Noble of Valenwood, Adrián Karzak, Viscount
Imperial Calendar: Year 1596, Month 3, Day 21
City of Valenwood, north of the Imperial Territory
-How many men have enlisted for the journey?
-Sir... So far there are only a total of 10 men...
Adrián clenched his fists tightly... the anguish was consuming his heart, he was desperate, there are not many men... there are very few chances of obtaining the plant... What do I do? What can I do? Damn it... The mercenaries did not accept even 30 silver coins... the hunters are not interested either... the only ones who enlisted were people with little experience in the battlefield.
What do I do? I don't want to see my daughter die... I-I can't do anything... By the gods... by all the archangels... save my daughter... my precious daughter.
-Sir... the preparations for the journey are scheduled for a week from now... there is still hope... the young lady cannot die yet.
-Sigh...
The Riberland mountains... a hellish area, inhospitable, devoid of any life... many of these areas are conquered by powerful monsters, basically, they are their domain and the interior of the mountains is one of them, it is completely filled with darkness, it's as if night is eternal in that place... besides, you have to keep in mind that once you enter the interior of the mountains, you are under the monster's watch... no one has been able to return alive, expeditions have been made, the level of danger is infernal, people take risks, greed consumes their minds.
(Rebirth Silver)
A precious and unique specimen in the world, a plant only recorded in ancient books, a healing plant, the characteristics of this plant can cure anything... its beautiful petals were fiery red, while its stem was transparent.
So far, this type of plant has never been seen, the first time it was discovered was when a group of hunters decided it was a good idea to hunt this monster... they all died in the darkness... only one survived, a woman, the mage of the team... she went mad, constantly repeating the same words...
******
Mage, Alina, Infernal Group
Imperial Calendar: Year 1590, Month 7, Day 14
City of Valenwood, north of the Imperial Territory
-Darkness... it consumes you from within... it kills you slowly... red... very red... a beautiful flower... it shone warmly in the midst of an eternal cold....
The woman always trembled, she never stopped trembling, she had a supernatural fear of the dark, every time night fell, she tore her hair and scratched her skin, she was a beautiful woman... she returned alive, only to suffer, she never described what the monster hidden in this terrible darkness looked like...
-I didn't see it... I didn't see anything... it's terrifying...
That was her response.
-I didn't see my companions die... I only heard their screams in the darkness.
-Run! Run! Run! Run!
Her body trembled violently... that night the poor woman couldn't bear the suffering anymore and took her own life... The only survivor from the interior of the Riberland mountains.
*****
-6 years... have passed since then... in these six years no one else has tried to enter the interior of the Riberland mountains, the fear of those events filled the hearts of all the hunters in the city... six years until today...
A tired smile formed on my lips... I have no chances of making it, I won't be able to save my daughter....
-Viscount, the young lady...
-What happened to her?
-Her condition worsened, sir... she is gravely weak, the priests are doing everything possible to stabilize her condition... the black spots on her body are spreading everywhere. According to the priests, the young lady has only one month left to live at most, if her condition continues to worsen... she might...
-Shut up! Get out before I kill you!
-Hihh... A thousand apologies, sir!
I watched the maid literally run for her life... What am I doing? That maid is my daughter's personal assistant.... I can't wait another week... there's no time... There's no time.
-Tell everyone that tomorrow we leave for the Riberland mountains! Increase the reward to 30 silver coins for everyone who enlists in the squad... if they manage to return alive, they will receive an additional 10 silver coins.... And if any of them manage to bring the Rebirth Silver, they will be given 10 gold coins...
It's a last attempt... the only option available right now...
Walking towards my daughter's room, my steps are heavy, I feel the scent of death in this hallway, it is coming, it is quietly waiting at my daughter's room door....
Opening the door, I look inside, on the bed lies a beautiful 15-year-old girl... her complexion was pale... there was blood everywhere, the sheets were dirty, the maids were busy cleaning the room... kneeling beside my daughter, I look at her... her beautiful silver hair spread over the bed... her forehead is covered in sweat, a horrible stain was on her cheeks, emitting a foul odor... my daughter is rotting from the inside... She is asleep... the pain is so terrible that the priests had to sedate her...
-Forgive me, my daughter... forgive me for being a bad father... forgive me for not being able to do anything for you...
-Forgive me...
*******
Twilight Initiator, Zed, Son of Shadows, Shadow
Imperial Calendar: Year 1596, Month 3, Day 21
City of Valenwood, north of the Imperial Territory
-Are you sure about this, kid?
-Yes, sir.
-You could die, do you understand?
-Of course.
-Sigh... Alright, I won't pressure you anymore... if it's your own decision, I won't try to change it... what's your name?
-My name is Zed, sir.
-How old are you?
-I am 15 years old, sir.
-Do you know how to use magic? What is your specialty?
-.....Yes, I am an assassin...
-Okay... The lord clearly said anyone can enlist, the more people, the better... but sending a kid...
The man muttered to himself...
-The 30 silver coins will be given plus the bonus once you return to the city... Understood?
-I understand.
-That's all, tomorrow at 7 in the morning, you will gather in this place to head to the Riberland mountains.
-I understand.
Zed once verified that his name was indeed on the list, nodded... looking around... he walked calmly backward... right behind the tent was the Viscount's house, there were some guards watching the doors... with nowhere else to go, he sat beside the carriages.
-This place is much better than the other where I was... I almost got killed for the third time...
Literally, two days ago, he was lying in one of the alleys next to what was a restaurant... the good side of this place is that they threw leftovers into the trash, so food wasn't a problem... the thing is, some damn lunatic almost killed him for no reason... luckily, he managed to detect his intentions... well, sort of, the shadows whispered in his ear, that's how he noticed, besides, his shadow was of great help.
Looking at the sky that was beginning to darken, I closed my eyes...
-I guess it was a good idea...