Jordan took in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he tried to steady himself. His grip on the knife loosened, and he wiped the blade clean on the fabric of his already worn pants.
Turning to the guards, he was met with an unexpected sight—all of them were staring at him. Their expressions were a mix of exhaustion, confusion, and a hint of caution.
"What?" Jordan asked, his brow furrowing as he glanced between them.
The silence dragged on for a moment longer before one of the guards, a man wearing a dented breastplate and holding a bloodied sword, stepped forward.
"Who are you?" the man asked, his tone wary.
Jordan blinked, realizing that the situation must look strange—him appearing out of nowhere, dressed in ragged clothes, and fighting with a knife that seemed far too sharp for its crude design.
"I... was passing through," Jordan replied, his voice calm despite the lingering adrenaline coursing through him. "Saw the goblins, heard the screaming, and figured you needed help."
The guards exchanged glances, their grips on their weapons still firm. Another spoke up, a younger man with a bleeding cut above his eyebrow. "You're not with them, are you?" he asked, nodding toward the fallen goblins.
Jordan snorted. "Do I look like one of them to you?"
That broke some of the tension, as a few of the soldiers chuckled nervously. Still, their wary gazes lingered. Jordan sighed, sheathing his knife and stepping back slightly, his hands raised slightly in a gesture of non-aggression.
"Look, I'm just trying to survive like the rest of you," he said, glancing toward the now-silent carriages. "If that's a problem, I'll leave."
Before the guards could respond, a soft voice called out from one of the carriages.
"Wait!"
Jordan turned, his eyes narrowing as a young woman stepped down from the most ornate carriage, her blue eyes gleaming with curiosity and cautious gratitude.
"My Lady, are you all right?" Sir Cedric called out, his voice filled with concern as he rushed toward Elysia, seemingly oblivious to the gash on his arm and the blood seeping through his armor.
"I'm fine," Elysia replied softly, her gaze steady, though her tone carried a hint of worry. "But look at you! You're injured. Take one of the healing crystals." Her words carried the weight of command, though they were softened by her gentle demeanor.
Sir Cedric hesitated for a moment, but then nodded, reluctantly turning his attention to his wounds.
Elysia, meanwhile, turned her focus back to Jordan, her piercing blue eyes locking onto him. He was still standing at a distance, his shoulders slightly tense, as if he wasn't sure whether to stay or leave.
"Why are you standing so far away?" she asked, her voice kind but insistent. "Come here. Let me thank you properly."
Jordan blinked, clearly caught off guard by her tone. He shifted awkwardly, unsure whether he should comply. The guards, though still wary, stepped aside to let him through, their eyes following his every move.
With a cautious nod, Jordan approached, his steps measured and deliberate. He stopped a few feet away, glancing at the noblewoman and then at the guards, still unsure if he was welcome.
Elysia offered him a faint smile. "You saved us," she said, her voice warm and genuine. "For that, I owe you my gratitude. What is your name?"
Jordan hesitated for a moment before replying, "Jordan."
Elysia tilted her head slightly, her smile deepening. "Well, Jordan, you've done more than just save us—you've given us hope. Thank you."
Jordan nodded stiffly, still not entirely sure how to respond to her words. For all the danger he had faced in the forest, this moment—being at the center of attention—felt far more unsettling.
"How would you like to be compensated?" Elysia asked, her voice soft yet formal, as though she were conducting a matter of great importance.
Jordan hesitated, not really wanting to request anything. His eyes dropped briefly to his worn-out clothes, the tears and stains a stark reminder of how far he'd fallen from his old life. Then he looked back up at her, unsure how to respond.
Elysia noticed his glance and immediately understood. With a subtle nod, she gestured to one of the guards, leaning in to whisper something in his ear. The guard nodded and quickly strode off toward one of the carriages.
As this was happening, Sir Cedric approached Elysia, holding onto a green crystal. He crushed it in his hand, and a soft, glowing light surrounded him. As the light washed over his wounds, they began to close before Jordan's very eyes.
Jordan stared, completely dumbfounded. "That looks... useful to have," he muttered under his breath, trying not to seem too awestruck.
Sir Cedric, his face still grim despite his newly healed injuries, turned to Elysia and reported, "Miss, we've lost five soldiers, one maid, and a coachman."
Elysia's expression darkened, her earlier calm giving way to visible sorrow. She pressed her hands together, whispering something that sounded like a prayer, before looking back at Sir Cedric. "And the others? Are they safe?"
"Yes, Miss," Cedric replied. "The remaining soldiers and staff are unharmed, though shaken."
Elysia nodded solemnly before her gaze shifted back to Jordan. "It seems we owe you even more than thanks," she said, her voice carrying an air of determination. "You've saved more lives than you realize."
Jordan, still unsure of how to process everything, simply nodded.
"If you don't mind me asking, why are you in this forest? This place is crawling with monsters," Sir Cedric asked, his expression a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
"I live relatively close by," Jordan answered without much thought, the words slipping out before he could consider the weight of the statement.
"What?!?" Elysia, Sir Cedric, and several of the soldiers bellowed in unison, their shocked voices cutting through the tense air.
Jordan blinked, taken aback by their collective reaction. "Is something wrong with that?" he asked, his brows furrowing slightly in confusion.
Sir Cedric stepped forward, his tone incredulous. "Wrong? This forest is infamous for being a deathtrap! Only fools or the truly desperate stay here long enough to call it home. Goblins, Dire wolves, and who knows what else... How have you survived?"
Elysia, her composure faltering for the first time, looked at Jordan with a mix of surprise and concern. "You've been living here? Alone?"
Jordan shrugged, his casual demeanor belying the sheer weight of what he'd just revealed. "It's not as bad as you're making it sound," he said. "You learn how to manage. I've had... practice."
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, murmurs passing between them. To them, surviving in this forest was practically a death sentence, and yet this man stood before them, alive and—judging by the way he'd fought—thriving.
Elysia folded her arms, her blue eyes narrowing as she studied him. "You're either incredibly skilled or incredibly lucky," she said. "Maybe both."
Jordan chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll take that as a compliment."
While they spoke, the soldiers began the solemn task of gathering the bodies of their fallen comrades, arranging them in a neat row.
Jordan watched quietly as everyone bowed their heads in respect, a moment of silence settling over the forest. Feeling it was the right thing to do, he followed suit, bowing his head alongside them. For a brief moment, guilt flickered in his mind—perhaps if he had arrived earlier, fewer lives would have been lost. But he quickly dismissed the thought. This wasn't his fault.
As he raised his head, he noticed Elysia retrieve a bright red crystal from one of the guards. She approached the body in the center and placed the crystal on it. A blinding light engulfed the corpses, and when it faded, the bodies were gone.
"This just keeps getting weirder and weirder," Jordan thought to himself, trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed.
While he was lost in thought, Elysia and Sir Cedric approached him. One of the maids handed Sir Cedric a bag, which he in turn passed to Jordan.
"I can't thank you enough for what you've done," Elysia said, her voice sincere.
Jordan shook his head. "It's fine; it wasn't any trouble." He paused, then decided to push his luck. "But, if it's not too much to ask... Do you happen to have a map? And if you do, could you point out where I am?"
Elysia nodded thoughtfully. "We do have a map, though it's not very detailed. The more precise ones are usually reserved for military use during times of war," she explained.
Jordan gave a small smile. "That's fine. Even a general idea would help me out a lot."
As another show of gratitude, Elysia handed Jordan the map after Sir Cedric pointed out their approximate location.
"I don't recall learning your name," Jordan said, looking back at her. "Maybe we'll meet again in the future."
"I'm Miss Elysia Greystone, the third daughter of Duke Greystone," she stated with poise, her blue eyes gleaming with curiosity as she studied him.
After a few more polite exchanges, Jordan turned to leave, but Sir Cedric stopped him.
"Wait," Sir Cedric said, stepping forward. "If you ever come to Emberfall, show them this."
He handed Jordan a small golden badge, adorned with the same crest that was etched onto the carriages and the soldiers' armor.
Jordan accepted the badge, nodding his thanks. "I'll keep it in mind."
As he walked back to where he had dropped the boar, he picked it up with ease, much to the amazement of everyone watching. With the massive creature slung over his shoulder, he disappeared back into the forest, leaving behind the remnants of the battle and the noble entourage still processing his abrupt yet heroic appearance.