As they gained combat experience, the two developed and redeveloped their fighting styles. Wesley continuously experimented with spells he’d learned in the dream world, settling on a control-based fighting style, where he won by limiting and controlling his opponent’s actions.
However, fighting like this was very stressful, so once every few fights, he would compete with his opponent in as direct a form as possible. Whatever magic you specialize in, I’ll match you!
After a few weeks, Wesley had garnered a respectable record of twenty wins, eleven losses, and one draw, with most of his losses coming from his “stress-relief” fights. Despite his record however, he’d been injured a few times as well. His worst injury came when his left chest had been burned by an enemy’s fire-based spell. Fortunately, that had been the only occasion where Wesley had needed to be rushed to the stadium’s emergency care station.
A recent pain point for Wesley, however, was that after Thomas had died in the battle scene Wesley had witnessed, he no longer appeared in Wesley’s dream world to teach him about the intricacies of magic. Instead, each time Wesley slept, he would find himself in a classroom, surrounded by classmates he didn’t recognize, learning from a teacher he knew nothing about.
He wondered how his old friends were doing.
Unlike Wesley, Gust had long ago developed his own fighting style, and “merely” used his duels as opportunities to practice his old fighting tricks, as well as to develop his body’s physical strength.
Gust, as if possessed by a demon, had gone on a rampage in the stadium, with an incredible record of 27 wins, 5 losses.
With their records, they were now recognized by many across Border Town, and could be counted as minor celebrities.
Each day, after finishing their duels in the stadium, the two would visit the signboard at the town’s east entrance.
Without fail, they’d be disappointed, with not enough people to form a full group to cross the mountain range. To heal their emotional wounds, they’d visit a different food stall each day, and feed themselves until they had to roll themselves back to the inn. Finally, before they went to sleep, Gust would sharpen his kukris, while Wesley would practice drawing seals, before going to bed.
That is, until today.
It’d been thirty five days since they’d signed their names on the signboard, and finally, FINALLY, an additional announcement had been posted.
The new announcement read, “All those who have signed, please ready yourselves and report to the eastern entrance of Border Town at sunrise on the first day of the 1008th year of the Richerant Calendar.”
Gust repeated the contents of the message to Wesley, who started.
“How long is it until New Years?”
“Two days, I think.”
“...What should we do for New Years Eve?”
“The hell you think, we’re going to buy rations so we won’t starve to death, additional clothes so we don’t freeze to death, and now that we have money, we should buy spare weapons and…”
‘I really shouldn’t have asked.”, thought Wesley.
But it wasn’t just Gust. All over Border Town, people could be seen rummaging through stores and shops, spending their hard earned cash on supplies as well as repairing their weapons and armor.
Money could be earned again, but one’s life could not be regained after it was lost.
The day after the new announcement had been posted, Border Town’s stadium sat in complete silence, without a soul in sight. Even the ticketer at the entrance, the fierce lady in the registration office, and the announcer had were missing from their posts.
However, for the residents of Border Town, this was simply the norm - they understood that the vast majority of fighters and mages who trickled through the town’s stadium were there only there to prepare to cross the Alaki Mountain Range, and they wouldn’t be willing to risk any fighting related injuries now that the date to leave was so close.
Two days later, the sun had barely risen above the far horizon when Gust and Wesley, still shaking off their sleepiness, ran out of the inn they’d stayed at for the last month, headed to the eastern entrance.
By the time they’d arrived at the eastern entrance, an odd assortment of over three hundred people had already gathered. Dressed in different clothes, equipped with different weapons, the group looked more like a ragtag militia than anything.
As Gust and Wesley worked their way through the crowd, Gust noticed many of their past stadium opponents, including their first in Kay and Marcus, respectively.
Despite that most in the group knew at least a few others from the stadium, only a few smaller groups of fighters chatted with each other - clearly, most of these people didn’t view the others as allies, but simply as a means to cross the mountain range.
Gust however, clearly didn’t care what his past opponent thought of him, and instantly dragged Wesley over to Kay.
“Hey, Kay! Fancy seeing you here. Where in the Reiniad Kingdom are you headed to?”
Kay didn’t even turn her head to look at Gust, instead opting to glare at him through the side of her eye.
“Jeez, are you still mad that you lost to me? Alright, alright, I’ll leave you be.”
Kay could hear Gust preaching to Wesley as they left. “Let this be a lesson to you, little man. Always let girls win, or they’ll hate you for the rest of your life. You don’t want to be single forever, yeah?”
“Mhmm, makes sense.”
Kay rubbed her temples. Just what the hell was that stupid kukri user teaching the poor kid?
Meanwhile, hovering a slight distance away from the rest of those who had convened at the eastern entrance, Marcus stood, leaning against the signboard itself, casting his gaze over the rabble before him.
Finally, as those who’d gathered began wondering if they should just start heading towards the mountain range, an older man, who looked to be around fifty years of age, flanked by two younger men who looked quite similar to him, yelled to quiet the crowd.
“Quiet, quiet, QUIET!”
The few groups who’d been chatting quieted down, and everyone stared at the man.
“My names Clark, and I’ll be leading this expedition across the Alaki Mountain Range. I’ve been doing this for thirty years, and I’m the best damn guide you’ll get. Any questions?”
Chapter 24
One of the groups amongst the crowd was made up of ten uniformed guards, a handsome young male, a beautiful young lady, and a butler.
The handsome young male walked up and asked Clark, “How long will it take to pass through the mountain range, and what are the chances that we all make it? You may have crossed the mountain range hundreds of times, I don’t doubt that, but that doesn’t necessarily means the ones you brought along made it as well.”
One of Clark’s sons snorted, and advanced toward the handsome male before Clark raised his hand, and motioned him back.
“Hm, these are fair questions. It will take us two days to reach the bottom of the mountain range, and another ten days to cross it. As for if those who follow make it to the Reiniad Kingdom or not, I can only show you the most ideal path. Whether you survive depends on too many factors that I can control.
“However, I can claim this - following me or one of the other guides will increase the likelihood that you make it to the Reiniad Kingdom alive tenfold, and in the least amount of time. If you’d like to try on your own, be my guest - If you make it to the Reiniad Kingdom within the month, I’ll retire.”
“Oh ho, strong words. Please, don’t take my words as an insult; I simply wanted confirmation. With your assurance, my heart is at peace.” The handsome young man gave a small bow, and stepped back.
Gust rolled his eyes and muttered, “What a goddamn prince.”
Another traveller, dressed in mage robes showing that he was a Rank 8 Elementary Mage, raised his hand.
“Yes, esteemed mage?”
“Which tribes territory will we be passing through f
or this trip?”
“...The Silver Hawk Tribe.”
Hearing this, many of the travellers unconsciously reached for their weapons, or shifted in place.
As someone who’d never cared about the mountain tribes, Marcus was one of the few who hadn’t moved. However, he was curious regarding everyone’s reactions, and spoke up.
“Who’s this Silver Hawk Tribe?”
This time, one of Clark’s sons spoke up.
“The Silver Hawk Tribe is one of the most active raiding tribes. They usually raid farms and the like, but every so often they’ll raid an entire village or town. Their most famous attack happened some ten-odd years ago, when they attacked Unity Town, Border Town’s predecessor, and wiped out the whole village.
“Although, Unity Town had been so close to the mountain range, only an idiot wouldn’t have expected such a result.”
Hearing this, Gust’s hands closed into fists.
Marcus sniffed, then asked. “How many soldiers does this Silver Hawk Tribe have?”
Clark burst out into laughter, then looked toward Marcus, amusement in his eyes. “You’re quite something, aren’t you. Well, to answer your question, none of the mountain tribes have ‘soldiers’, per say, but most consider their entire adult population to be the tribe’s fighting force. The Silver Hawk Tribe has about a thousand fighters. As such, a group of ours, more than three hundred strong, should be large enough to make them think twice about attacking us.”
After a few more questions, the group set out through Border Town’s eastern entrance, toward the Alaki Mountain Range.
Gust and Wesley naturally slowed their pace until they were at the back of the group, while Marcus and Kay, by chance, were just slightly farther ahead.
As the day passed, the mountains in the distance grew closer and closer, Gust’s footsteps became heavier and heavier, to the point where where Wesley, who was walking beside him, could literally feel each footstep as it fell.
Wesley looked up, then squeezed Gust’s hand.
“Don’t worry. Our big sister, your family, will be avenged.”
Gust’s shoulders rose as he pulled himself together. “Tch, when did she become your big sister too? Besides, I have full confidence in us. One of the world’s greatest fighters and his little sidekick. What could go wrong?”
“...”
Although Gust and Wesley hadn’t been overly loud, Marcus and Kay had both been well within earshot.
Marcus’s eyes widened as he nearly tripped in surprise. That kid that had battled him to a draw despite being two years younger could only be considered someone who dabbled in magic? How strong was teenager to claim such a thing?
Meanwhile, Kay, who had already experienced Gust’s shamelessness, shook her head yet again, then looked at Wesley with pity in her eyes.
Just what had that kid done in his previous life to deserve been paired with such a bumbling idiot in this one?
…
12 hours later.
As the sun dipped below the western horizon, Clark finally halted, and waved for those behind him to do the same. As they’d been trudging along for most of the last twelve hour, most had been simply putting one foot in front of the other, and hadn’t even paid any attention where they were.
They’d stopped at the edge of a clearing, next to which was a forest. Most in the group nodded when they realized where they were. It wouldn’t do for them to spend the night in the forest, so this looked to be the best place to stop for the night. Clark indeed was a reliable guide.
“We’re stopping for the night! Set up camp! You-” He pointed a few people who were the closest to him. “You, you, and you. Yes, you. You’ll be the first guard shift for tonight.”
Then, he pointed toward the young, handsome man who’d spoken up earlier. “You, and three of your guards. You’ll be the second guard shift tonight.”
Hearing this, the young man’s eyes narrowed, and his entourage seemed ready to explode with fury.
However, the young man’s face quickly broke into a smile. “Of course, Clark.”
“Alright, now that shifts have been settled for the night,
As everyone prepared for the night, Clark and his sons kept watch from the frontmost, easternmost, side. After checking that everyone around them was preoccupied, Clark whispered into one of his sons’ ears.
The son nodded, then quickly ran into the forest, and disappeared among the trees and leaves in mere seconds.
At that moment, for unknown reasons, the young handsome man suddenly smirked.
Seeing this, the beautiful girl beside him asked, “Brother, what happened?”
“Ah? Oh, nothing. Just seems that this trip will be more eventful than we’d thought. Still, nothing we should worry about, I think. After all, Father’s personal guards are at the same level as Silver Knights.”
“Ahh… why don’t we have some fun, then?”
“But of course. Now, let me sleep. I’ve got the second guard shift, remember?”
“Tch, why didn’t you let the guards teach him a lesson for such insolence?”
“We’re among commoners, sister. We should aim to be role models, something for them to aspire to be.”
“...tch.”
Chapter 25
The next morning, the group packed up at sunrise, and wearily started their eastern march.
Seeing that most of those following him were dragging their feet, Clark laughed. “If all you fellows are so tired on the first day, you’ve got a mean road ahead of you all. You’re still on flat ground, for crying out loud.”
To this, a bearded man grumbled. “It’s not the damn walking, it’s the damn time of day.”
Meanwhile the handsome and beautiful brother-sister duo, as well as their guards, were among those who weren’t dragging their feet. Instead, they walked with their heads held high, their strides calm, peaceful, and controlled.
After a few hours, not only were many in the group tired, and sleep deprived, but they were hungry as well, leading many to complain to Clark.
“Feel free to stop if you want, but we’re going to reach our destination within an hour. Surely a group of daring adventurers such as yourselves would be able to hold out for an hour, hm?”
Those who’d been complaining all glared at Clark, but didn’t speak any further. After all, it wasn’t as if Clark was wrong - if their destination for the day was indeed only an hour away, it made more sense to hold out.
However, Clark’s words made them very uncomfortable - had they really lost their rough edge during their wait in Border Town? After all, some of them had stayed in Border Town for nearly half a year, and had grown used to their simple routines.
…
An hour later, those in the front of the pack could see some ruins. A broken fence there, a few dilapidated, destroyed houses here and there… and grotesquely, some humanoid skeleton dotted the landscape.
The handsome young male couldn’t help but turn to Clark and ask, “Are those… the remains of Unity Town?”
Clark didn’t even turn around responding.
“Yes. Once a town with several thousand inhabitants, one night, they’d been ambushed by the Silver Hawk tribe. Funnily enough, the residents of Unity Town had named their town as such because they’d hoped to build an alliance and live together with the mountain tribes.
“As such, they’d been completely unprepared for such an attack. Most of those who’d died in the massacre hadn’t even had time to climb out of bed before being stabbed in the heart.”
The beautiful young woman questioned Clark. “You speak as if you had been there.”
“... I only heard from survivors. Anyway,” Clark raised his voice to address the entire group. “We might as well spread out and set up camp here for the day and rest. The next ten days will be extremely hard for you all, so be sure to eat your fill and rest as well as you can today.
“Feel free to explore the surroundings, but don’t go off too far.”
; As the group dispersed, Wesley craned his head towards Gust. “This… is your hometown?”
“Yeah.”
The two walked through the remnants of the town, hand in hand. The entire time, Gust’s brow was furrowed.
This was his birthplace, his hometown. Yet, he could barely remember any of it, except for a few flashes that came and passed like the tide.
Finally, the two passed through to a broken down house with a layout that was far bigger than most of the surrounding buildings.
Memory Seal- Volume 1 Page 15