TO THE VALLEY OF DEATH
***
"TELL ME AGAIN where does this person Grim Reaper person live?" Ardelian bought a wagon and a horse that they can use for transportation before departing Gladiar Town. They are now travelling past through the middle of a dense forest which Astier had already forgotten the name of. But he was certain he read something about it from the book portal.
They've only been there for nearly ten minutes but the ominous ambience it gives off is not undeniable.
It's still morning but the sunlight can barely shine through, giving off a gloomy environment. The leaves pressed underneath the wagon wheels only added an eerie sensation.
Ardelian assured him he knows where they were going. And he assured him again:
"Don't you worry, my good friend. I know just exactly where we're going."
"I'm not worried about being lost," he softly answered, "I'm more than worried about the destination we are heading for."
"You mean the Valley of Death?" Ardelian clarified.
Astier nodded his head several times. "Valley of Death", he's read about it in the book numerous times and it was often called the Portal to the Underworld. Anyone who dares and enters the valley never comes out again. Even if they do, they're bones and ashes.
"You have nothing to be afraid of. The Grim Reaper welcomes his guests with open arms, as long as you're one of the forces of evil."
Astier raised him an eyebrow. "So, this Grim Reaper guy has a thing for the forces of evil? Is he evil himself?"
Ardelian chuckled in amusement. "He adores you, Astier."
"Really?" The grimace on his face made Ardelian burst into laughter.
And having himself satisfied with Astier's amusing countenance, he finally added, "You'll find out soon enough. He and I made acquaintance long ago when I asked him a favour."
"And this person and I, are we---" Ardelian cuts him off. And his answer was more than surprising to Astier.
"Let's just say that you made a big change in his life the day you saved him. But no more question, we've got company."
Astier wanted to raise another question about his saving the Grim Reaper but Ardelian had already stopped their wagon.
"What's the matter? Why did you stop?" Astier pans his eyes in the surroundings but saw nothing out of the ordinary, except that there are thick bushes everywhere. Until Ardelian pointed out what was in front of them.
Five people dressed in what seemed to be a stylized black cloak are blocking their way. A golden medallion hangs around their necks whose symbol Astier is not familiar with.
"Don't their necks hurt with those heavy medallions?" Astier blurted.
The person in the middle snorted. "We own this forest and if you want to pass through, you have to pay the wager."
"Is that right?" Ardelian scoffed. "I didn't know Mother Nature gave you permission to own this land."
"We don't need that weakling's permission. We can own whatever we want! And now, we want all your gold." He demanded those last words while pointing the tip of his dagger towards the two men.
But Astier observed that Ardelian seem to be calm with the situation.
"Calling Mother Nature a weakling is a serious offence but, I will allow it to pass this time if you would allow us to pass through peacefully. Because as you can see, we are but mere and simple travellers. We have no gold with us."
The man holding the dagger only raised at them an eyebrow, further pointing the dagger directly at Astier. "And you're telling me that he is no royalty?"
'Me? Royalty?' Astier glances at his own clothes and realised that he did look like a fugitive prince.
But before the two men could respond, the acting leader already gave out his orders.
"Take all their weapons and gold, and anything valuable!"
The other four men begin to pace towards them, their grinning faces indicating their mischievous plans. Astier gazes at Ardelian, his eyes are begging to know what they do.
But his good friend remained calm. He lets out a sigh before casually dismounting the wagon.
"What are you doing? Y-you can't fight them! There's four of them!" Astier pointed out when his companion decisively greeted the enemies.
Ardelian's countenance remained calm. These five men are bandits who just recently learned Dark Magic. He can tell judging by the energy they sprout. Dark Magic has been forbidden by the First Queen of Azalia since the day Destroyer succumbed to darkness and the human rulers reversed pure magic and betrayed them.
He 'was' going to let it pass but then he recalled that the trees have eyes. The First Queen wouldn't also allow him to pass should he do nothing.
The first bandit to reach him greeted him with his large axe but Ardelian evaded the blade with great reflex. He danced around his opponent all the while retaining his calmness.
The other three also joined and they all strived to graze him with their blades, but none prevailed.
"What are you all doing? Just kill him!" the acting leader yelled angrily.
"We're trying! B-but we can't catch him!"
An Assassin's Magic allows the person to acquire great speed that the naked eye could not perceive. Assassins are known to be dangerous magic practitioners in Azalia. They can match against high-level Dark Magic practitioners thanks to their speed, but still, they remain below the ranks of the Seven Queens and Ulterion Wizards.
Ardelian vanished just before the bandit can strike him with his weapon, making it hit the ground instead. He then reappeared behind the acting leader, plunging through his neck a kunai that materialised in his palm. Blood sprouted when the blade pierced the other side.
The acting leader died instantly. His comrades were only surprised at how he got there without them noticing. However, the death of their leader only enraged them instead of fleeing.
"You're him, aren't you? The Seven Queens' executioner!"
Ardelian clicked his tongue. "No, I'm an assassin who works for them."
Before they could say another word, Ardelian vanishes again and reappears right in front of them without warning. The shock on their physiognomies was the last expression to register on their faces before death welcomes them.
Using only a single kunai, Ardelian killed the remaining bandits. His movements were too quick, his blade was too sharp that it instantly ripped his opponent's skin. Blood washed on the ground when they all fell, their necks lacerated.
On the other hand, Astier was beyond surprised to witness how his good friend facilely killed the five men. But he doesn't understand, his friend's movements were too slow but why couldn't they hit him?
His heart was still raging when Ardelian turned to him, he nearly fell from his seat.
Suddenly, he caught Ardelian moving in a sluggish manner pacing towards their wagon and sitting beside him.
"Sorry about that. But you'll get used to it very soon. We'll encounter more of them deaths in the future as we continue on our journey."
Astier grimaced at his friend as he made the horse proceed. "Aren't you supposed to say, "I'm sorry about that. You weren't meant to see it," that kind of saying?"
"As I've said, you'll witness more of it in the future. You'll get used to it. But you'll be surprised what you could've done to them had not your memories been erased."
"What's that supposed to mean, are you perhaps suggesting that I could've done worse than you did?"
Ardelian glanced at him and his eyes seem to be twinkling in delight, amusement swirling around them like a hurricane.
But instead of satisfying his curiosity, he smirked at him, breaking his calm physiognomy and leaving his question unanswered.
They progressed and fortunately, there haven't been any more bandits that stalled them. Astier suddenly remembered what one of the bandits blurted earlier, about Ardelian being the Seven Queens' executioner.
He wanted to raise a question regarding the matter but he held himself back. He and Ardelian may have been together for years back in their original world but he never mistook him as someone able to kill people that easily.
Honestly, he wasn't at all bothered that his companion is capable of doing horrible acts, he found it pleasurable when blood begins to stain the green grass. His thoughts halted when Ardelian pointed out their location.
"We're here."
They have just exited the forest but a few metres from their current location is a desolate valley. Ardelian dismounted the wagon and Astier followed.
"We'll be walking from here when night comes," informs his companion.
"Why?"
"Because the valley won't be safe for the horse when the sun hits the horizon."
"What happens when night comes?"
Ardelian gave him a grave look. Astier expected a stern and informative answer but instead, he received: "You'll see."
"What? W-what do you mean? W-will something bad happens during the night?"
The former heaves out a deep sigh. "Grim's house is located somewhere in this valley but it can only be seen during the dark. Therefore, we'll have to wait here and prepare until the night comes."
"Prepare for what exactly?"
Ardelian once more meets his eyes. The tired expression on his face indicated his exhaustion to divulge everything his good friend already read in the book.
He took a deep breath in as though his anger was nearly reaching its limit.
"You read this in the book, right? Maybe shake your mind a little and unfold what hidden and forgotten information lies there."