"Brace your bodies for the mana difference. We're going in now." Duke Reinehre stepped past the line separating the two very different lands. Immediately, his body was bombarded by the incredibly dense mana pressure.
"Ugh," The grunts of the less experienced men sounded out as they each stepped through the barrier into the Savage Lands. The Duke gave his men a moment to catch their breath before gathering themselves and marching into the turbulent landscape. Mountains spewing lava lay next to large glaciers that inched through grassy plains abundant with storms of wind and forests of lightning. The valley of death was known to be a wasteland, the only place where the weather remained constant, however it was also home to the most dangerous of beasts. Stretching for hundreds to thousands of kilometers, it appeared as a large scar carved into the earth and the mana that condensed there was said to be the most abundant in the world.
This scar in the earth was the Duke's destination. His daughter had been tracking a powerful beast for its resources and core and he hoped the boy in the rumours might know of their whereabouts.
"Come men." The Duke's deep voice sounded out through the dense mana in the air. "We shall head to the valley of death. If all goes well we will arrive in three days. Be on your guard at all times, even the weakest looking monsters here can turn an experienced soldier into nothing more than paste. Champion Anton, come close." Duke Ludwig Reinehre motioned his captain forward.
"Yes my lord?" The Champion responded once he stood next to the Duke. His large frame shadowing the Duke's own figure.
"I'll need you to do what you're best at and defend the group to the best of your abilities, however, if we encounter a beast beyond our abilities, take as many men home as you can and look after the rest of my family until they are of age to become rulers."
The Champion bowed deeply to the Duke. "Very well my lord. I will follow your final wish to the best that I can."
"Thank you, you've been very loyal ever since you joined the my house's personal guard." The Duke turned to the rest of his squadron. "Men, let us depart."
___
"My lady, that storm is blocking the fastest path home. What should we do?"
Gazing across the scarred valley, Katarina pondered over a solution. She returned her attention to the drawn map at hand, looking for other connecting paths around the valley.
"There are two marked trails leading around either side of the storm. This one to the north looks the shortest but the land is much more treacherous. To the south is longer but smoother ground. Hmm, we'll head-"
"North." One word sounded out as Hayan's commanding aura convinced them that North was the right choice, but Katarina had started becoming familiar with it and didn't back down as quickly.
"Why north? the land is far more treacherous that way. We would have to cross the glacial planes and the mountain of liquid fire to reach home." Katarina met his gaze, still finding it difficult to pry her eyes away from his own.
"Beasts are much stronger to the south and in larger numbers, and I know of another path through that area." Hayan gazed out the land's as shifting climates impeded his line of sight, yet Katarina noticed that his gaze still seemed to be watching something. Tracking it through the mana storm that blocked their path home.
"Hmm, very well." After giving it a moment of consideration, Katarina accepted his proposition. "You are an expert in this land afterall. SOLDIERS! We're heading north on a path known by our saviour and my new brother. Let us depart!"
___
"Push through Men! These puny bugs won't stop me or my people! Slay them all!" Duke Reinehre cried out as he sliced and chopped at the human-sized insects before him. His greatsword cleaving through his foes as if he were slicing through soft butter.
*BOOOOMM!!!
Lightning struck the earth, sending armoured ants and centipedes sprawling in the air while the aroma of burnt meat filled their noses.
The Duke shot a quick glance at the sky and noticed that the storm had come closer than he expected.
"Men we must go! Spearhead formation, we're breaking through!" Shoving his champion to the tip of the spear to use his tower shield to push through, The Duke took the back to protect the rear of the group.
The Champions enormous frame made the freakishly large bugs appear small but they knew their advantage lay in numbers, not individual might. The bugs continued their assault, sacrificing themselves to attack this group of fresh meat.
The Champion raised his shield before slamming it into the ground, sending a shockwave out in front of them.
"CHARGE!!"
Dashing forward, the squadron of expert warriors sliced their way through the dazed insects making incredible headway-
"Aaagh!" A soldier cried out as the Duke turned to see a sword and arm fly through the air.
"MOVE HIM TO THE MIDDLE! DON'T STALL!"
With incredible discipline, the switch occurred in a split second as the now injured soldier was shielded by the rest of the pack. "KEEP PUSHING THROU-"
"ARGH!"
Cut off by another scream of pain, Ludwig Reinehre clenched his teeth tight as he cut down a centipede aiming it's fangs dripping with poison at his exposed neck and head.
"Fuck! Use your mana! Don't hesitate and slay them all!" Imbuing his blade with fire, he swung it once again but this time, the blade of steel and fire appeared to extend, cleaving and burning ants and centipedes alike in a four meter semi-sphere around him.
More magic flew out from those who could wield it. Balls of fire, blades of wind, large boulders, and highly pressurized streams of water burned, cut, crushed, and pierced the insects. The effect was instantaneous, giving them room to catch their breath and continue on.
But it wasn't enough, the insects numbers were too great and soon they were once again surrounded.
'Fuck! We'll never make it out alive. I'm sorry my daughter, even if you're alive I don't think we'll make it. Please be safe.'
"Aaaahhhh!" Trapped in the pincers of a red ant, the young soldier with eyes full of fear and pain made eye contact with the Duke, pleading for Ludwig to save him as he was carried away from the group. Soon, the spray of blood and limbs could be seen as the young soldier disappeared into the horde of insects.
"PUSH THROUGH!!!"
___
"What are you looking at little brother?" While the rest of the group paused to rest, Katarina approached Hayan who stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing off into the mana storm. The swirling vortex of mana displayed an array of colour, sending electricity in all directions while other elements condensed and imploded in the unstable atmosphere of the storm. It was truly a sight to behold, but Hayan's eyes seemed to see beyond it.
Hayan shifted his gaze towards his big sister, observing her for a second before turning back to the land beneath them.
"I was just in thought." Hayan paused, as he thought about his next words. "I'd like to take a quick walk to think about all that's happened today. It won't be long"
"A walk? We were just jogging for the past ten hours."
"Hmm" Hayan thought for a second then pointed at his leg muscles.
"Oh a cooldown? In that case why don't I go with you?" But Hayan shook his head, pointing at the soldiers who were in the process of setting a small fire under the shelter of a rocky overhang. He then waved and started his walk further down the trail they were heading, disappearing around a corner.
"You've taken quite a liking to the boy haven't you my lady?"
Katarina turned to see her personal night and close friend, Victoria Schneider, approaching with a grin on her face.
"Hehe, yes I have. He's quite cute despite his cold demeanor." Katarina grinned in return as the mood lightened around the fire. Though they hadn't managed to hunt down the commission, they kept their spirits positive.
Victoria shook her head in playful disbelief. "May I speak honestly my lady?"
Katarina paused, searching her friend's face. Seeing the seriousness in her expression, she knew the next words Victoria spoke wouldn't be as playful. "It's just, why did you decide to take him in as part of Duke's family? Are you sure he's not a spy, or worse, a beast that can take on a human form? Afterall a human child has no chance of surviving in this land. And there's one more thing..." Victoria paused as she reassured herself. Glancing back at the other soldiers who nodded in encouragement for they knew what she was about to say.
"It's his eyes. They're... to put it plainly, they're really creepy. Whenever he looks at me, I feel a shiver down my spine. Like he's a predator and I'm just his prey. But that's not all, they also-"
"I think that's enough, Victoria. I know full well the effect of his eyes and how uncanny they are, but I believe it's due to his time out here. Like you said, no human child could survive in a place like this." Katarina threw her arms out, gesturing at the mana storm and the lava flowing down the backside of the mountain they were resting on. "At least not any normal human child, and we all know Hayan isn't normal. But he saved us, and now he's guiding us home. He's already shown that he has more humanity in him than many of the nobles in Auria." Katarina's wavy black hair danced in the winds of the mountain's pass as she pushed a few strands back behind her ear and gazed across the landscape. "Besides, I know how it feels to be so lonely for most of one's life. I thought making him a part of our family would be the best way to repay him."
Katarina turned back around, facing her team. "So I would appreciate if you would trust me and help me make him feel welcome in the family. I will talk to him about his eyes to see if there's any improvement we can make there."
The crew looked at each other, nodding their heads in acceptance. So long as the lady knew what she was doing, they would follow her will.
Victoria turned back to Katarina to affirm her agreement to her lady's proposal, but something caught her eye in the distance. A white streak soaring across the sky. As the form moved away from them and towards the storm, Victoria immediately recalled the terror she had felt many days prior.
"Uh, My Lady? Behind you." She pointed off into the distance as Katarina turned around, her hand automatically dropping to the sword at her waist.
There she saw it. The same enormous White dragon that had sent them into a coma for the past two weeks. Fortunately, it was flying away from them, towards the edge of the storm. She breathed out a sigh of relief seeing it travelling in the opposite direction, but a thought occurred to her.
'It's heading towards the town. If father was coming for me that's where he would be.' Worry built in her chest as her gut became unsettled.
"We're heading out now, gather your things and make haste." She turned to grab ahold of Hayan but recalled that he had gone on his little cooldown walk up the trail.
'Thank the gods Hayan continued down the trail. We'll pick him up along the way.'
"Let's move!"