The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: The Forgotten Mine
The atmosphere in the room changed when Renidori Decianezen mentioned the abandoned mine.
The mercenaries listened in silence, aware that what was being proposed was not a simple mission.
It was a challenge that could define them, transforming their alliance into something more than a group of warriors seeking redemption.
"No one has ever cared enough to risk their life for those resources," Renidori continued.
"But if you want our cause to grow, that place might offer us what we need. Resources enough for weapons, armor, and maybe something even more valuable."
Kyōi was deeply focused.
"What else do we know about the creatures?"
Renidori pursed his lips into a thin line and turned to look at his men for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts.
Then he turned back to Kyōi.
"There are many stories, often exaggerated," he began.
"Some say ancient spirits guard the mine, others speak of underground creatures, enormous and ferocious. No one has ever returned to tell the truth, but one thing is certain: anyone who entered never came out."
Kyōi remained silent for a moment, reflecting on Renidori's words.
The mine represented a great opportunity, but also an enormous risk.
The resources hidden there could be the key to the growth of his group, allowing them to arm themselves and become a force the Empire would have to reckon with.
"We have no choice," Kyōi said decisively.
"We must go. We must be willing to risk everything if we want to change our destiny."
The mercenaries exchanged nervous glances, but no one objected.
Kyōi's authority, earned through combat and his words, was beginning to take root.
"We'll leave at dawn," Renidori announced, then turned to his men.
"Prepare yourselves. This won't be an easy mission."
Kyōi nodded, feeling the adrenaline surge through his veins.
He knew he was about to face one of the first great tests on his path to redemption.
The forgotten mine awaited them, along with its mysterious creatures.
The road to strength and glory had only just begun.
The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: The Dawn of Risk
The dawn was cold and gray when Kyōi's group set off toward the forgotten mine.
The sky, still steeped in the shades of twilight, seemed to envelop the Land of Poverty in a veil of silence, broken only by the sound of their footsteps on the dirt paths.
Kyōi led the group with determination, followed by Renidori Decianezen and the other mercenaries.
Their journey had only just begun, but the difficulties were not long in coming.
As they crossed the outskirts of the capital and headed toward the hills, the terrain became increasingly difficult.
The path to the mine was little traveled, overgrown with weeds and protruding rocks, as if nature itself had tried to close the way to that cursed place.
The cold wind blew through the bare trees, carrying with it the hiss of forgotten spirits, or so one of the mercenaries seemed to think, walking with his gaze fixed on the ground, his face tense.
"Now I understand why no one ventures here," whispered one of the female warriors, tightening her cloak around herself to ward off the cold.
Renidori Decianezen turned to Kyōi.
"This is only the beginning," he said gravely. "The real challenge will be inside the mine. We must be ready."
The landscape around them was desolate: barren mountains loomed on the horizon, and the woods surrounding the path seemed dead, devoid of life, as if something had drained all the energy from the land.
The group continued to walk in silence for several hours, the biting cold slowing their movements and making every step heavier.
Along the way, they came across the remains of old camps, long abandoned.
The skeletons of tents flapped in the wind, surrounded by rusted debris and rotting wood.
Evidently, others had come before them, perhaps adventurers or miners, who had tried their luck in that dangerous place.
"These signs don't bode well," one of the mercenaries observed, exchanging a glance with Kyōi.
"If it were easy, we wouldn't be here," Kyōi replied calmly. "True glory requires sacrifice."
The Journey of Suzuki Kyōi: Examining the Corpses
The group continued to move cautiously, but the atmosphere grew tenser as they approached the mine.
Every step seemed to lead them deeper into a desolate and cursed land.
It was one of the mercenaries, a man named Raiden, who broke the silence.
He had been walking a few meters ahead of the group, carefully scrutinizing the remains scattered along the path.
"These corpses... we need to figure out what killed them," he said, stopping in front of an abandoned camp.
The remains were now reduced to skeletons, but there was something unsettling in the air, as if the bones told a story no one wanted to hear.
Raiden crouched next to one of the bodies, the white bones sticking out from decaying clothes.
Looking closely, he noticed marks that made him frown.
"They don't seem to have died of hunger or cold," he murmured.
Kyōi approached, followed by Renidori Decianezen and the other mercenaries, who formed a circle around the body.
The air was thick, the cold wind blowing through the mountains seemed to carry with it the whisper of forgotten spirits.
"What do you see?" Kyōi asked, maintaining his calm.
Raiden gently touched one of the broken bones.
"These are claw marks," he replied in a low tone, almost as if fearing something might overhear.
"Something very large and strong attacked these people. And look here—" he pointed to another area of the body.
"The wounds are deep, as if made with immense force."
Renidori stepped closer, carefully observing the broken bones and the ground around the corpse.
"These are not marks left by men," he said, his tone serious. "There are no traces of weapons. It's as if something grabbed and tore them apart."
The mercenaries exchanged worried glances.
The tension grew as they realized they were not about to face human enemies.
Whatever lurked in the depths of the mine was not something they had ever seen before.
Raiden slowly stood up, shaking his head.
"If these men were attacked by what's inside the mine, we need to be prepared. We don't know what awaits us, but it's better to be ready for anything."
Kyōi remained silent for a moment, then turned to the group.
"We came here knowing we would face risks. This changes nothing. We can't turn back now. If there's a creature in there, we'll face it."
Kyōi's words resonated with determination, and even though fear crept among the mercenaries, his courage pushed them to rally around their leader.
Every man and woman present knew there was no other way out but forward.
"We need to move," Renidori said, breaking the silence.
"If we want to enter the mine, we have to do it before the cold becomes even more intense."
The group set off again, but now every step was accompanied by the awareness that an unknown danger awaited them in the mine's darkness.
The entrance to the mine finally appeared before them, a dark and sinister opening set into the mountain.
The wind howled between the rocks, like a funeral wail, and the darkness inside seemed to invite them in.
With one last glance at the desolate landscape, Kyōi stepped forward, followed by his companions.