Chapter 6: Never Leaving Again…
Unsettling News and Plans
Was this how the timeline unfolded?
Wenger frowned, puzzled. For now, she could only attribute it to delayed information.
Consequently, her assumptions about the situation needed reassessment. Meanwhile, she awaited the return of the others for a detailed report to plan further.
Regardless, strengthening the village’s defenses and her own ascension were urgent priorities.
Deep in thought, she found a sliver of leisure to worry about Aiton. After all, someone who carved out such a reputation couldn’t be weak. Why should she fret over him?
Yet, a trace of regret stirred within her. Her usual carefree attitude seemed to culminate in helpless inevitability.
Fortunately, everyone present could still look up and see the blue sky.
The war hadn’t reached them yet. Thus, there was time to act.
“We visited the nearest town outside the valley and finalized the commission,” Kailos explained, detailing his week-long absence. “Initially, there was no news of worsening conflicts. But when our informants reported changes, we hurried back. The rest stayed to investigate further.”
He vaguely sensed a shift in the town’s tavern atmosphere.
What was happening in the capital?
“How do you usually communicate?” Wenger asked, seemingly off-topic.
“Within the territory, we use outposts. Outside Hosgard, it’s usually urgent letters. If we commission a mage tower, it’s faster but more costly.”
“Mage tower?”
She knew of them, of course, but feigned ignorance. Perhaps she could glean something useful.
“Lady, you may not know,” Kailos began. “Decades ago, the kingdom heavily promoted magic, lifting restrictions. To foster exchange between magic academies, the king ordered nobles to fund towers. These towers house teleportation arrays and various scrolls for talented individuals to study.
“However, in recent years, mage towers have grown costly, leading to new revenue streams.”
Wenger nodded at his explanation.
Yet, such operations either bled money or demanded exorbitant fees. She hadn’t studied spatial magic, but it sounded far from simple.
A Reluctant Journey
She had tasked them to look for Dragon Vein Stone during their scouting. However, pinning hopes on a small town fulfilling the commission quickly was unrealistic.
More plans were needed. Moreover, her ascension’s other ingredient—Sun-Moon Rose—remained a challenge.
No matter how many ideas she had, they hinged on the Sun-Moon Rose maturing.
“Pigeons can still carry messages in the village, Lady. No need to worry too much about the outside,” Kailos reassured.
“No,” Wenger cut in, her tone icy. “I’m going with you. Where’s the nearest mage tower?”
Just this once, she’d allow herself to be bold. A trip shouldn’t be an issue, right?
To ensure her ascension, the mage tower might hold answers.
To address her question, Kailos sketched a map on the ground. Maple Whisper Village was a mere speck on Glenmbak’s edge. The rift valley stretched a finger’s length away.
He pointed to a direction where the mage tower sat at the territory’s far corner.
“How long to get there?”
Kailos paused. “By carriage, at least half a month.”
The distance on the map was far greater than she’d imagined—nearly half the journey from Hosgard to Glenmbak.
“By horseback?”
Clearly, she couldn’t accept such a long trip.
“Half that time,” Kailos answered honestly.
A Treacherous Path
In a blur, they spent three or four days riding through the valley’s rough terrain.
Wenger recalled her decisive choice to leave. Now, however, fatigue crept in.
When was the last time she ventured out? She couldn’t remember the year. Outside the valley, golden wheat fields rolled like waves. The sight eased some of her weariness.
‘Not harvested yet? The growth is impressive…’
She overlooked that it might be her own influence. Instead, a vague unease gnawed at her, as if leaving meant suffering.
Where did this subconscious dread come from?
The two set their course, aiming to return swiftly.
Passing Marbay Town and small villages, they didn’t pause. Nor did they plan to visit larger cities. Wenger barely noticed the places they passed.
Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, directly in their path, unavoidable.
A raging river surged beneath their feet, with no ferry in sight. Unexpectedly, this didn’t overly concern her.
Spreading the map again, its simplistic markings revealed their flaws.
Crossing such a wide river with others was daunting. Thus, Wenger sent Kailos to wait in the nearest town. Bringing him would be ideal, but searching for a boat while pressed for time was counterproductive.
The river’s surface was hardly calm. Yet, a silver-haired girl stepped onto ice, gliding with the waves. As she advanced, the sky darkened further.
Wenger alternated between floating on wind and landing on conjured ice. For hours, she traversed the river this way.
A Catastrophic Arrival
The mage tower loomed ahead, a towering structure piercing the clouds. It stood just outside a town, surrounded by temporary camps.
Oppressive clouds gathered, and a few raindrops signaled an impending downpour.
Boom—!!
Deep purple lightning flashed through the clouds, followed by a thunderous roar.
Raindrops parted around her, forming a water curtain as the storm intensified. Through the veil, she noticed something falling from above.
In an instant, the sky seemed to crack. Space twisted, clouds and rain folding together, revealing a fleeting patch of clear sky.
Below the mage tower, onlookers turned their gazes upward.
Wenger’s heart skipped. Her premonition had come true—leaving home led to disaster.
In every sense…
A terrifying dragon’s roar echoed from the fractured space. A massive figure plummeted westward, trailing crimson flames.
Two figures appeared by the tower, chasing after it.
A Hasty Retreat
‘Still thinking of scrolls? Ascension matters, but who knows if I’ll survive this!’
She cursed inwardly, turning to flee faster than she’d arrived.
Yet, the dark speck she’d glimpsed on the horizon grew larger, hurtling toward her path.
She gambled then, trusting her speed to avoid a collision.
You know how it goes—one can lose, but not every time… Yet, gamblers often end up with nothing.
“I’m never leaving again…!” The Witch’s final groan drowned in the rain.
In the darkness of her fading consciousness, her body felt heavy. A cold breeze pierced her soaked clothes.
The air carried the stench of rotting soil and thick blood, assaulting her senses.
‘I can’t be gravely injured, can I?’
Water dripped from her lashes. Wenger struggled to open her eyes. Before her was an unfamiliar man, eyes closed, lips pale, slumped atop her.
Thankfully, the injured one wasn’t her.
She blinked at his frail face, pondering her next move.