The morning air atop Bentolto Hill was colder than the night before. Dense fog wrapped around the towering rocks, swallowing the timid sunlight peeking over the eastern horizon. A faint, metallic scent of blood lingered in the air, mingling with the alluring yet poisonous aroma of nightshade flowers.
Strange shadows flickered around the rocks, as if watching every move. Today, the mystery of the Vurce attack would be revealed, or more secrets would be buried.
Two shadowy figures moved through the thick fog—Kai and Claude, searching for fruit to eat for breakfast.
The wind on Bentolto Hill gradually pierced their bodies. Claude shivered, blowing on her hands, unable to withstand the temperature.
As her strength gave out, Claude collapsed. Hearing the thud, Kai spun around instinctively. Startled, he rushed to her side and tried to wake her.
"Claude… hang in there," he said, his voice tight with panic.
Her eyes slowly closed, and Claude lost consciousness. Kai had no other choice. He hoisted Claude onto his shoulder while carrying a basket of avocados in his left hand.
He walked towards the campsite. Upon arriving, Kai laid Claude down in front of the campfire and sat beside her.
"Man, she's heavier than I expected," he muttered, scratching his cheek as he looked at her unconscious face.
After that, Kai stood up and began waking up his sleeping friends. First, he woke Araka.
Kai saw Araka sleeping on his back, snoring quite loudly. He woke him.
Feeling something touch him, Araka awoke. He opened his eyes and rubbed them, his consciousness slowly returning.
His eyes widened as he saw Kai walking away from him. Araka stood up and walked to the small river next to their campsite. He cupped water in his hands and washed his face.
"Huh, it's so refreshing," he said, crossing his arms across his shoulders. "It's cold too, hehe."
Araka turned around and walked towards the campfire. Instantly, his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Claude lying limp beside the fire.
From a distance, Lylia and Kino approached Araka. At that moment, they both wondered what had happened to Claude.
Kai, who was talking to Ren, accidentally noticed the commotion by the campfire. He and Ren moved towards it, followed by Franz.
Kai sat near the campfire, his face worried. Araka stood beside Claude, who was still lying unconscious. Lylia and Kino approached, exchanging glances.
"You saw it yourselves, Claude has been unconscious since this morning," Kai said tensely.
"What happened? How could she faint?" Araka asked, his hands trembling.
Actually, Araka also felt the piercing cold, but he acted strong to avoid worrying his friends.
Suddenly, a snowflake fell on Ren's pants. He looked up.
"What? Are you kidding me? Snow—out of nowhere?" he exclaimed, blinking in disbelief.
The campfire slowly began to die down.
The snow was now falling quite heavily. They began packing up their camping gear to move to a safer location, to avoid the dangers of the snow.
Strangely, the blizzard had arrived, blurring their vision and making it difficult to see what was in front of them. But they continued to move towards their destination.
In the distance, they were seen walking towards a cave near the small river. They entered the cave. On the other side, Ren and Araka checked if the cave was safe for temporary shelter.
After exploring, the cave showed no strange signs. They all put down their belongings. Kai, who had been carrying Claude, gently laid her down.
"Let's take shelter here for now," Ren muttered, brushing the snow off his body.
"Yeah, relax," they replied casually.
The sound of the blizzard was prominent, the strong wind whistling mixed with the sound of snow falling and accumulating on the ground. Everything felt silent and isolated, only the sound of the storm dominating.
The trees seemed burdened by the snow clinging to their branches and twigs, making them appear bent and heavy. Bentolto Hill slowly began to be covered with a thick layer of snow, making it very difficult to see the surroundings.
The blizzard cast a grim, haunting veil over the landscape—yet within its fury lay a strange, untamed beauty. It reminded them of the immense power and beauty of nature.
The wind raged, rattling the cave entrance. Snow clung thickly to the stone walls. Inside, they huddled together, waiting for the fierce blizzard to finally subside and leave its mark.
....
One day had passed.
Meanwhile, in another part of the world, Zuxsin and Zaresha were faring much better.
They both now looked quite cheerful, with healthy bodies. Arshal was following them from behind.
This place.
The Historia Continent, where they were stranded, held many exotic sights. But behind its beauty lay a terrifying horde of monsters that would threaten anyone in its territory.
Exotic animals, dense rainforests filled with magical plants, and swiftly flowing rivers. The kingdoms on this continent were plagued by conflict between humans and the magical creatures inhabiting the forests.
Monster attacks on human settlements were frequent, resulting in many tragic deaths.
But Arshal intentionally didn't reveal the true facts about this continent. On one hand, he wanted to give a glimpse of what was here. He just had to wait for the right time to tell them.
"Don't stray too far, you'll get lost," Arshal muttered casually.
They both quickly turned around and replied casually, "We know."
A vast city unfolded before them, teeming with ancient temples and tranquil Zen gardens. This city was surrounded by mystical mountains and lush bamboo forests. Imagine a kingdom mastering martial arts and ancient powers, or a kingdom threatened by evil forces rising from the depths of the earth.
The atmosphere in the city was very lively; the inhabitants greeted each other even if they didn't know each other.
The city system organized by the kingdom was completely new to them both; an amazing sight they had never witnessed before. The city's well-planned and orderly layout, a clear testament to the kingdom's power.
"Huh, it's your first time here," he said firmly, looking at their faces.
After saying that, he walked into a small alley beside them. Arshal leaving them standing alone in the middle of the city made Zuxsin and Zaresha wonder, and they began to follow him.
A lush bamboo forest appeared; the wind blew the bamboo, causing it to sway back and forth. At that moment, he saw Arshal walking towards a rather magnificent house.
The house stood proudly, towering with walls of dark red bricks that shimmered in the sunlight. The teak-framed windows, with their intricate carvings, reflected the luxury within.
Its high roof sheltered a spacious veranda adorned with sturdy pillars, where carriages could stop comfortably. A well-maintained garden surrounded the house, filled with colorful flowers and dancing fountains.
"No way! Why are you here?" They were both shocked and disbelieving to see someone sitting there, holding a cup of tea.
....