Capítulo 4: The Border
Days passed like swift horses, the towns, villages and forests soon began to wane in sight until what laid before them were barren wastelands.
A frown settled on Hyde's face as looked outside the window, it simply meant that he couldn't hunt anymore. He propped his legs up on the small table, receiving a grunt from Rhine who was busy reading another grimoire. Now that he thought of it… "Don't you get dizzy from reading?"
"Ah, how observant of you to finally notice…" Rhine carefully placed a bookmark on the book before shutting it, "You see little brother, there's a spell called perspicuitatem which helps me to see clearly without any trouble."
Hyde's lips twitched slightly as he laid his head back on the couch, "That could have helped me have better vision in hunting?"
"Oh, now that I've thought of it, most likely yes." Rhine's lips formed into a smile as she placed some stray strands of hair behind her ears, "But you won't be able to use it now in this desert, such a pity."
Hyde let out a huff, "Well I don't need such a silly thing after all. I've caught a good amount of both deer and rabbit on my own don't you say Gus?" He looked at the man beside him who have grown quieter as they traveled further and further.
"Of course, sir Hyde." The butler replied, their attention seemed to be focused on the vast land before them. Hyde sighed inwardly but crossed his arms. It can't be helped, the stretch of sand was kind of captivating.
"Ah such pride, but you do admit that magic can certainly help."
The young man resumed a sitting position and placed his hands on the table, "Just you watch Rhine, I'll go hunt for scorpions and rattlesnakes once we stop tonight!"
"That's dangerous! I don't see any reason for you to do such a thing." The young woman shook her head, were there any cure poisons she could use in case things sour up?
A loud sigh escaped from Gus' as the two turned to gaze at the man, "There's more to fear than rattlesnakes and scorpions my lady." His voice weary as he mustered a smile, the sun would soon set. His shoulders heaved down like sacks of stone were burdened on him as he turned to the young man, "If possible sir Hyde, please rein yourself from hunting, we are nearly at the edge of our territory and I don't think the dwellers in the next land would like disturbances."
"We're just at the border? Oh man, this trip is really going to take a while." Hyde scratched his head, the man beside him seemed to have his energy getting drained. The usually polite smile on Gus' face now seemed to be unhinged, his brows knitted together and his posture stiff like a measuring ruler.
"Hyde you heard him okay? Gus said you shouldn't do any hunting." Rhine's voice was firm as her hands clutched her brother's. "Mother would be upset if you get harmed."
The young nobleman blew a raspberry but nodded his head, what could be more dangerous than poisonous creatures?
***
The 20th hour at the perimeter of the land of Nyx
"Ah crap. I knew this was a bad idea." Gus cursed as he stabbed Hyde's blade at the ghoulish creature's chest and pulled it out, a foul liquid gushing out as the creature littered unto the ground. He then focused his gaze on the darkness that laid before him, "If you guys want to live, stay behind me."
Hyde's entire body shook, worse than when Rhine had mistakenly almost made encased him in an ice cube. Broken arrow shafts were clutched in his hand as he took careful steps towards the carriage. "I-I had no idea..."
"Ignorance is inexcusable." Gus glanced back for a moment at Hyde before his dark eyes finally settled on the young red haired woman clutching her grimoire in one hand and the other on a small lantern, "Rhine can you cast lux?"
"T-that's going to attract more of these creatures!" The young woman shook her head, her eyes darting around their vicinity.
The butler faced her, his gaze hardening, "Would you rather be killed blindly? Cast it!"
Rhine bit her lip before she began the incantation, "Listen to my plea, brightness come forth--" The fire broke free from the lantern and exploded into the dark sky, radiating an orb of light.
Hyde's body froze as the ghoul on the ground lunged at Gus from behind, "G-Gus!"
The man sidestepped and sliced the blade at his previous spot, beheading the ghoul, "That wasn't so hard now right Rhine?" He turned back to face the wasteland before them and stepped further, "Now it's going to be easier to survive tonight."
"W-what do you mean?" Rhine asked, the orb flickering as she stared at the ground, trying to maintain her concentration. The horrendous odor not helping at all. She already made a mistake to cast a spell so close to another source of light, she couldn't fail them now.
"Y-you can't possibly mean staying up all night to fight ghouls?" Hyde's gaze flitted to the left as he threw one of the arrowheads at another one drawing near to them. It stuck to the ghoul's chest but it kept on lurching forward. He couldn't freeze up, he couldn't stand down, not at this rate.
"Welcome to the land of death."
Hyde cursed as he threw another shaft towards the creature, "How could this be so close to our kingdom?"
"You'll get used to it."
"Argh!!!" He started chucking the remained at the creature. "Take this! Die!!!"
The butler's lips curved up slightly, "Try channeling that anger more resourcefully. Take this." He flung the sword at the young man and then pulled out a knife from his breast pocket.
Hyde gawked and leaped to the side, the sword dropping onto the ground.
"Ack! You could have sliced me Gus!" He grabbed the sword and ran towards the creature.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Rustle_Roots
Rustle_Roots Well I guess I'll be posting twice today. It's 1:22am and I missed my deadline haha.
Now what to say without embarrassing this sleep deprived person...
How is this chapter? I'm picking up the pace in the story!
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder