The horse's hooves stopped clopping in rhythmic fashion abruptly, and there was a tense silence in its place. Alex, lost in his churning thoughts, barely registered the sudden stillness. It was Frey who reacted first, her head snapping towards the driver's flap.
"For the night? It's still morning..." she questioned, a hint of suspicion creeping into her voice.
Before the driver could respond, a chilling sight unfolded. From behind a cluster of trees bordering the road, a motley crew of figures emerged. Clad in mismatched leathers and armed with an assortment of weapons, they surrounded the wagon with a practiced ease.
Alex's blood ran cold. He whipped his head around, his gaze locking onto the driver's face. Instead of the grizzled old man he'd seen earlier, a cruel smirk twisted the features of a man far younger, his eyes gleaming with avarice.
"Bingo!" the man barked, his voice rough with amusement. "Looks like we snagged ourselves a juicy haul today, boys!"
The bandits erupted in a chorus of rough laughter, a sound that sent shivers down Alex's spine. His mind raced. This wasn't some random encounter. The driver, the convenient "stopping for the night"—it was all a setup.
"Shit, I rented the wrong person!" Alex blurted out, a wave of frustration and anger washing over him. He'd been so focused on Frey and his own secret that he'd let his guard down completely.
I completely forgot about this, they have a system of getting scammed if you rent a person so cheap!
Frey's eyes narrowed. Her eyes had a steely glint in place of the playful banter and mocking facade. In a swift, practiced motion, her hand darted to a hidden compartment beneath her maid's skirt, retrieving a slender dagger that gleamed coldly in the morning sunlight.
"It looks like we have some company, master," she said coolly.
The old man, now revealed as the bandit leader, cackled, a harsh, grating sound that echoed through the clearing. "This is why you don't take a super cheap trip, kiddo!" he roared, his amusement laced with a hint of smug satisfaction.
Alex gritted his teeth. The old man's words were a cheap shot, but they held a grain of truth. He'd been desperate to leave the village quickly, blinded by his need to reach the Zuberk Kingdom, and he'd ignored the obvious warning—the suspiciously low price, the driver's evasiveness.
"Shut your trap!" Frey spat back, her voice a whipcrack in the tense silence. The dagger in her hand flickered, a sliver of defiance in the face of overwhelming odds.
For a brief moment, the bandit leader's smile wavered before returning. His eyes darted to Frey, taking in her determined stance and the glint of her weapon. Perhaps this "cheap trip" wasn't quite as easy a target as he'd initially thought.
A beat of silence stretched between them, the bandits shifting nervously under Frey's unwavering gaze. Alex, however, wasn't about to let this situation play out. He may have been outsmarted, but he wasn't going down without a fight.
With a glance at his inventory, a plan began to form. He wouldn't win a brawl against this many attackers, but his unique abilities might just tip the scales. Reaching into his mind, he activated the mental interface. The translucent screen flickered into existence, displaying his options. Ignoring his weapons for now, his eyes scanned the list of consumables.
"Frey," he said, his voice calm despite the churning in his gut. "Cover me for a moment."
Frey, surprised by his sudden focus, gave a curt nod. Her eyes narrowed, never leaving the bandits' leader.
Taking a deep breath, Alex bypassed the familiar healing potions and landed on a different kind of consumable. With a thought, a shimmering red vial materialized in his hand—an Instant Healing Potion. This wasn't what he needed. Gritting his teeth, he scrolled further, his finger hovering over an unfamiliar icon. It depicted a small, intricately carved box—the Golden Sage. Uncertain, he glanced at the description that flickered to life beside it: "A small, intricately carved box, once a weapon wielded by an elven king. Its true purpose remained shrouded in mystery, but its craftsmanship hinted at a powerful magic within."
He selected the Golden Sage. In a flash of golden light, the vial vanished, replaced by the Sage Box Nightmare Goblin Skin appareance – that created by Baldor.
"What is that!?" Frey yelled, her voice laced with surprise as she looked at the Golden Sage in Alex's hand, now transformed with the grotesque, green appearance of stitched-together Nightmare Goblin Skin.
Alex raised the box and showed it to the bandit.
The sudden appearance of the box, however, couldn't help but disgust the bandit leader. "What the hell is that!?" he roared, his earlier amusement replaced by a flicker of unease.
[Skill Activated: Basic Laser]
Wuussh!
A bright beam of golden light erupted from the Nightmare Goblin Skin-clad box, lancing out towards the bandit leader with the speed of a striking viper. The man, caught completely off guard, didn't even have time to react. The laser slammed into his chest, leaving a smoldering scorch mark on his leather armor. A strangled cry escaped his lips as he crumpled to the ground, writhing in pain.
The other bandits stared, wide-eyed with shock. A single, unexpected blast from this grotesque box rendered their leader, who had just been barking orders, unconscious. Their faces lost their bravado, and a primitive fear took its place. The easy pickings they'd envisioned had turned into a terrifying encounter.
"Waaa!?" With a cry that sent shivers down the remaining bandits' spines, Frey lunged forward, her dagger flashing in the morning sunlight. The bandits, their resolve shattered, faltered. One dropped his weapon and fled into the forest.
The scene descended into chaos. Horses whinnied in fright, the wagon swayed precariously, and dust swirled in the air. Alex, his body drained from the exertion of the laser attack, watched as Frey dispatched the remaining bandits with practiced efficiency. Her movements were a blur of deadly precision, leaving no room for argument.
"Tsk!" Frey stood there as she saw the bandir run away. "Well," she said, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "That took care of that."
"It just a basic skill on my sage," Alex, still reeling from the adrenaline rush, managed a weak smile in return. He glanced down at the Golden Sage in his hand, still bearing the disturbing, yet strangely powerful, Nightmare Goblin Skin appearance.
"Also, that box looks gross…" Frey said as she looked back to Alex.
Alex chuckled, a nervous edge to it. "Right? I use this so people didn't know I use a Golden Sage Box, and they just thought I am using a low rank Sage Box."
"So what are we going to do with these guys?" Frey asked, gesturing towards the groaning figures sprawled on the ground. Alex, still catching his breath after the laser blast, ran a hand through his hair.
"Their friends ran away… are any of them still alive?" Alex asked, the weight of the situation settling in.
Frey sheathed her dagger back in its hidden compartment beneath her skirt, then knelt beside the old man, her ear pressed to his chest. "He's barely hanging on. Probably won't make it."
Alex stared at the bandit leader, a cold knot forming in his stomach. "...Let's just end it," he muttered, his voice devoid of its usual cheer. He hopped off the wagon and raised the grotesque Nightmare Goblin Skin-clad Golden Sage in his hand.
[Skill Activation: Miracle Beam]
"Frey, move!" he yelled, a flicker of urgency in his eyes.
Frey, reacting instantly, saw a golden beam begin to charge from the box. With a quick leap, she landed beside Alex, a relieved breath escaping her lips. "Phew... that was close!"
Boom! A deafening boom echoed through the clearing as the beam erupted from the Golden Sage, striking the bandit leader with the force of a miniature sun. The man's body disintegrated instantly, leaving behind a smoldering crater in the dirt.
Alex surveyed the scene. The bandits lay scattered, groaning and clutching wounds. The pungent scent of scorched earth hung heavy in the air, a grim reminder of the leader's fate. "The others fled," he finally said, his voice low.
Frey knelt beside him, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Yeah, it seems like they learned a valuable lesson about picking on cheap travelers." A hint of a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
Alex and Frey turned, their gazes landing on the wagon. The bandits were vanquished, their groans a fading symphony of defeat. But victory came at a cost. The horses, spooked by the battle, had vanished, leaving the wagon marooned like a beached leviathan.
"What now?" Alex muttered, the weight of the situation settling upon him like a leaden cloak.
Silence…
A mischievous glint flickered in Frey's emerald eyes. "Shall I call upon your... Hell Horses?" the question danced on her lips.
A flicker of recognition ignited in Alex's mind. "Ah, right!" he exclaimed, the memory jolting him awake. "I remember, I left them stabled back in..." his voice trailed off, uncertainty clouding his features.
"Medea Kingdom?" Frey supplied, a hint of amusement coloring her voice.
Alex nodded, a hesitant smile gracing his lips. "Yes, the Medea Kingdom. But... can you call them?"
"There's a specific flute you procured during your time there, wasn't there?" Frey queried, her gaze sharpening as she studied him.
Alex confirmed her suspicion with another nod. "Indeed. A rather...unconventional instrument."
A shimmering holographic display materialized before Frey, swirling with ethereal light. Her fingers danced across the image, tracing the outline of the Medea Kingdom. A moment later, a single icon pulsed, depicting a simple wooden flute adorned with intricate carvings depicting skeletal steeds.
[The historic wooden flute was removed from storage]
"Here you go, master," Frey presented the holographic icon towards Alex, a playful lilt in her voice.
He reached out, his fingers brushing against the cool flute.
This is a flute for the Hell Horses I have…
The memory whispered, a secret code echoing from the past. Alex grasped the icon, a determined glint returning to his eyes.
The air shimmered, distorting the clear blue sky above the clearing. A low rumble grew into a thunderous beat, echoing like a monstrous heartbeat against the silent trees. Frey's hand instinctively flew to the hilt of her dagger, eyes narrowed against the approaching sound.
Alex, however, felt a surge of excitement course through him. He recognized the sound – the unmistakable pounding of hooves belonging to no ordinary steed. A grin stretched across his face, splitting the grime and sweat. "Here it come," he breathed, a hint of awe in his voice.
From the distant horizon, four specks materialized into galloping shadows. As they drew closer. These were no ordinary horses. Towering figures of midnight black, their forms rippled with a musculature that defied nature. Crimson flames danced within their hollow eyes, casting flickering shadows on the ground. Their manes and tails, a tangled mass of infernal fire, whipped in the wind like demonic banners. These were the Hell Horses, creatures of legend whispered about in taverns and feared on battlefields.
With a thunderous crash, the horses skidded to a halt before the wagon, spraying loose earth with their powerful hooves. The stench of brimstone and sulfur filled the air, a harsh contrast to the crisp morning scent. The lead stallion, a majestic beast with a single, burning horn protruding from its forehead, tossed its head, snorting a plume of black smoke.
Frey cautiously approached the beasts. The horses were magnificent, terrifying. One wrong move, and she wouldn't hesitate to defend herself.
"Easy now, beauties," Alex murmured, his voice tinged with a quiet respect as he extended a hand towards the lead stallion. The creature snorted again, its fiery gaze flickering over him with suspicion. Then, a flicker of recognition seemed to pass through those eyes, and it lowered its head, allowing Alex to gently stroke its obsidian flank. The other horses followed suit, nudging their muzzles towards him, their flames flickering with an almost curious light.
It seemed Alex, in his time within "The Old Quest," was the only player who could summon these creatures, a power acquired not through in-game feats but with a far more potent currency – real-world money.
With a relieved sigh, Frey losse her hand from her dagger. Perhaps, she thought, this strange power Alex wielded held more advantages than she initially believed.
"Alright, beautiful demons," Alex chuckled, addressing the horses. "Looks like we have a journey to continue. Let's get to Zuberk."
Frey's eyes widened as the Hell Horses materialized. "...These creatures," she breathed, her voice tinged with a mixture of awe and trepidation. "It's my first encounter with such beings."
Alex turned, a hint of surprise flickering across his features. "Odd," he remarked. "Didn't you witness their arrival whenever I summoned you before?"
Frey furrowed her brow, a frown etching itself onto her face. "No, not at all. These...monstrous steeds...are entirely new to me." A flicker of unease danced within her gaze.
"Strange," Alex muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps it's a... malfunction within the system?"
Frey tilted her head, a look of utter confusion replacing the trepidation. "System? Malfunction? What are these terms you speak of?"
Alex sighed, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "Never mind, forget it. It seems you're simply...my companion in this journey, unaware of the true nature of my abilities."
Frey's gaze lingered on the magnificent Hell Horses, a hint of curiosity replacing the earlier trepidation. "...Tell me again," she began, her voice soft yet firm, "about the world you hail from."
Alex, poised to mount the lead stallion, froze mid-action. His hand, reaching for the obsidian flank, hovered in the air for a moment before slowly retracting. A wave of doubt washed over him. Should he reveal everything? The weight of his past, the secrets buried within "The Old Quest," threatened to overwhelm him.
A vision flickered across his mind—a glimpse of a world teetering on the brink of chaos, monstrous entities stirring in the shadows, and the chilling whispers of a forgotten god. The very thought sent shivers down his spine.
"There's much to tell," he finally replied, his voice carefully measured. "But some stories are best left unsaid, for now. The burdens they carry are heavier than you might imagine."
Frey's brow furrowed, a flicker of disappointment crossing her features. "But why? Knowing your past might help us navigate this present."
Alex met her gaze, a hint of sadness lurked in his eyes. "Perhaps," he conceded. "But there's a time for every revelation. For now, let's focus on reaching Zuberk. Answers, I promise, will come eventually. But some truths can be a double-edged weapon."
He turned back towards the Hell Horse, a determined glint returning to his eyes. He mounted the creature with a practiced ease.
"Come on, Frey," Alex called out, his voice a touch impatient yet laced with a hint of amusement. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little fire?"
Frey, a mischievous glint sparking in her eyes, smirked. "Perhaps," she retorted, her voice laced with playful defiance. "But a little singeing is a small price to pay for a ride on these infernal steeds."
With a nimble leap, she vaulted onto the back of the Hell Horse behind Alex. The creature shifted slightly, its muscles rippling beneath them.
The Hell Horses, their obsidian forms blurring against the sun-drenched plains, ate up the miles at a breathtaking pace. Reaching a cruising speed of 210 kilometers per hour, the wind howled in Alex and Frey's ears, a chilling counterpoint to the rhythmic thunder of hooves against the earth. Distant landscapes became a blur of color, trees transformed into streaks of green, and the world seemed to shrink beneath them.
Frey, initially gripping Alex tightly, gradually loosened her hold, her initial apprehension replaced by a sense of exhilaration. The world rushing past offered a thrilling contrast to the plodding pace of their usual travels. Yet, beneath the thrill, a sliver of unease remained. The unnatural speed of the Hell Horses fueled a growing sense of disquiet in her.
"This is…incredible," Frey yelled over the wind, her voice barely audible. "But where exactly did you get these…creatures?"
Alex, leaning forward to catch her words, replied, "It's a long story, Frey. A story from a different world, one where such beings were not uncommon."
Frey's brow furrowed. "A different world?" the concept seemingly as foreign as the fiery steeds they rode.
Alex nodded, the weight of his past a heavy burden. "Yes," he said softly, "but for now, let's focus on getting to Zuberk. With these steeds at our disposal, we should be there in a couple of days, maybe even less at this pace."
Frey remained silent, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The revelation of another world echoed in her mind, adding another layer to the enigma that was Alex. It was clear there was more to him than he let on, and a fierce determination sparked within her to unravel his secrets.
***
The relentless pace continued, with the sun dipping lower in the sky, painting the horizon with streaks of crimson and gold. The wind, a constant howl in their ears, began to carry the chill of approaching dusk. Frey, despite the growing cold, remained transfixed on the landscape blurring past.
"These creatures..." she began, her voice barely a whisper over the wind, "they seem...unnatural. Do they ever...tired?"
Alex, his hair whipping in the wind, glanced back at her. "Not in the way a mortal steed might," he replied, his voice strained from the effort to be heard. "Their stamina is seemingly boundless. But even these creatures require a form of sustenance...one that might surprise you."
A flicker of unease danced in Frey's eyes. The very concept of unnatural sustenance sent a shiver down her spine. Still, her curiosity gnawed at her. Just as she was about to press for more information, a sudden jolt rocked the Hell Horse beneath them. The creature stumbled, momentarily throwing them off balance.
Frey's heart hammered in her chest. Instinctively, she reached out, her hand wrapping around Alex's arm, her grip tightening as the Hell Horse righted itself with a snort. The near-fall had broken the spell of the rushing landscape, and a cold realization settled on her.
They were hurtling across the plains at breakneck speed on creatures fueled by an unknown power. A power wielded by Alex, a man whose past remained shrouded in mystery. The thrill of the ride had been replaced by a gnawing fear—a fear of the unknown, a fear of Alex, and a fear of the secrets he held close.
Despite the fear, however, a flicker of determination also sparked in Frey's eyes. She wouldn't be kept in the dark. She would unravel the mysteries surrounding Alex, even if it meant confronting the dangers that lurked beneath the surface.
< Chapter 15 > Fin.