Simultaneously, Sir Cedric waved towards two different women of varying ages as he approached. His face looked weary. The elderly woman offered a tray with a teapot and two cups made of clay adorned with distinctive flower carvings. Inside the teapot was warm chrysanthemum tea.
"You seem to be doing better," Sir Cedric remarked after taking a sip of his drink.
Aria simply smiled and nodded.
"That's good. In that case, tomorrow morning, we'll continue our journey." Aria couldn't focus on Sir Cedric's words. Since earlier, she had been contemplating the elderly woman's question.
***
That evening, they gathered on the side terrace, overlooking a breathtaking natural landscape. The sounds of the river and the nocturnal animals' songs provided a soothing lullaby.
However, the four of them remained reluctant to leave, as their discussion was far from over.
"So, you're truly determined to exterminate the warwolves?" the elderly man inquired, sipping his ginseng drink to warm himself.
"Yes, I'm very determined to eradicate them all, to restore the lost glory, to bring back the long-lost Knights, and to clear my name of the negative assumptions people have about me. Additionally, I want to aid the people and the kingdom that desperately need me."
"I've heard that they're currently launching a large-scale attack in the Serindah Kingdom. However, I hope you must be more cautious in handling this situation. Your enemies might be someone you've defended, while those you defend, they could be your enemies." Continued Mr. Zack.
"So, you mean I should just stand by while they wreak havoc in my kingdom and heartlessly attack my people? The warwolves continue causing destruction without facing justice, and I should be able to punish their actions?"
Mr. Zack suddenly felt a headache. He knew that every time they discussed warwolves, Sir Cedric's emotions always ran high. "It is not like that, but I hope you become more attuned to the environment you'll be facing. In this war, you must use your inner sight, not your heart. Because in the Serindah Kingdom, there's an issue of 'the hidden enemy,' which, to this day, remains unidentified."
"Every time the kingdom's leaders and King Edward make plans to eradicate the warwolf forces, those plans can be easily thwarted."
***
The next morning, Sir Cedric appeared well-groomed. He had changed into his armor. It seemed he was truly eager to eliminate all the warwolves.
After bidding farewell to his foster parents, Sir Cedric and Aria continued their journey. As planned the night before, they were headed straight to the Serindah Kingdom, which was currently under attack by a pack of warwolves.
"Are you very sure your condition has improved?" Aria nodded quietly without turning to face Sir Cedric, who was inspecting the horse she was riding. Since yesterday, the girl hadn't spoken much, unlike her usual cheerful self.
Sir Cedric felt perplexed but didn't dwell on it. 'Perhaps women's attitudes tend to change,' he thought.
The horse galloped swiftly through the quiet southern forest. They encountered few things along the way, mostly wild boars passing by. This eerie atmosphere made them extra cautious. It was possible that a wild animal was lurking nearby. The dense foliage and some fallen moss-covered trees made the journey feel like an obstacle course.
Sir Cedric intentionally took this route, as Mr. Zack had advised it as a safe passage to the Serindah Kingdom. Through this path, they wouldn't come across the borderland villages that were currently being talked about by many, the villages that were constantly terrorized by the warwolves.
***
A village that should have been bustling and undoubtedly prosperous. It could be seen from the types of goods displayed in a traditional market, but now, vegetables and fruits were scattered on the ground. Tables and chairs were also out of place. There were even dried bloodstains in one corner of a table that had been thrown far into the street.
Not only that, there were claw marks on several house posts. One of the residents' houses was even in shambles.
Two women and three adult men, in deplorable conditions, were stealthily moving towards a rather large building at the far end of the street. In front of the building, it looked extremely chaotic. Typically, this house was where they made wheat bread.
Meanwhile, an 8-year-old child, trembling with a pale face, continued to peek at his mother from behind a small window in one of the underground rooms in one of the residents' houses. The child was with a few others who had managed to save themselves and were now hiding in the underground room.
In front of them, he saw a pack of wolves feasting on some human corpses still strewn in the street. The five of them halted and hid behind one of the building walls.
The sight was truly horrifying, with the wild wolves tearing and ripping apart the victims who couldn't be saved. They devoured the remains of human bodies greedily, red viscous fluid dripping from their mouths.
A shabbily dressed woman and some others were keeping watch from a distance. She was trying to figure out how to approach the wheat bread house, which was across the street from where they was hiding.
Two men ran in different directions to divert the wolf pack's attention. Meanwhile, three others dashed towards the wheat bread house.
The two men who ran drew the attention of the seven wolves in the pack, who immediately started pursuing them. The three others ran slowly while crouching, avoiding the attention of the wolf pack that was still busy tearing apart the remaining flesh.
When the three individuals were approaching the door of the wheat bread house, one of the red-eyed wolves, the largest of the group, suddenly stood upright. Its gaze was razor-sharp, and it bared a set of sharp teeth that had turned red from the remaining blood in its mouth.
One of the women noticed this. Trembling, she struggled to swallow her saliva, trying to control her increasingly rapid heartbeat. She felt like her legs were no longer movable. Fortunately, a man noticed her frozen state.
The ferocious wolf let out a loud howl, as if signaling to the pack that there was another prey. Instantly, the other wolves turned their wild gaze towards the three people who were nearing the courtyard of the wheat bread house.
Once again, the red-eyed wolf howled while standing upright. The wolf pack scattered wildly, chasing after the three people who were on the verge of reaching the courtyard of the wheat bread house.
A man managed to carry the petrified woman away. A younger woman with her long hair tied up had reached the wooden door. She urged the two others still in the courtyard to run quickly, saying, "Come on! Hurry! Quick!"
Their adrenaline raced. Their heartbeats surged as if they wanted to burst out. Unfortunately, the woman behind whic with short hair stepped on a large nail that pierced through the top of her foot.
The woman with short hair couldn't contain her pain, and she cried. At this point, she felt like surrendering. However, suddenly, she faintly heard her child's voice shouting, "Mommy, come on, Mommy! Get out of there!"
Stumbling, she forced herself to stand with the help of a man.
Their fate was now hanging by a thread. Right behind them, several wolves had leaped and were ready to pounce on them.
A young woman named Cora screamed hysterically while throwing makeshift objects and resisting some wolves attacking her. The girl wasn't skilled in combat. She relied on her instincts to defend herself.
The woman with short hair, named Lini, and the man named Corin, seemed unprepared for the sudden attack. They had tried to run as fast as lightning, but something surprising happened. They fell on a wolf's body. Strangely, the wolf didn't attack them because its body had been split in two. The stench of blood covered both of them instantly.
They were both startled. "What's happening?"
As they turned around, there was a flash of light coming from a long sword. For a moment, they were distracted, unaware that a red-eyed wolf was about to attack.
The red-eyed wolf leaped toward the two, but just as it was about to reach them, an arrow shot like lightning, piercing the left arm of the red-eyed wolf.
The red-eyed wolf fell to the ground, howling in pain. It tried to get up. As the owner of the arrow approached, the red-eyed wolf fled while howling loudly, seemingly signaling to its colony to retreat from the battle.
The arrow remained lodged in the red-eyed wolf's arm. Before it completely disappeared, the red-eyed wolf glanced from a distance at the person who had come to the rescue. "Sir Cedric!" the wolf growled, baring a row of very sharp teeth.
Aria assisted Lini and Cora as they entered the wheat bread maker's house. Meanwhile, Sir Cedric was still busy checking on other victims lying in the street.
Sir Cedric couldn't comprehend the increasingly wild and ferocious behavior of the warwolves. It reminded him of his childhood, when the warwolf clan and humans lived side by side. There was no enmity, let alone attacks.
He couldn't fathom when the warwolf clan had turned savage.
From a distance, Sir Cedric saw a cluster of tall grass swaying. He felt that something was suspicious behind the bushes.
Slowly, Cedric drew his sword and walked cautiously towards the bushes.