The royal procession from the Elf Kingdom finally arrived at the gates of Kubu Fort. The banners fluttered in the wind, and the royal party's elegant presence commanded attention.
Dyeva took a step forward, her stance poised and dignified as she walked towards the gates. With a commanding voice, she announced, "On behalf of the Golden Sun Guild, we welcome the Elf Kingdom's royalty."
Evan, standing at her side, watched the Elf soldiers with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. There was a tension in the air, the unease evident in the way the Elf guards studied the group. But they made no move to stop them.
One of the Elf Kingdom's representatives stepped forward from the carriage, his voice polite but filled with authority.
"Thank you for the warm welcome," he said. "We've been informed of the passing through Kubu Fort. Is everything prepared for us to move forward?"
Dyeva nodded, her expression calm but with a hint of respect in her voice.
"Our king has already given us permission for your passage. We are here to escort your royal party to Janma Capital, as instructed."
She then stepped back slightly, allowing the group to see the figure who was stepping out from the carriage. A tall, graceful figure emerged—Princess Lilia, a member of the royal family from the Clares Elf Kingdom.
Princess Lilia had an air of regality about her, her beauty striking yet tempered by a kind smile. Her presence was radiant, a stark contrast to the dark memories the war had left behind.
She introduced herself, her voice light and sincere. "I am Princess Lilia of the Clares Elf Kingdom. Thank you, Dyeva, for greeting us yourself. It is an honor to meet you."
Dyeva smiled, her eyes softening. "The honor is mine, Princess. We are here to ensure your safe passage through Kubu Fort and beyond. Our Golden Sun Guild has prepared the escort team."
As Dyeva spoke, the members of the Golden Sun Guild stepped forward, each of them ready for their role in the escort. Dyeva turned to address them.
"Our guild stands ready to guide you, Princess. The team is prepared, and we shall begin the journey to Janma Capital at once."
"Thank you, Dyeva," Princess Lilia replied. "Your assistance is greatly appreciated."
One of the senior members of the Golden Sun Guild, standing off to the side, whispered to his comrade with a grin.
"Did you see the way the elves looked at us? Some of them still remember what happened in the war. They know who we are."
Another member chuckled softly. "Of course. Especially Our captain. They're probably still talking about his feats on the battlefield."
As the guild members prepared to move forward, Dyeva looked to the horizon, her mind focused on the task ahead.
But she knew that they could not afford to let their past define the future. For the sake of the kingdom, they had to move forward—together.
The escort mission began with precision. The Golden Sun Guild deployed around 100 people for the mission, ensuring that their presence was enough to provide security but not overwhelm the Elf Kingdom's royal army.
The goal was to provide a smooth and efficient escort without causing any discomfort for the royalty.
Among the Golden Sun Guild's escorts were Evan, Yvette, Ourri, and Runa. Their mission was clear, ensure the safety of the Elf royalty until they reached Janma Capital. The procession moved at a steady pace, with the Golden Sun Guild positioned both at the front and back of the Elf Kingdom's army, providing security while keeping the pace manageable.
The escort would only stop at dawn, and the journey to Janma Capital was expected to take a while due to the size of the convoy.
As they moved, the Golden Sun Guild's presence remained a quiet force, though the members could feel the weight of the eyes upon them, especially from the elves.
As dawn broke near Akram City, a few of the Elf soldiers were seen glancing at Evan and Runa with whispered conversations. Runa, ever curious, noticed their behavior.
"Why do they keep glancing at us?" she asked softly, her voice laced with curiosity. "They look... disgusted, almost... and afraid."
One of the senior members of the Golden Sun Guild, standing nearby, overheard and chuckled. "Of course they're afraid of our Captain," he said with a grin. "Maybe you haven't heard of his achievements in the War Between Races."
Runa raised an eyebrow, still confused. "What do you mean?"
The senior member laughed, shaking his head. "You'll see soon enough. You see, some races even called Captain Evan 'immortal,' especially the elves. They also saw him firsthand on the battlefield."
Another senior member joined in with a laugh, "Yeah, that war wasn't pretty, but our captain Evan made quite an impression on them."
Evan remained silent, his expression unreadable, but a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he listened.
Runa still seemed confused. "Why would they call him immortal?"
One of the senior members answered, "Well, one of the reasons is that he survived after battling wave after wave of enemy forces alone. He held the only entrance for an entire day, stopping multiple Elf armies from getting through while the rest of us were wounded and cornered."
Another senior member raised his hand, joining in the story. "Yeah, I was there. I was one of the wounded"
Laughter followed as the group reminisced about the harrowing event, but Runa was still in disbelief.
"That's incredible, but why hasn't anyone told me this before? "
Before anyone could respond, Ourri, always looking for an opportunity to make a joke, wandered over.
"Hey, are you guys eating enough?" he asked with a mischievous grin. "Can I have some?"
The entire group burst into laughter at the absurdity of the question. Even Evan let out a chuckle, shaking his head at Ourri's usual antics.
"Leave it to Ourri to lighten the mood," Yvette said with a grin.
The journey continued, and soon, the group arrived at the gates of Janma Capital. The Golden Sun Guild's escort team stood outside the gates, ensuring that the Elf royalty was safely accompanied.
However, the guild members did not enter the city itself, as the Silver Guard Guild had already taken over the responsibility of protecting the royal party within the gates.
Dyeva, standing at the head of the group, turned to address her team. "Good job over the past few days. You've all performed admirably," she said, her tone firm but filled with praise. "Now, you can standby near Janma and rest for a while."
Evan nodded in understanding. "Alright, let's make sure the team gets some well-earned rest," he said. "We've done our part for now."
After a short pause, the Golden Sun Guild's escort team began to set up camp for the night. The journey was long, and the need for rest was evident in the tired expressions of the guild members.
As the camp was set up, the members of the Golden Sun Guild began to relax, their duties momentarily put on hold.
Runa, still trying to process everything she had learned about Evan's past, found herself sitting by the campfire with Yvette. "I didn't realize Evan was... that amazing," she said quietly, almost to herself.
Yvette smiled, leaning back against a tree. "There's a lot you probably haven't heard yet. Evan's been through a lot, and so has everyone in the Golden Sun Guild. But we're all here now, together, to protect the realm. That's what matters."
Runa nodded slowly, taking in the words. "Yeah, I understand now."
The sounds of the camp filled the air, and the night grew quiet as the guild members settled in for a well-needed rest.
Tomorrow, their journey would continue, but for tonight, they could enjoy a brief respite before they faced whatever challenges lay ahead.