(Arun's Pov)
The next day dawned, and I knew the journey to Shilon's Capital would take us about two weeks. Along with the other survivors, I began preparing for the long trek south. Our path would take us through the jagged peaks of the Arlingcour Highlands, a treacherous mountain range teeming with dangerous, radiated beasts. The Highlands had once been the site of a mad noble's castle, abandoned after a monstrous invasion centuries ago. Now, ancient ruins lay scattered across the land, remnants of that dark past.
I had heard the legend of that noble—how he had conducted gruesome experiments on all manner of species and races. In his madness, he abducted and tortured an elf as part of his twisted studies. But when the elf escaped, he didn't just run—he sought revenge.
Rallying an army of beasts through mind control, he overthrew the madman and freed countless creatures who had been tortured under his cruelty. This elf went on to found our village of Eethri-on, and his story had been passed down through generations. Yet, even after his victory, the elf couldn't control the more dangerous beasts, the ones affected by the chemicals that had made them radiated. Those beasts still roamed the mountain to this day.
As we prepared, our route would also pass us through small villages and towns along the way, though we had no idea what awaited us. But the most treacherous part of the journey was the Abysmal Woodlands—a dark, cursed forest filled with demonic creatures that had spilled over from the demon realm of Esethan. Small rifts in space had opened, bridging our world and theirs, casting a sinister aura across the land. They said those dark rifts stretched endlessly into shadows, giving the forest its ominous name. We would either need to find a safe route around the forest, or venture directly through it.
Despite all the dangers, I felt a surge of determination. My resolve to rescue our children and bring them safely home was unshakable. We would face whatever lay ahead.
"No matter what, I will find them—even if it takes a year, two years, five years, or a lifetime…" I swore, my voice steady despite the weight of my words.
As dawn broke over the camp, everyone moved quickly, preparing for our journey to Shilon's capital. "Pack only what's necessary! Don't overpack," I instructed, moving among the group to make sure everyone was on track.
Before long, the survivors gathered around me, awaiting the signal to leave. "Everyone ready? Good. Then let's get moving."
And so, the journey to rescue the children—and to find a new home—officially began.
After several days on the road, we reached a small village. From a distance, it seemed desolate, eerily quiet, as if abandoned.
"This village seems too quiet. It doesn't look like anyone lives here. Are the townspeople hiding in their homes?" Saphielle asked, her voice tense with suspicion.
I scanned the empty streets, feeling a chill in the air. "You're right," I replied. "Maybe they're afraid of something. Let's keep moving." We pressed forward through the ghostly village, every step filled with an unease that gnawed at us, until a faint voice broke the silence from around the corner of a house.
"O-Over here, mister…"
The voice was barely a whisper. I instinctively rested my hand on the hilt of my sword and called out, "Could you speak up a bit?"
"I-I'm here," the voice responded, shaky and hesitant, as if the person was scared to speak again.
I followed the voice's direction, glancing to my right. There, in a narrow alleyway, stood a young boy, his messy blonde hair falling into his dark red eyes. He was visibly trembling. Realizing it was just a boy, I relaxed, releasing my grip on my sword and letting out a quiet sigh of relief.
"It's okay, little one. We're not here to harm anyone. We just want to pass through your town," I said softly, trying to calm him.
"T-They won't a-allow you to pass through…" the boy stammered, his words unsettling us all. I could sense the confusion building in the group. I crouched down to his level, my voice gentle but firm. "What's your name? And who are they?"
Before the boy could respond, he suddenly turned and bolted. "Hey, wait!" I called, but the boy was already gone, disappearing into the mist.
"It's suddenly gotten really chilly here," Alwin remarked, rubbing his hands together.
The sight of the boy vanishing into the mist sent a shock through me, stirring memories of Kailu and the horrific incident at the well before the village invasion. My heart raced as vivid flashbacks flooded my mind, my breathing growing erratic as I relived the terror of my home consumed in flames. I could hardly breathe as I muttered, "No… no… the village… Kailu! Seira…"
I paused, my voice faltering as another memory surfaced. "The well?"
I could almost see the well in my mind's eye—the depths, the dim light of a crystal I'd glimpsed while rescuing Kailu. At the time, I hadn't had the chance to investigate it, but now the image returned to me, sharp and clear. The crystal's faint glow, the figure within—dark, menacing, twisted, with a cruel grin. The chilling whisper echoed in my mind, the cryptic message i couldn't make sense of at the time: "...My demonic pets will start their hunt. I will not allow you to halt my rebirth…"
"What's wrong, Arun?!" Saphielle's voice cut through my thoughts, her grip tight on my arm as she watched me struggle for air. She turned, shouting, "Kiirion, help! He can't stop breathing so heavily!"
Before Kiirion, the head doctor, could respond, I collapsed, gasping for breath, until everything went dark.
Several hours later, I woke with a start, a sharp cry escaping my lips. "What happened? Where are we?"
I was lying there, trying to gather my bearings, when Saphielle let out a sigh of relief beside me. "You're awake," she murmured, giving me a reassuring smile. "You're okay now. Some kind townspeople saw what happened and helped us. They've given us a place to rest for the night."
I took in my surroundings, the soft warmth of the barn that smelled of hay and wood. A couple from the village had witnessed my collapse and offered shelter, bringing us here to rest at the edge of the village.
Saphielle's voice broke through my thoughts. "Darling, what happened to you earlier?" she asked, her worry clear in her tone.
I blinked as fragments of memory began to piece themselves together, a sense of urgency creeping in. "We need to leave this village—now!" I said, my voice sharp and hurried.
"What? Why? What's going on?" she asked, confusion flickering in her eyes.
Before I could explain, Alwin and Kiirion entered the room, concern etched on their faces. "What do you mean? Is everything alright?" Kiirion asked.
I shook my head, my voice low and tense. "No. We're in much danger. There's no time to explain, but I sense something wrong here. We need to go—immediately."
Alwin looked at me, his brow furrowed. "But we can't just leave now. These people were kind enough to give us food and a place to stay."
I looked up at him in disbelief, shaking my head. "We don't have time for this—"
Just then, the kind couple entered, cutting me off. "You must still be feeling unwell," one of them said gently. "Perhaps you need more rest."
I looked at them, refusing to let myself be dismissed. "No, I'm fine," I replied firmly. "I was just hit by memories of my village. That's not uncommon, considering everything."
I rose to my feet and moved toward the door, Saphielle following closely behind me. Alwin stepped forward, blocking my way. "How are we in danger? We can't just leave now if you won't even explain why."
My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, my voice low and commanding. "I am your commander; you follow my orders! I have good reason to believe that demonic creatures are hunting us as we speak."
Kiirion's eyes widened in concern. "What do you mean?"
Before I could answer, the couple raised their hands, casting a small shimmer of mana essence through the air, locking the door from across the room. In that instant, I realized they were more than they appeared. "We can't allow you to leave," the woman said, her tone chilling.
I instinctively reached for a hidden wrist knife, slipping it behind my back just as I heard the couple chant a spell:
"By the twin moons' eclipse
and the tide of cosmic wrath,
We summon the surge of starlit void!
Let the fabric of life ripple and quake.
Ecliptical Nova: Cosmic Vortex!"
When this chant is spoken, a shimmering vortex of swirling mana appears, glowing with alternating pulses of light and shadow, resembling a cosmic eclipse. The shockwave expands outward in a concentric ring, distorting the air and creating a resonating hum that builds to a thunderous boom. The wave strikes with a force that slams its targets against nearby surfaces and leaves behind a faint ethereal glow, unbalancing those who survive its impact. The spell suppresses weaker magical auras within its radius for a short time, rendering any counter-spells hard to execute.
They quickly bound our wrists with rope, but I had managed to keep my knife concealed in the belt at my back. It was only a matter of time.
Soon, with a final burst of energy, they rendered us unconscious. When I awoke, I found myself in a cramped storage room with the others, the smell of damp wood and straw lingering in the air. As I stirred, I turned to the group, my voice low. "Is everyone alright?"
Before anyone could respond, the couple entered the room.
"We apologize for the rough treatment," the man said with a strained smile. "But we're desperate."
I fixed my gaze on him, my voice sharp. "What do you want from us? We have nothing to offer you."
The man chuckled weakly, his voice faltering. "Oh, no… we don't want anything from you. It's them we're afraid of."
"Who is 'them'?" I asked, my voice tight with anxiety.
"The demonic creatures," the woman replied, her tone firm yet fearful. "They're already here, searching for a group of elves. They know you're hiding in our village, and they've ordered us to hand you over."
Her partner stepped forward, grim but resolute. "This is the only way we can save our village. Many of our townsfolk have already been killed."
I frowned, trying to piece together the situation. "But how do you even know what they want? Demonic creatures aren't supposed to talk… are they?"
The man nodded solemnly. "These ones do. Every day, they come back and repeat the same command over and over: 'Bring us the elves, or this village shall burn. Leader's name: Arun.' They'll return here again in just a few hours."
Before I could ask anything else, the couple slipped out of the room, leaving us in uneasy silence.
As always, I was prepared. I discreetly shifted, revealing the wrist knife I had hidden earlier, ready for this moment. I gripped the blade and made quick work of the ropes binding my hands.
Saphielle stifled a laugh as she watched. "You're always prepared, huh?"
I chuckled softly, "You know me." I moved to free the others, whispering, "Let's get out of here—quietly."
With the ropes cut, we looked around. Though we were free, we were still trapped inside the storage room. Luckily, one of the survivors, Meyrith—a skilled craftsman and master lockpicker—stepped forward.
"I can get this open," Meyrith said confidently. "Just give me a moment."
We stood by as Meyrith effortlessly picked the lock. With a satisfying click, the door creaked open, revealing a dim corridor ahead. At the far end lay a staircase. We crept forward, making our way to the stairs and climbing until we reached another locked door. Moonlight seeped through the cracks.
Meyrith set to work again, and within moments, the door clicked open, allowing us to step outside. We emerged from a small vintage bunker, hidden beneath a large tree and tucked behind a few scattered houses.
I glanced down a narrow alleyway and saw a gathering of villagers illuminated by torchlight, all seemingly waiting for something.
I signaled to the others, and we began slipping away, heading toward the village's gate. We were almost there when a few villagers caught sight of us and shouted, "They're escaping!"
Driven by rage and desperation, the villagers charged after us. But soon, demon creatures emerged from the shadows, tearing through the crowd of villagers with merciless brutality, slaughtering them all without hesitation. Agonized screams filled the air as the villagers, overwhelmed by terror, pleaded to the gods for mercy. Over the chaos, I shouted, "They're Demon Hellhounds! We don't stand a chance to escape! Run! I'll hold them off long enough for you to get away! Please… go!"
When Saphielle heard me, her eyes widened, and she cried out, "No, I refuse! I can fight too—let us help you!" I turned to her, managing a faint, weary smile despite everything. "Kiirion, take them and keep them safe. I'll be back soon," I said, chuckling, though my eyes betrayed the truth of it all.
Kiirion grabbed Saphielle's arm, pulling her away despite her resistance. "No, please, don't! We can escape together!" she pleaded, struggling against his hold. My voice cut through her protests, firm and resolute. "There's no time. They'll keep coming, hunting us down. Someone has to stay behind. Kiirion, go!"
As desperation clawed at her, Kiirion, seeing no other way, knocked Saphielle unconscious, sparing her the agony of watching what came next.
The Demon Hellhounds closed in, their snarling jaws dripping with malice, their eyes burning like hot coals. I glanced back, startled to see Alwin, my best and closest friend, standing by my side.
"You weren't supposed to come back," I said, a strained laugh escaping despite my exhaustion.
Alwin grinned, sword ready in hand, his voice steady. "And leave you to fend for yourself? I'd never hear the end of it from your stubborn wife. You know how she can be."
I let out a soft chuckle. "Just you and me, then," I replied, tightening my grip on my weapon as the thrill of battle surged within me one last time.
Alwin placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, his voice calm and unwavering. "One last fight, brother. Let's give them a real showdown."
I nodded, fierce pride lighting my gaze. "Together, then. Till the end."
Side by side, we faced the advancing tide of darkness. And when the hounds finally leapt, we met them with blazing courage, ready to carve our names into legend.