Chapter 32: The Courier's Burden
The rhythmic pounding of hooves echoed through the dimly lit forest as Liya Wispwood led the charge, her long cloak billowing behind her. Close behind her, her student, Mica Mistwood, followed on horseback, the steady clatter of hooves blending with the rustling of leaves keeping pace with her master's steady gallop. The wind bore the fragrance of moist soil and pine, but beneath it, another scent lingered -- something disquieting. The two formed a deadly duo -- teacher and student, wind and blade -- yet despite their prowess, urgency dictated their pace.
Mica pulled her steed alongside her master, She stole a glance at her teacher before speaking, her voice laced with concern. "Master, we've been riding nonstop back to the base. If delivering the depleted mana core was our only concern, wouldn't it have been wiser to send someone else instead?"
Liya paused momentarily, her keen eyes scrutinizing the path ahead as if contemplating words. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm yet resolute. It carried a weight beyond mere instruction. "If we had left the core at the camp, it would have inevitably drawn unwanted attention," she explained. "The mana density in this region is steadily dropping, and creatures that require vast reserves of energy will pounce on any opportunity to replenish themselves. We may be able to handle the smaller ones, but if left unchecked, the core could attract a horde beyond our current defences."
Mica frowned, tightening her grip on the reins as she absorbed her teacher's reasoning. "Even so, we have plenty of skilled mages at the outpost. Most of those creatures are manageable, aren't they? The stationed troops should be able to handle them."
Liya exhaled sharply. "Under normal circumstances, yes. But a mana core of this potency? If left unchecked, like I said before. it could attract hordes...." Liya pulled the reins of her horse, slowing her pace as a pensive look crossed her face. She glanced at Mica, her expression unreadable. "But you're right. I could have easily assigned this task to someone else. We have plenty of capable mages at the Outpost. That is one of the reasons why I am less worried about leaving the reigns and marching with you at this very moment."
Something in her tone made Mica press further. "Then why didn't you?"
Liya suddenly pulled her horse to a halt. Mica barely managed to steady her steed as she turned to her master, watching as her Master's gaze darkened with thought.
She fell into a brief silence before turning toward her student. "Do you remember the man who visited our camp the day before we left?"
Mica nodded. "Yes. His armour was heavily battered."
"Yes. That man was a Knight Commander Serving under Commander Kaelon Ashspire." Liya revealed. "He requested we deliver this letter to the Estate. Judging by the look on his face things did feel off." Liya murmured.
Mica's brows knitted together. "Didn't he rally some troops for a sweep operation along the trade routes? Something about thinning the monster numbers? Right before we left the estate for our Assigned Mission. I heard someone say that, he even pulled some troops assigned to the rear outpost near Outpost 4. Did Something Happen?"
"Standard sweep operations don't require reinforcements, not when the troops deployed are sufficient. Yet he had pulled reserves from rear outposts beforehand. Something feels off here." Liya replied.
A cold unease settled in Mica's stomach. "You think something else is going on?"
Liya gave a slow nod. "And here, there's this letter." Liya pulled a sealed letter from her belt pouch, holding it between two fingers. The wax insignia had been hastily pressed, the edges uneven. "This letter is the one we are to deliver. Although I don't know the contents in it the state the Solder was and the condition of the letter it all troubles me."
She patted the sealed envelope back, Now tucked beneath her cloak. "Something isn't right. That's why I brought you with me. We need to see firsthand what's happening at the Estate."
A cold breeze passed through the forest, rustling the branches. The atmosphere shifted, a quiet tension settling over them as they neared their destination.
Then -- something felt off.
The air between them grew heavier as the base loomed in the distance. Liya the Master who bore note of this sudden shift asked her Student Mica to stay vigilant. "Careful, something is not right here. Raise your mana-sensing spell to scan the perimeter." As soon as they both did, something sent a shiver down their spines -- a chaotic surge of mana ahead. The pulses were erratic, moving in all directions.
Both riders instinctively slowed their horses. Mica stiffened in her saddle, her trained senses picking up on an unnatural disturbance. The mana in the air fluctuated wildly, chaotic and erratic. She exchanged a glance with Liya, who had already begun suppressing her presence. Without a word, Mica followed suit, drawing upon her training to mask or rather suppress her aura. Without a word, they suppressed their mana signatures and crept forward, carefully not alerting whatever lay ahead. As they emerged from the tree line a chilling sight unfolded before them.
As they advanced cautiously, the forest ahead opened to reveal a startling sight.
Hordes of goblins, their misshapen bodies barely illuminated by the sliver of moonlight, were pouring out from the base and scattering into the woods. But this was no organized retreat -- this was blind, frenzied panic. Their movements were erratic, their formations nonexistent -- no discipline, coordination, only unbridled fear.
Mica's grip tightened around the hilt of her weapon. "They're fleeing…" she whispered. "But from what? Should we engage?" she whispered, her battle instincts flaring.
She subtly moved to dismount, her instinct urging her to strike while the creatures were vulnerable. However, before she could act Liya raised her hand, halting her in her tracks. Her sharp gaze studied the fleeing creatures. No words were required. The message was clear: Do not engage.
"No. We do not have the full picture yet. If we attack without understanding what is happening, we may stir trouble we are not ready for." That was the message Mica inferred after seeing her Master's gesture. It was enough to make the message clear.
Mica reluctantly obeyed, She withdrew her hand from her weapon, watching as the last remaining feral creature vanished into the twilight. The forest swallowed them, leaving only the eerie silence in their wake.
Liya exhaled, barely above a whisper. "We need to reach the Estate. Quickly."
No further words were exchanged. The two surged forward, their pace doubling with every passing moment. Whatever had driven the goblins away wasn't just a passing threat. It was something far worse.
And it was waiting for them at the Estate.
The Eastern Wall – The Aftermath
Just beyond the broken eastern wall, the battle was still unfolding.
A short distance beyond the shattered eastern walls, Azure and his men were locked in battle with the straggling remnants of the goblin force. Most creatures had already fled into the forest, disappearing into the thick veil of nocturnal darkness. A few obstinate ones remained -- clawing, snarling and fighting with the desperation of cornered beasts. Their feral instincts to acknowledge defeat The crafters fought efficiently, dispatching the remaining creatures with honed precision, their formation tight and unwavering.
Azure himself was in the thick of the fight, his blade flashing under the dim glow of the twilight sky.
Azure, his armour marred with the remnants of his duel against Grukk, moved fluidly through the fray. Though his battle with Grukk had left him sapped, he was far from spent. A Commander did not falter so easily. Even with his weapon shattered, the borrowed sword in his hand moved as if it were an extension of himself. The unfamiliar grip should have been a hindrance, yet his stance remained firm, his slashes fluid. He made up for the slight awkwardness of the blade with sheer skill, weaving through the battlefield like a storm-given form. His strikes were precise and unyielding. With sweeping arcs of wind and water magic, he cut down his foes, his combat style unwavering despite the unfamiliar grip of the borrowed weapon.
Wind and water surged around him as he invoked his elemental magic, his specialities intertwining with his blade work. Swift, sharps directed his movements, while precise torrents of water through goblin with ruthless efficiency. Each spell was controlled, and every strike was measured.
The battlefield was illuminated only by the fires still raging atop the towering eastern wall situated atop the steep plateau where the base was located. Shadows danced along the scorched earth, flickering beneath the twilight sky. The surrounding terrain sloped downward, bordered by thick forests that stretched endlessly into the distance. It was just enough light to survey the field without the need for detection magic.
As the last goblin on his side fell, Azure took a steady breath, lowering his blade. A soldier rushed toward him from the base, his armour bearing the grime of battle. He saluted swiftly before delivering his report.
"Sir, the fires are beginning to subside. Our forces have taken defensive positions, and the other walls have been alerted. They have taken decisive action and have already moved to reinforce any known weaker sections."
Azure gave a curt nod, wiping sweat from his brow. "Casualties?"
"We are still assessing, Commander. Once all accounts are gathered, we will have a clearer picture."
Azure exhaled sharply, concentrating on the debriefing as he analyzed every detail and movement of his men. In his focus, he overlooked the shadow lurking beyond the dark treeline.
From the treeline, hidden in the darkness, a goblin aimed.
Zvika Sharpclaw watched from the underbrush, his yellow eyes burning with fury at the human who had killed his comrade. As the leader of the remnants of their failed assault force, he seethed with rage, his claws digging into the thick Bark of a tree he stood on.
But rage alone would not serve him. He was no fool. Unlike Grukk, Zvika was not one to let his emotions rule his judgment. He was a tactician. And he was patient.
Goblin warfare was built upon deception, exploiting lapses in judgment, striking when the enemy least expected. And right now, Azure was distracted.
This would be his last move -- a calculated, decisive strike. "Whether this hits him or not. Whether he dies from this or not. I will retreat after this one last Shot. That's the least I could do here."
Zvika's sharp teeth curled into a sneer.
He flexed his dominant arm, mana coiling around his fingertips like a snake ready to strike. The fire crackled in his palm, building in intensity until it became a condensed inferno, a molten spear of destruction aimed at the Commander's exposed back. Every ounce of his remaining mana poured into the attack. This would not be a reckless strike born of rage -- this was a cold, calculated execution. Then, with precise aim, he launched the spell straight toward Azure.
With a guttural snarl, he launched the blazing spell.
Azure glimpsed movement in his peripheral vision as a spell rushed toward him, closing the distance in a flash. He and the soldier beside him had no time to react. By the time his instincts kicked in, it was already too late.
The fire was upon him.
But then -- another spell came from a different direction.
A silent gust of wind, unseen in the night, cut through the darkness and intercepted the fire spell mid-air.
The two spells collided at a point just ahead of Azure and the officer beside him. The resulting impact sent a concussive force outward, knocking Azure and the soldier back slightly, though they remained standing the shockwave forced them to brace for the blowback which followed immediately thereafter. Azure dug his heels into the scorched earth, his borrowed blade acting as an anchor, while the officer beside him shielded his face from the violent gust.
Then came the explosion.
The fire spell exploded in a blinding flash, briefly illuminating the battlefield. The dark terrain was momentarily bathed in eerie light, casting long shadows of fallen bodies and broken weapons before darkness returned to reclaim its domain.
A gust of wind swept through the fading embers, parting the smoke.
From the shadows beyond, two figures stepped forward on horseback.
Liya Wispwood lowered her short wand, her silver-lined cloak billowing in the lingering turbulence of her spell. Beside her, Mica Mistwood adjusted the reins of her steed, eyes sharp as she surveyed the scene before them, her hand resting near her blade's hilt.
"You should be more careful, Azure." Liya chided her voice carried through the stillness, calm but firm.
Azure exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "It seems that way," he said, glancing at the treeline where the wind spell had come from. "I thought I was handling things well. Thanks for stepping in; I would have been a goner without you."
Mica spoke out loud. "So Commander Azure was the Monster from Whome the Goblins were fleeing!"
Azure allowed himself a smirk, though his focus remained on Liya. "I assume you didn't just come to save my hide. What brings you here, Commander?"
Liya held his gaze for a moment before her expression turned serious. "Before we continue, let me deal with our hidden foe."
She extended a hand forward, her fingers tracing an intricate pattern in the air. The mana in the atmosphere shifted, and a moment later, a silent burst of wind shot toward the treeline -- tracing the same direction the previous attack had come from.
It was a spell concealed within the air, unseen, unheard, a force of nature striking without warning.
Deep in the forest, Zvika Sharpclaw barely had time to react. He sensed the incoming attack and instinctively raised his left arm, flames coiling around it to counter the unseen force. But the moment fire and wind met, the result was catastrophic.
The spells clashed, merged, and amplified beyond his control.
The goblin's left arm was incinerated instantly, the flames and wind combining until his limb was charred to its Bones. A guttural cry of agony erupted from his throat, his body convulsing as pain overwhelmed his senses. He stumbled backwards, the dense underbrush swallowing his retreat as he vanished into the deep forest.
Azure watched the treeline for a long moment before turning back to Liya. "Efficient, as always."
Liya gave a curt nod before reaching into her cloak and retrieving a sealed letter. "That's not why I'm here, Azure."
Azure took the letter, breaking the seal and scanning its contents, a deep furrow formed on his brow. Halfway through, he stopped reading and resealed it.
"Things are not what they seem," he muttered, His voice was low, grave.
A silence settled between them. The distant crackle of flames and the occasional rust from the treeline were the only sounds that remained.
***