The next morning, the sun was just beginning to crest the horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the palace grounds.
After a hearty breakfast, Adrian and Lilith headed down to the stable, where their horse awaited. The cool morning air was invigorating, filled with the scent of dew-covered grass and the distant hum of the city waking up.
"Ready for our little adventure?" Lilith asked in a light and teasing tone as she secured the few supplies they had been given onto the horse.
Adrian nodded, his mind already focused on the task ahead. "As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, though there was a trace of a smile on his lips. Despite the gravity of their mission, he couldn't deny the thrill of what lay ahead.
Adrian held the reins as they walked towards the front of the palace, where the queen was waiting for them.
Queen Alannah, as Adrian had heard one of the palace maids called her, smiled at them with a warm, almost too lovely smile. "I wish you the best of luck," she said, her gaze shifting between the two of them but lingering more on Adrian. "May the gods guide you safely home."
"Thank you," Adrian replied, inclining his head in a respectful bow. "We'll do our best."
Lilith tried to keep the scowl off her face as she watched the queen's smile, which she found a little too much, but she kept her thoughts to herself.
The queen smiled warmly at him, a sparkle in her eyes that Adrian found a little disconcerting.
"I'm sure you will," the queen said, her voice honey-sweet as she continued to gaze at him.
Lilith couldn't hold back her annoyance any longer. "You know," she said, leaning into Adrian, "you might want to save the flirting for later, after we've slain the beast. We don't have time to waste."
She straightened back up and forced a smile. "We'll be on our way now, your highness."
"Very well," Queen Alannah replied.
Adrian and Lilith walked away from the palace grounds to its gates. Adrian mounted first and reached down to help Lilith up. She settled behind him with ease, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her soft, warm body against his back.
The sensation of her breasts squashed against him was distracting, as always, but Adrian had grown accustomed to her playful nature.
"Comfortable back there?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he urged the horse forward.
"Very," Lilith replied, her tone dripping with amusement. "In fact, I could get used to this—riding behind my strong, handsome husband, my arms wrapped around him as we conquer the world together."
Adrian chuckled, shaking his head. "You never miss an opportunity, do you?"
"Life's too short to be serious all the time, Adrian," Lilith said, her voice turning more sincere. "Especially when we're heading into a battle with a creature that could kill us both."
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, the truth of them resonating within him. Adrian knew she was right; the risks were great, and they could very well not survive this encounter.
His grip on the reins tightened slightly. "True," he admitted. "But that doesn't mean I can let my guard down."
Lilith leaned her head against his back, her breath warm against his neck. "Don't worry. I'll be right behind you, literally and figuratively. And if things get too intense, I'll make sure to lighten the mood."
Adrian smiled despite himself. "I'll hold you to that."
They rode in comfortable silence for a while, the landscape gradually changing from the bustling cityscape to rolling hills and rocky terrain as they neared the mountains. The air grew cooler, and the sky above them darkened with the promise of rain.
As they approached a deserted village nestled at the foot of the mountains, the atmosphere grew eerier. The houses were in various states of disrepair, with windows shattered and doors hanging from their hinges. Weeds had overtaken the once-well-trodden paths, and the silence was oppressive.
"This place gives me the creeps," Lilith murmured, her usual playful tone replaced by a more serious one.
Adrian dismounted, helping Lilith down from the horse. "It looks like the Chimera has driven everyone away," he said grimly as he surveyed the abandoned village. "We should continue on foot from here."
Lilith nodded in agreement, her eyes scanning the empty windows of the dilapidated houses as they began walking. "Do you think it's close?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Could be," Adrian replied, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword. "But we need more information."
As they made their way through the village, they encountered an old man sitting on the steps of what appeared to have once been the village inn. His clothes were tattered, and his eyes held a haunted look, as if he had seen more than any man should.
Adrian approached him cautiously. "What happened here?" he asked.
The man's gaze darted around nervously, as if expecting the Chimera to appear at any moment. "The beast," he whispered, his voice trembling. "It comes at night, when the sun goes down. It destroyed everything. Killed everyone who stayed behind."
Lilith knelt beside the man, her voice gentle as she asked, "And what does it do during the day?"
The man shook his head, his expression haunted. "I don't know. No one's ever stayed long enough to find out. Those who had gone up to it never returned. And those who have seen it said it was terrifying. That its eyes glowed red, and its claws could slice through metal like it was nothing. That its roar could shake the earth and bring buildings down with a single cry. That its strength is beyond anything man can comprehend."
"Isn't that a little bit overexaggerated?"
The old man turned his attention to them.
"You'll never stand a chance against it," the man said. "Not unless you have a weapon strong enough to destroy it."
Lilith exchanged a glance with Adrian, her expression unreadable. "We appreciate the information," she said gently. "But we need to find it, even if it means facing it during the day."
The old man's eyes widened in fear. "You're mad," he whispered. "No one faces the Chimera and lives."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "We don't have a choice."
Before the man could voice any further protest, a deep, resonant growl rumbled through the ground beneath their feet, shaking the earth and sending a shiver of fear down their spines. The man's eyes widened in terror, and he scrambled to his feet, backing away as if he could escape the sound.
"The Chimera," he gasped. "It's coming. Run, while you still can!"
Without another word, the man turned and fled into the surrounding woods, leaving them alone in the village.
"That... doesn't sound promising," Lilith remarked, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
Adrian drew his sword, his gaze fixed on the path that led to the mountain through the forest. Another low growl emanated from the direction of the woods, the sound sending a chill down his spine.
Lilith's hand reached for the daggers at her side. "Let's go."