Aria continued to chase the strange bird into a damp and mossy cave mouth. Inside, it appeared very dark and gloomy.
Sir Cedric followed her tirelessly, ignoring the mud and sharp protruding branches, even though his feet occasionally got stuck and scratched by the branches. He truly didn't understand why Aria liked to do things without explaining them first to him and what she was actually going to do. Was the girl accustomed to doing everything on her own? So much so that she sometimes forgot about Sir Cedric's presence?
Aria paused in the middle of the cave's mouth. The lantern had been left far behind when she was being chased by the green snake earlier. "Are you sure we can pass through this place?"
"It seems very damp. Could this possibly not be a snake's den?"
Sir Cedric's question received a sharp look from Aria.
Originally, she was very sure that the bird had entered here, but hearing Sir Cedric's words made her uncertain. After all, she was extremely afraid of that slithering creature. She would rather face a warwolf than have to confront a snake, especially the ones in this forbidden forest that grew large and long. According to Aria, the one that had chased them earlier was relatively small. There were even bigger and longer ones. They were so large that they couldn't drag their bodies anymore.
"Please stay alert for a moment. I will try to find some clues." Aria concentrated her mind. Her two eyes closed tightly, and her small mouth recited a mantra.
Once again, Sir Cedric was perplexed by her actions. However, over time, he became accustomed to Aria's tendency to make decisions on her own without consulting him anymore.
Sir Cedric unsheathed his sword, staying vigilant for any possible threats.
Suddenly, from within the cave, a rumbling sound could be heard. Unfortunately, Sir Cedric couldn't determine what was approaching them. But he was prepared.
Sir Cedric planted his feet, his sword already half-raised. The dark silhouette continued to approach without hesitation, growing larger with glimmers in some areas. Sir Cedric was puzzled, "What creature is that?"
As it got closer, Sir Cedric realized that it was a group of bats struggling to exit the cave. He turned around, standing in front of Aria, spreading his cloak to shield them from the night creatures' claws.
"What could have disturbed the nocturnal animals' rest?" Sir Cedric wondered, still facing Aria.
Sir Cedric held his position for who knows how long. It felt like the night creatures would never end. However, when the rumbling sound diminished, a bird with a wingspan of almost 2 meters emerged from the cave, perched on Sir Cedric's shoulder, gripping his strong arm tightly.
Of course, that left Sir Cedric greatly surprised. He thought someone or some other wild creature was about to attack from behind.
Aria opened her eyes, smiling in amazement as the rare bird approached a human willingly. Normally, these birds were very anti-human.
"Isn't this the same bird from earlier?" Sir Cedric mumbled, trying to position the bird so he could see it clearly.
Seeing the rare bird consistently evading Sir Cedric's hand, Aria chuckled. "Stop. Don't make it uncomfortable. That's a rare bird. You're lucky it's getting close to you. Usually, it's anti-human."
Hearing Aria's explanation, Sir Cedric became even more curious. "Really? What kind of bird is it?" Sir Cedric asked. His hand continued to reach for the bird, but strangely, the large bird kept dodging him. "Hey! Come on. I just want to admire your beauty."
KUUAAAK!
KUUAAAK!
It was as if the bird refused to be forced by Sir Cedric. It kept squirming, not liking its leg being held.
"It's called Fang, a type of phoenix bird. They belong to the village of Minerva. But they are not kept like other birds. With the appearance of Fang, it can be a sign of news or a guide." As if understanding Aria's words, Fang the bird flapped its wings when the girl finished speaking. It flew into the cave, which had now become slightly brighter because some of the holes at the top of the cave were no longer covered by bats.
The atmosphere in the cave was no longer gloomy. Without further ado, Aria and Sir Cedric followed Fang's trail. They only briefly noticed the walls and ceilings of the cave, adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. They wished they could spend more time in this place, but their current conditions didn't allow it. Perhaps someday they would have to return to this place, thought and Sir Cedric in their respective minds.
***
In the Palace of Serindah, a king appeared visibly agitated, his face turning crimson. He had just received a report that 'the war commanders assigned to guard the borders had been killed by a pack of warwolves, leaving no survivors.'
The kingdom's dignitaries also seemed resigned to the situation.
Not to mention the rural areas around his kingdom were now under attack by these warwolves.
"What do they want?"
BRAK!
The slam of the glass table just caused one of its sides to crack. The oval-shaped glass on the table was 20 millimeters thick.
The five kingdom dignitaries could only bow their heads. They couldn't do much.
They can only offer advice and opinions, but when it comes to fighting, they seem to back down.
"I apologize, my lord. I heard Sir Cedric has returned," said one of the royal officials, who appeared older than the others. His beard was long and white. Yet, his steps remained firm and quite robust. His name was Laco.
"So, what does he have to do with this matter?" King Edward asked, still standing with his back to his five officials.
"I apologize, my lord. Wasn't he a coward who fled when his kingdom was at stake, during the war against the warwolves ten years ago?" said another official, named Juan. He appeared to be the youngest among them.
"But what's wrong with giving him a chance this time?" replied Loco, with great enthusiasm. For some reason, he really wanted to involve Sir Cedric in the battle against those warwolves.
Juan pursed his lips. In his heart, he couldn't accept it if King Edward involved Sir Cedric, let alone making the young man one of his commanders. For some reason, he didn't like Sir Cedric. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that he didn't like Sir Cedric since the handsome man suddenly became a recommendation to marry King Edward's daughter before the warwolf attack happened.
The debate frustrated King Edward even more. He had been in desperate need of solutions from his other officials who hadn't expressed their opinions yet. Now he was hearing another argument.
King Edward turned around, his gaze sharp and cold, carefully observing each of his trusted men. His jaw clenched. However, he realized that emotions were not the path to solving the problem. "Very well. Can you handle it if I order you to take the position as the war commander at the border?" The question was directed at Juan.
Juan fell silent. It wasn't that he was afraid to fight; he just didn't like warwolves. Maybe, if the opponent this time were humans, he would step forward, no matter the risks.
In his silence, Juan caught a glimpse of a young girl descending the stairs. Her face was as beautiful as the moon, her skin as clear as porcelain, her beauty and elegance were unmatched, her long straight hair flowed like silk, and her silence gave anyone who observed her the impression that she possessed strong charisma.
Every time he saw that girl, for some reason, Juan's courage seemed to increase many times over. He felt a strong desire to stand out from the rest.
Surprisingly, Juan stood up and slammed the table. The bearded man seemed to be glowing, as if a surge of enthusiasm was burning within him. "Very well, Your Majesty. I am ready to become the war commander at the border, replacing the commanders who have fallen." His response certainly shocked everyone, considering that he had previously avoided any form of war, citing his desire to protect his wife, who was about to give birth.
Of course, King Edward was not the type of king who liked to force others unless it was their duty. But this time, the situation was different. His war commanders had all perished. He couldn't just stand idly by. Whether he liked it or not, he had to mobilize anyone, including himself, to protect the territory and the kingdom he had carefully guarded all these years.
"Are you sure?" Bruce, the senior, asked Juan.
Juan nodded confidently, once again glancing at a girl standing near the stairs.
The girl was quietly observing the meeting place of her father, King Edward. Her name was Lady Elara, and she smiled before leaving the area.
At this moment, Juan was filled with enthusiasm. Without anyone noticing, he smiled, his heart fluttering.
Carefully, Bruce tried to voice his opinion: "But I saw something strange during the attack." Bruce recalled the battle where, as usual, he was tasked with monitoring the kingdom's surroundings. He noticed an anomaly in the battle, with the townsfolk and warlords attacking each other while the warwolf simply stood there, watching with echoing laughter.
"What kind of strangeness are you referring to?" King Edward asked.
King Edward's reprimand made Bruce snap back to reality. "I apologise, my lord. I didn't mean to be impudent. But it seems the warwolves now possess magic powers. However, I'm not sure what type of magic they wield."
King Edward's gaze fixed forward as he contemplated the possibilities. "Very well. We must find the village of Minerva."
The recent statement from King Edward left the five dignitaries exchanging doubtful glances. None of them believed that the village of Minerva was real. To them, Minerva was merely a mythical village told as bedtime stories for children by their parents.
****
The cave path grew increasingly winding and steep. Wet moss often caused the two individuals, struggling to keep pace with Fang, the bird carrying the message, to slip and stumble.
They supported each other through the challenging terrain. Sometimes, their path led to steep inclines, slippery descents, and shallow rivers teeming with leeches. A whole day had passed, yet the journey seemed endless.
Until they almost lost hope. "There, ahead!" Aria shouted, spotting a bright light. It was undoubtedly the cave's exit. Their previously fading hope is now rekindled.
Fang soared ahead, then halted, flapping its wings right at the cave's mouth, as if waiting for Sir Cedric and Aria to catch up.
They nearly stumbled into the abyss, as the cave's exit was perched on a cliff with massive natural boulders and a steep drop below.
"Wow! Astonishing," murmured Sir Cedric. He couldn't stop admiring the view from this vantage point.