Chapter 26: Bloody Episode on the Road

A bit of light pierced the cloudy skies of late winter as a prelude to the upcoming season of warm spring. The midday sun was as hot as ever in trying to part the cold, a bit of light shedding on a speeding steed on the rugged terrain below.

On the back of this black horse were two people, a young man, and an even younger girl. The former stood calmly on the horse's rear unbothered by the imbalance of the steed as it sped forward— it was truly mind-numbing how he stood there, not falling with each kick of the hindlegs.

On the saddle, Lexia mounted this horse. Hands clutching the reigns tightly in reflection of her anxiety. She felt the dry ropes somewhat sticky in her palms, lips pursed as she fought the urge to glance back and check whether or not her big brother fell off.

His presence was wholly concealed from her perception for a few hours now and try as she might, his words sting rang in her ears.

"Look back once and you've failed me."

Kevin wanted to give her the illusion that he could no longer help or get involved with her. Thus, he taught her how to ride the horse and thanks to her enhanced intelligence and sense of orientation, this was no difficult matter.

As Kevin narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance, a faint smile crept on his face as he took one stealthy step back. Unnoticed by either the mount or the rider, he faded into a cloud of sand and rubble in the black steed's wake.

Moments passed as Lexia struggled with herself, wondering if her big brother fell off the horse at some point during the long day travel. As she was contemplating, an arrow formation of seven riders broke into her field of vision the same she did into theirs.

Alarmed, Lexia pulled on the reigns of her horse to stop but the speed was already quite fast; it took her a moment for the steed to pull down the momentum and pause under the cloudy sky.

The neighing of horses quickly followed as the group of seven closed in a half circle around Lexia, their faces covered up be it with cloth or dirt as the heavy clothing on their figures accentuated robust bodies.

"What do we have here? Lass, you lost or something?"

"That's a fine little horsy, little miss— mine is bigger, albeit not much prettier if you ask me. Haha!"

"What's a little girl doing all the way here? Boss, let's just pass time with her before we continue on our way to that little noble house's family."

The boss who was in the center of the semi-enclosed formation rubbed his chin while deep in thought. He was very tempted to say the least, but he was also confused as to how this little girl made it all the way here on her own.

He warily inspected the surroundings and shouted, "Some of you expand the search diameter for anything fishy! If you find anything, quickly come back and report to me!"

"Yes, boss!"

Three people out of the seven immediately rushed out on their horses to search the three general directions opposing their travel route. In their simple minds, no one would be hiding in the direction which they've come from. Thus, they followed the routes flanking and behind Lexia.

Lexia quickly noticed that she was surrounded by four people and this in turn brought back some unpleasant memories. She wasn't stupid; she had already inferred from their actions and choice of words that her big brother wasn't nearby; even Lexia had no idea how far he was from here.

Lexia inspected the four riders that closed in tightly on their horses, leaving her no avenue of retreat whatsoever. This time though, she didn't panic off the drop of a hat as she was mentally prepared. Kevin made sure to prepare her for these small episodes on their way.

Lexia took a deep breath despite her rioting emotions.

This time; her body and mind were in sync, leaving her restless heart behind as the former two made the resolve to advance forward.

She was a novice with a margin of control over her mana and mental power at this point; enough to follow Kevin's instructions and enhance her body with a bit of help from her mind.

Combat spells she did lack but combat experience she had plenty for someone her age. With a silver flicker of cold in the depths of her eyes, Lexia dismounted the horse and unsheathed a thin yet long rapier sword from the side-saddle.

Her swift actions startled the boss from his deep thoughts while he rubbed away at the stubble beneath the cloth on his face.

"Oh?"

His eyes twinkled with a bit of amusement as the little girl took a stance with her body leaning forward with the right foot, sword held vertically and parallel to her straight figure. "Someone play with this little girl, I'm thinking!"

He waved it off for youthful ignorance.

"Haha, allow me!"

It was a man with a lean build who spoke. No cloth covered his face as scars and dirt twisted together to obscure his features. Add his jarring voice into the mix, and the result might have been a screaming Lexia kicking away with her feet if this happened a while back.

Now, however, she made sure to completely ignore her fiercely beating heart and the anxiety within as she didn't banter around to entertain these people.

As the lean man dismounted and was in motion, Lexia rushed forward despite his taunting laughter and the teasing eyes of the crowd.

The boss's eyes dilated as he made it out to shout a warning to this silly underling of his, though it was a bit too late.

Lexia's small figure was boosted with pulses of mana as she rushed under the lean man's chin just as he realized something was off. Biting her bottom lip till it gushed with the blood of pain and remorse, Lexia stabbed her needle-like sword through the lean man's throat, and up his skull, it sailed.

She drew the sword that sparkled with the warm crimson of the dead and without a moment of relent, she maneuvered around the stumbling body and aimed for the boss who was about to scream his warnings.

Alarmed, he tugged the reigns of his horse, hard.

The horse screamed and up on its hind legs stood, front hooves waving about to smash down on Lexia who was on a roll. Adrenaline rushed to her head as she spun in place and dodged to the side; her rapier wasn't meant for slashing or parrying.

The boss was also a seasoned fighter and knew that danger lurked in the sharp-pointed tip of the sword; it was meant to stab and pierce not cut and slash.

Perhaps if it was a standard double-edged sword or a saber, he wouldn't have opted to use the legs of his horse as a shield lest he desired for the opponent to outright cut them off.

Alas, he didn't account for the fact Lexia had long since awakened as a mage and stepped into the ranks of the novice; her focus and strength were realms above her age and the means of ordinary combatants.

Though her steps were snowflake-light, borderline silent, they were by no means slow. Before the horse could settle down on all four, she circled to the rear through the blind spot provided by the horse, where the boss's back was most vulnerable, and stabbed her sword through.

This boss was in the process of controlling his mount while racking his brain on how to deal with the current situation when a sensation not unlike a needle piercing his skin numbed his senses.

It came and went in a brief instant but the sensation was ghastly profound.

The horse neighed and raved around in the air with its feet for a few seconds and descended; awaiting instructions that weren't about to come.

The boss peered through disbelieving eyes at his chest as a patch of blood slowly dyed the thick layers of his clothing crimson. He gasped, lost for words.

What was this? What happened?

He wanted to turn his head and look back, but one extra heartbeat and his heart exploded in his chest, blood gushed out from his mouth and his eyes lost their light very much quicker than his thoughts could wander.

Out from the shadow of a dying man and confused horse walked the little girl.

Her sword shook just like her hand, and the wave carried to her body. She jerked— about to lurch and empty her stomach then and there. She held on and wiped at her pale lips, feeling whatever mana pulsing through her body on the verge of running dry. The other two didn't know she was running low on energy, though. All they saw was a little monster out for blood; blood they weren't willing to give out.

Thus, almost on cue, they turned their tail and darted away with their horses and cursed while at it; loud.

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