of Illumin was directly linked to the Council holding sole power over the city.

Gritting her teeth, she cursed the Student Council and how they behaved with their unquenchable greed. But it was also their desire for power and what she was carrying to Illumin, which would allow her to evade much of the punishment she'd have normally been sentenced to after flouting their will.

"THERE!"

Valessandria's eyes snapped towards where William had pointed, her heart feeling slightly relieved. Though the other scouts sent ahead of them may not return, at least one would return. She could feel a little of the weight on her ease.

Exploding out of the tall grass was a horse covered in lacerations. Rivers of blood poured down its body as it crumpled on the road -- a pool of blood forming outwards as its sides rose and fell from exhaustion and trauma.

Witnessing the horse lying on its side, her eyes frantically searched for any indications of a rider.

Raising a fist and yanking on the reins, causing her horse to dig its hooves into the ground. The only thing preventing her from flying over its head was how tightly she clenched the saddle with her thighs. However, it still didn't stop her bottom from lifting slightly off the seat.

"HOLD!" William shot out an arm simultaneously at the students behind him.

Behind her, there were yells as students desperately stopped their horses. A few curses were thrown at others who had nearly run into them. The lights from lamps swung all over the place and added to the chaos.

Neither William nor Valessandria paid attention as their eyes rested on the horse.

Leaping off from the back of the horse, she dashed towards the dying animal. Her breath ragged as she dragged every ounce of remaining strength into her legs. Despite not seeing a rider, her mind attempted to convince her that the student must have fallen off at the last moment.

"LADY KNIGHT! WAIT!"

Her ears barely heard the words from her seconds as she urgently approached the horse. But as she got closer, her eyes widened as they took in the sight of what had happened. As the sides of the horse began to slow and it struggled to breathe, its mouth was coated in red foam. Noticing Valessandria and recognizing her, the legs of the horse awkwardly and ineffectively moved as it endeavored to fulfill the last of its duty.

Crouching next to the horse, tears spilled down her face as she placed a tender hand on the neck of the loyal animal. It was like a hose had been opened as the pent-up stress flooded out of her heart as though it wanted to drown the world with her grief.

"You did good," She struggled to smile.

Feeling her hand on its neck and hearing her words, it was as though the desperation it showed was replaced with relief. Soon the flow of blood stopped gurgling out from the wounds all over its body, and she could feel the muscles on its neck relax.

Footsteps were heard approaching her, but she didn't acknowledge William.

"Lady Knight."

Valessandria removed her hand from the loyal animal and undid the strap to her helmet. Pulling it over her head, she let it tumble to the ground. Freed from the sweltering heat, the air would've felt refreshing to her under any other circumstance. Mutely, she attacked the straps to her armored gloves until they loosened and slipped from her hands. Wearily placing her shuddering hand on her face, she didn't bother to move and was thankful to William for not saying anything.

"They are all dead..." Valessandria simply let the obvious statement hang in the air.

There was a silence aside from the sounds of horses dozens of feet away from their position. Despite being curious about what had occurred and why they had stopped in such a manner, none of the students raised a ruckus now that they had regained control. A few horses snorted and let their riders know they didn't appreciate the harsh treatment earlier though even they attempted to stay as quiet as possible.

Taking a long deep breath and letting the night air flow into her lungs, Valessandria's lips silently moved as she attempted to get a handle. Crouching on the ground as she covered her face, she barely registered how even her thoughts were silent, as if equally exhausted by reality. For a moment, there wasn't any concern about how much time had passed, whether there was something out in the tall grass, getting back to Illumin, being lectured by the Student Council, or even the encroachment of the Lunar Empire into the Helios Kingdom. A burst of sardonic laughter sprayed out her mouth, realizing that even the mysterious young noble hadn't crossed her mind for once since the first accursed meeting with him.

She felt a hand on her back, and soon everything that didn't seem to matter gradually came into focus and back into her consciousness. As though emerging from the dirt road, what felt like roots penetrated through the armored boots and pierced into her flesh. They crawled beneath her skin, deeper into her weary body, and continued throughout her body. Each tendril was a reminder of everything happening in the world and demanded her undivided attention, refusing to allow her to forget that they existed and she had yet to escape from her duties. She could feel them crawl and squirm under her skin as they made their way up her back and burrow into her mind.

They served to remind her of the responsibilities she held as the Lady Knight and to get her people back to safety. Removing her hand and taking in a slow breath of the cool air, even using her hand to toss her sweat-drenched blonde hair off the back of her neck before it clung back to her armor. Strangely even with the helmet removed, there was no sense of release. Her shoulders were again heavy with the decisions needing to be made.