Kael's party gathered by the main gate of Valler.
The sun hadn't even risen properly, yet they were already set to leave. Kael stood beside Terren, struggling to strap his blade over his pack.
"This is annoying," Kael muttered, fumbling with the straps. "It won't even sit right."
Every time he fixed the bag, the blade shifted; fix the blade, and the bag slipped loose. Terren tried to help, but it wasn't working. Outside the gate, Zodiac leaned against the wall, watching with thinly veiled irritation.
"Put the bag first," Zodiac finally said, voice flat. "Then the blade."
Kael blinked at him in confusion. "But then it swings everywhere," he protested.
"If you put the blade first, then how the fuck are you gonna draw it, dumbass?" Zodiac sighed, rubbing his temple. His brow twitched; he was obviously mad. "That thing's almost as big as you are. Strap the sword to the bag, then you'll have enough distance to pull it free with a swing."
He glared at Kael for a while, then muttered under his breath as he turned away, "Which idiot even sold you that?"
Embarrassed, Kael followed his advice. Sure enough, the blade now sat properly, easy enough to draw. He scratched his head, realizing how simple it was. A veteran's advice is always useful.
Just then, Nollan returned from the market. "No carts to Redmere today," he said. "Next one's in three days."
"Then we walk," Zodiac replied instantly without even turning to Nollan. "Three days is too long. I'll die of boredom."
Nollan smirked as he'd expected that. He and Zodiac had been traveling together for over a decade, across east and south Virelya, and now west, under the Vaernthal monarchy.
"First, supplies," Nollan said. "There are only two villages on this path, and they're sparse."
"What do you mean?" Kael asked, struggling to put his claymore back in the scabbard on his back.
"Medicines. Sturdy clothes. And above all," he stopped, looking at Terren, "better weapons."
Terren carried his worn-out old sword. That sword had obviously seen dozens of battles if not hundreds. Everybody else had their own weapons, as Zodiac had his twin blades and Kael had his claymore. Only Nollan had none; a mage, he was a traveling light wearing a cloak, chains on his arms and neck, and a small satchel.
"I've got medicine," Kael offered, pulling a pouch from his bag. "And we've got clothes." He gestured to his shirt and leather armor.
"You need more than that," Zodiac's voice rang in Kael's ears. "A dagger, vambraces and a cloak." Then his gaze settled on Terren, "And you, Terren. Most of all, you need a real sword."
Terren flushed, scratching the back of his head. His blade was dulled, its handle frayed. His chest plate was worse, barely holding together. Terren came from a financially weak background, and the only reason he was here was to earn real money.
"Always remember," Zodiac spoke, pointing his blade at him. His voice lowered, concerned. "You live by the sword, you die by the sword. A warrior's blade is his life. Treat it like a woman; respect her, and she'll never leave you. Betray her, and you're dead."
Absurd words, yet they landed. Terren's eyes burned with fire, while Kael squinted, struggling to grasp the meaning. Even Nollan cracked a smile.
---
By the time the sun climbed, they were done shopping and were on the road to Redmere. Zodiac led the way.
"It's fine, Terren," Kael said, patting his friend's back. "You still have eight solin left."
"But I just got them last night… and I've already spent two," Terren mumbled. It stung; that much money could've lasted him two months. Tears dropped from his eyes as he remembered the time, his family used to earn six solin a year.
Still, they marched on, crying, laughing, bantering and newly equipped. Kael now carried a dagger hidden beneath his cloak and wrists protected by vambraces. Terren's new Damascus steel sword gleamed at his side and his fresh leather armor creaking with each step.
Now they were ready for anything, well prepared for a long journey. By noon, the open plains gave way to a wall of forest. The road narrowed, swallowed by towering trees. Tire tracks cut through the grass, the air thick with the scent of moss and earth. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in glittering shards. It was beautiful scenery; wind rushed through leaves making sound.
"The off-route trail begins," Nollan said, glancing back at the fading fields. They had finally come to the end of open plain; now the jungle start, the place of danger and beasts. Kael felt the ground thrumming beneath him, alive with energy. The jungle was breathing.
"Stay sharp," Zodiac warned, voice low. "I've heard this forest holds hobgoblins, trolls, even orc nests," Zodiac added grimly. "And worse… bandits. If we cross them, it'll be troublesome."
Kael's stomach tightened. Nature was beautiful, but it never forgave. He remembered a line once he read long ago, 'The nature only stays beautiful because it has no mercy' a rather true words.
"Hey, Nollan," Kael asked, trying to distract himself. "The Scarless. You said the world changed after he appeared. But where did he even come from? Where did he go? And what about the ancient dragon?"
Too many questions at once, Nollan didn't even fetch an eye to that, his calm gaze stayed fixed ahead. But then:
"No one knows where he came from," he said, giving a side eye to Kael . "Or where he went. That remains a mystery even now."
Kael clicked his tongue in disappointment. He had great hopes for the answer, but it can't be helped now. His eyes roamed around before fixing straight on the road ahead, just when he heard:
"But the dragon…" Nollan's voice softened. "The dragon sleeps in the north. Untouched by anyone, forbidden to even raise an eye on the mountains they say he's on." He stopped after saying that, his eyes lost in thoughts, "I want to see it one day… that primordial being."
Kael caught the wistful look in his eye. A dream, Kael could clearly see that. But before he could add, Zodiac raised his hand, signing, 'beasts ahead'. Nollan suddenly bumped his hand on Kael's chest, stopping him mid step.
Kael froze. Why hadn't he sensed them? Ever since awakening his root chakra, he always felt tremors of nearby movement. Yet this time… nothing. Maybe the beast isn't on ground, Kael quickly looked up. A rustle above. A rush of air. There is nothing, how can there even be? They are in jungle, packed with trees. But then, at the end of the road, a small, twisted figure staggered out of the trees.
"What is that?" Terren whispered.
The creature shrieked, charging clumsily. Barely the size of a child, an infant, stumbling through mud and grass with the help of a stick.
"Veyth," Zodiac muttered, grinning. "Let's play a game."
He tossed his swords to Nollan, eyes gleaming with a sinister excitement. He let out his steaming breath, clenched his legs and in seconds, he had that thing slam to a tree trunk. He kicked it so hard that it's eye popped out and it's already crooked body became even more crooked. Beaten bloody, strung up by the legs like a trophy in Zodiac's hand.
"An infant goblin…" Kael said, staring at its swollen, bleeding face.
"I want to kill it," Zodiac admitted, "but not yet."
Kael bit back the urge to ask why. Something about the silence that followed kept him from pressing.
"Let's move… haha", Zodiac roared, laughing like a maniac. Nollan now held a peculiar expression, something unsettling that even Terren found it hard to swallow.
After a silent journey for a while, Kael finally felt something under his feet. A vigorous flow of continuity, life and never ending journey. His eyes lit up as he looked at a side, trying to listen to the soft sound of flowing water.
"You noticed it from this far away?" Nollan asked Kael, surprised. "Are you really newbie or just making fun of us?"
"Haha… no I really am a newbie, it's just that my ears are sharp." Kael replied in a funny tone, polite and not wanting to reveal his secret.
"We spend the night by the stream" Zodiac commanded, still walking at the front, hanging the goblin by his sword on shoulder. A gruesome picture, but not enough to challenge the hierarchy.
---
By evening, they made camp near the stream. Fire crackled, fish roasted over the flames and the goblin dangled from a tree, barely breathing.
"Tonight will be Tandav," Zodiac muttered, taking last bite of his fish. Then he turned to Nollan. "Sage."
Nollan was standing by the stream, staring into the water. "Four kilometers. They'll be here before moonrise." His voice was laced with disgust.
Zodiac smirked. "Good. They deserve it."
Kael and Terren exchanged uneasy glances. They didn't understand the words, but the weight in the air told them enough: this wasn't something to celebrate.
Nollan slowly sat down near flames, picking a stick, drawing some symbols in the dirt and pebbles. Zodiac went and brought the goblin, placing at the center of the drawing. Nollan closed his eyes, making sign with his fingers, and exactly the light sparked in goblin's chest as Nollan begun chanting.
"
*O Great Father of Dawn,*
*Breaker of the Six Chains,*
*Creator of the Seven Flames.*
**
*Grant me this honor.*
*Open the Gate,*
*Free them from their demise.*
*Let purity once again light the path.*
"
"Unsheathe your swords," Zodiac barked. Kael's chest tightened, they had marched all day and now suddenly a ritual? For what?
" *Sarvatra Namami, Tvam Anantastitva " ,* Nollan sighed out with this last line.
The goblin screamed one last time, its body convulsing in the ritual light. It slowly stopped moving, a haunting silence lingered the space. Even the noise of breath stung fear in one's chest. Kael could clearly hear his heartbeat, pebbles being screeched under Terren's boots and crackling sound of flame. But that did not last for long.
Voices rose from the darkness. Shrieks, howls, the beating of clubs against trees and the jungle shook. Something was headed towards them, fast and large. Kael felt tremors under his boots, clear and strong.
"They're early," Zodiac said, removing his hat and cloak, revealing a large silver tattoos shimmering from his arm to his brow. His lips curled but smile suddenly disappeared as he glanced at Kael and Terren. "Didn't I tell you to draw your swords?" He barked again.
Kael finally came to his senses, reaching his blade but his hands trembled as he slowly unsheathed his claymore.
Eyes. Countless glowing eyes looking back at him from dark corner of the jungle.
"Scavengers" a voice rang in Kael's ears. Zodiac pulled his twin blades, grinning with that maniac's smile.