Sarah finished speaking, but Isaiah asked a question. ''Why would they throw him away? Tiefel said he's powerful, and the spells he can use are unusual?''
She shrugged. ''The Duke is a proud man; he was shamed in front of the surrounding nobles, who, as you know, spread the news, causing the Duke to overreact and banish him.''
She was looking at the handsome boy who only had one person in this world who he cared about. ''But the Duke will come to regret what he has done.''
Sarah couldn't stand to see the boy spiraling even more, so she jumped out of the carriage and approached him. As she got close, she asked. ''Archer, are you okay?''
He was muttering to himself. ''No, no, not okay at all.''
''I'm sorry, I didn't intend to pry. I just noticed you're talking to yourself, and I was concerned,'' Sarah asked.
''It's alright; I'm not sure if I'm talking to myself or someone else; a lot is happening in my head now,'' He replied while shaking his head.
''I understand. Would you like to talk about it?''
Archer looked at her before replying. ''It's personal.''
Sarah continued to walk alongside him. ''That's what I'm here for; it's not good to keep all those thoughts and feelings to yourself; they can consume you.''
Nodding while looking at him. When he heard her, he sighed. ''I don't even know where to start. I've been through so much, and it keeps haunting me, the memories, the nightmares; it's all so real.''
She placed a hand on his shoulder as she spoke. ''I'm listening.''
Archer trembled at her touch and quickly backed away from her before trying to speak. He didn't want to talk about it yet; it was still a sore subject for him; she noticed his hesitation and spoke calmly.
''That's okay. You can talk to me whenever you feel ready.'' Sarah smiled at him and returned to the carriage; he watched her walk away as he remembered her words.
After their talk, he managed to calm down the violent turmoil wrecking his brain by thinking of Ella's smile.
He decided to train his short sword mastery skill when they camped for the night. A month passed just like that, and the caravan was only attacked twice: once by a pack of goblins and once by more wolves.
Archer managed to kill ten goblins and eleven wolves, which netted him a lot of experience and heart. He laughed as he slaughtered the beasts, spooking everyone in the caravan except Sarah and the group Fate's Fortune, who watched with sad faces.
The wolves attacked during the first month, and the goblins attacked as they crossed the Cardina Bridge. The bridge was crossing the Serpent River on the Rhodora Kingdom's side of the border.
Archer thought the kingdom must be in chaos for them not to clear a bunch of goblins ambushing people by the bridge. As they were walking down the old-looking stone road, Archer checked his status.
[Experience: 2050/3000.]
[Level Up: 47>48]
[SP: 0>21]
[Cosmic Shield: 2>3]
[Cosmic Sword: 2>3]
[Eldritch Blast: 2>3]
[Fire Missiles: 3>4]
[Fireball: 0>1]
[Aura-Detector 0>1]
[Short Sword Mastery : 0>2]
Archer was happy. Although he could have gained a lot more experience, he trained his sword skill, managing to get it to Level 2. because of practice, many of his spells also leveled up.
The caravan approached an open mountain pass, and Archer was sent to scout ahead with Baradar. As they reached the top of the hill, they were met with a chilling sight. The open mountain pass dirt road stretched out before them, dark and menacing against the muted sky.
Jagged rocks lined the sides of the path, seeming to loom over the narrow way like sharp teeth waiting to devour anyone who dared pass through. The cold wind blowing through the valley below added an eerie soundtrack to the scene, howling through the twisting mountain peaks and carrying a faint, unsettling whisper.
It was as if the pass itself was alive, and it could sense the fear that crept into people's hearts. Despite the creeping dread, Archer could not help but stare down into the abyss below.
There was something magnetic, almost hypnotic, about the mountain pass, as if it held some hidden secrets and mysteries that begged to be uncovered. But as the seconds ticked by, the darkness of the pass worsened, which scared some of the caravan guards.
He stepped back, staying safely perched on the hilltop rather than venturing into the unknown. Archer looked at the tall blonde man and saw the man's green eyes widen. Barador was shocked by what he saw before them.
They nodded at each other and quickly returned to the caravan. As they walked back, Archer asked, ''Why are we transporting carriages of food and other materials instead of storing them in storage rings?''
Barador looked at the boy and laughed before answering. ''Well, Arch, food is perishable in the rings, so there's no point using those for food; the guild members do have things stored in the rings, such as clothes and medical supplies, but they can't store food, so they keep them in ice chests to last longer.''
Sarah, the head guard Arthur, and the man in charge of the caravan, Elric Hardwillow, manager of the Hardwillow merchant family, were accompanying them.
The two arrived before the group, and Elric turned towards them, ''So what was there?''
Barador answered the man, ''The mountain pass looks clear, but there's something strange about it. I suggest we travel through it at first light as it will be dark by the time we reach it.''
Sarah and Arthur agreed, but Elric didn't and voiced his objection, ''No, we travel now to the guild; we are four days away, so let's not waste time.''
Everyone tried to protest, but Elric didn't hear it, so the caravan continued towards the mountain pass. When they reached the entrance, it was already dark. The men who knew light spells surrounded the caravan and lit up the area.
The group who helped with the wendigos also stayed, thanks to Sarah convincing them to join the mission. Archer was sitting on the roof of the first carriage. He had his Aura Detection on and picked up nothing.
Hours passed as they traveled through the mountains, and that's when he picked up three signatures moving toward them. He quickly stood up and aimed in the direction of firing an Eldritch Blast without warning anyone, and the night was lit up with a violet glow as the blast hit something.
Something fell from the sky smashing next to the road a few meters in front of the caravan, Archer made his way over to it and looked at the thing. It was a giant bat-looking creature with wyvern-like wings and twitching. Archer summoned his sword and stabbed the beast in the head.
The thing stopped moving, and he stored it in his item box. However, as he turned around, he saw two adventurers being picked up and dragged off screaming. Jaen was firing water spears at the beasts, Baradar was shooting arrows at them, and Tiefel was healing the injured guards.
Isaiah rallied everyone and managed to take one down by hitting it with an aura slash, and the two beasts were taken down with some effort.
The caravan lost three men and had four injured, which Tiefel and another mage were healing. After the wounded were healed, the caravan started moving again.
A few hours later, more flying beasts attacked, but they were prepared this time. Spells flew towards them, tearing their wings apart and causing them to smash into the ground.
Archer fired some fire missiles into two things, bringing them to a burning stop. As the beasts dropped, he ran over and started looting them.
He got six hearts from all the beasts and stored them away. The bat beasts he killed gave him 3000 experience, so he wanted to kill more.
They continued as Archer was eating some sweets and checked his status.
'Status.'
[Experience: 300/3000]
[Level Up: 48>49]
[SP: 0>2]
"Stop, we're camping here for the night!" the head guard, Arthur, called out from the front.
As the moon rose high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the land, the creepy grassland took on a new dimension of strangeness. The tall stalks of grass rustled and swayed to the rhythm of the cool night breeze, casting strange shadows on the ground below.
The sky was dark and clear, save for the occasional cloud that would pass overhead, blocking out the eerie, silver light of the moon. But the large rocks, jutting from the earth, seemed alive at night.
They stood like silent sentinels around the grassland, casting ominous shadows that seemed to twist and turn with every gust of wind. The rocks looked almost like figures, frozen in time, watching over the fearsome landscape, waiting for something or someone.
Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord
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Editor: Ayce-o-Spade.
[Check out my other novels, The Runner's Odyssey and Darkness - A Tale Of The Lost One's Journey]
The wind howled through the valley, whispering secrets only the rocks and the grass could hear.
The air was thick with otherworldly energy, like the fabric of reality had grown thin, and anything could burst forth from the land at any moment.
A creeping sense of unease only intensified in the inky blackness of the night, as the observer felt like they were walking on the cusp of something both mysterious and terrifying.
Archer was staring into the distance, wondering why there were grasslands here. As he was thinking, Tiefel walked up behind him. ''Little guy, why do you have that look on your face?''
He turned to face her. ''Why are there grasslands in the middle of a mountain pass? I don't get it.''
Tiefel started to laugh as she covered her mouth. Archer looked up at the woman with blonde hair and amber eyes.
He noticed she was pretty tall for an elf. ''What's so funny?''
She stopped laughing as she answered. ''Well, this mountain range is called The Giant Mountains. Historians say the giants once had a city here, and they had magic that could revitalize the soil and allow crops to be grown.''
Archer nodded his head with a smile. The camp was set up, but the only issue was there were no trees for him to sleep in.
As he looked around, he pulled out a meat wrap and started eating. Sarah approached him. ''Archer, I have a tent set up for you. Follow me.''
When Archer followed her, he saw a small tent set up not far from the green tents of the guild staff, and he thanked Sarah as he entered the tent.
He pulled out a honey brew and started drinking. It tasted really sweet and gave him a warm feeling that spread throughout his body.
Sitting on the bedroll, he started eating the ten hearts he looted. Once he finished eating, he checked his status.
'Status.'
[Experience: 1300>3000]
[SP: 2>12]
He saved the points and got comfortable on the bedroll, falling into a deep sleep and having another horrible nightmare.
In the nightmare, Archer desperately clung to Ella's hand, trying to hold on tight as she pulled away from him.
Her face was twisted in pain and sorrow, and her eyes told a story of heartbreak and loss. Archer could feel his own heart breaking into a million pieces as he watched her slip away.
He tried to scream out her name, to convince her to stay, but no sound came from his lips, and she kept moving further and further away.
She was disappearing, and Archer knew he was losing her forever. He ran after her, blindly pursuing her, but she was always just out of reach.
Her voice echoed through the darkness, telling him that she had to go, that they couldn't be together.
It was worse than any physical pain he had ever experienced, like something was tearing him apart from the inside out.
Finally, he collapsed on the ground, helpless and alone, as Ella disappeared into nothingness.
He was left with a deep feeling of loss and despair as if the world had become a little bit darker and colder without her in it.
The nightmare was a cruel twist of fate, reminding him of how fragile happiness could be and how easily everything he loved could be taken away.
Archer woke up in a panic, looking around. Remembering Sarah gave him a tent to sleep in, he heard talking and laughing as he got up.
He cast cleanse on himself and changed into a new set of clothes. He tidied up his messy hair while stepping out of the tent.
Archer saw Tiefel, Barador, and Isaiah sitting around a campfire while cooking. Jaen was nowhere to be found.
Tiefel noticed him and called him over. ''Little guy, come over here and have some breakfast!''
He walked towards them and took a seat. As he did, Barador flicked his horns, causing a jarring feeling to run throughout his body.
Archer slapped his hand away, causing Barardor to laugh as he rubbed It, feeling a slight sting.
He complimented him. ''Wow, little man, you're quite strong, especially since you're so little.''
They all started laughing, and Archer let out a small chuckle as Tiefel handed him a bowl. Looking in, he saw a soup-looking food and bits of meat.
He took the spoon and started eating. The meat tasted like pork; the soup was spicy and nice.
Archer pulled out a fizzle fig and drank it. The drink tasted fruity, and he noticed everyone staring at him with wide eyes.
When he noticed them, he asked. ''What's wrong?''
Isaiah spoke before anyone else could. ''How much stuff do you have in your storage? For the last month, we have seen you pull out all sorts of stuff. Now fess up.''
Archer looked at him while he finished his soup. He put down the bowl while pulling out some chocolate and started eating. ''Food and drinks.''
Everyone looked at him like he was an idiot. Tiefel spoke up as silence took over the group. ''He meant, what kind of food do you have.''
''Chocolate, sweets, pastries, and other goodies, and I bought one hundred drinks from a stall before we left,'' Archer answered nonchalantly.
Everyone's eyes opened wide as they heard him speak. Barador looked at him. ''Why do you have so much food?''
Now, it was Archer's turn to stare at the man like an idiot, causing the old man to bark out. ''Don't look at me like that boy!''
Tiefel laughed at her husband, seeing him get flustered. Archer just stared at the elf while eating chocolate. ''Because I like food and knew I'd be away for a while, I bought extra.''
They all nodded while finishing their food, and Archer watched the guards who started packing up the camp.
A couple of hours later, they exited the Giant Mountains and entered vast grasslands with a raging river running through it, but the whole caravan could see black smoke in the distance.
Elric stopped the caravan and started talking. ''Be alert and keep an eye out. The noble faction is pushing the royal faction into a desperate situation; only the goddess knows what they will do. Be careful, everyone.''
He motioned for everyone to continue. Karna city wasn't far from the border, so getting there wouldn't take long.
A few hours later, a city could be seen in the distance, and thick black smoke could be seen blotting out the sun.
The caravan crossed a wooden bridge and got close to the city, and the bridge was half a mile away.
More and more beasts appeared, and everyone could see an army battling with goblins, orcs, and trolls in front of the city.
Archer rushed to the front, summoning his two swords, and started killing the goblins he was coming across.
He heard a caravan guard call it a beast wave. From the memories he can piece together, it happens when dungeons become full and the beasts start pouring out.
They ravage lands and slaughter the people, and other beasts try to break off, escaping to other parts of the kingdom.
The caravan guards all charged toward the beasts along with the adventurers. At this point, he was spamming Fire Missiles and cutting beasts down left and right.
Archer took a deep breath, his hand clenching tightly around the hilt of his Cosmic Sword. He had fought beasts before, but this was different.
The goblins, orcs, and trolls had joined forces to take down a human city, and he knew that stopping them would require every ounce of his strength and skill.
As the two armies collided, he swung his sword, cutting down goblins with ease. Feeling the power coursing through the blade, crackling with electricity and charged with cosmic energy.
He cast spells that brought chaos to the enemy's ranks as he fought. With each strike, Archer grew stronger, slaying orcs with a flick of his wrist and summoning bolts of lightning that burned bright against the dark sky.
The goblins, orcs, and trolls fought fiercely, but they were no match for the strength and willpower of Archer or the people fighting behind him.
The battle raged for what seemed like hours, with the fire of combat never ceasing. His stamina faltered as he battled on, but he refused to quit.
That's when he heard the bad news being shouted out. ''More beasts are coming, retreat!''
Adventurers started pulling back, but Archer stepped forward and killed the beasts. The orcs, goblins, and trolls fought desperately to stop him, but he was too quick and powerful.
Leave some comments, power stones, and gifts. It all helps support the book. Artwork in the comments or discord
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Editor: Ayce-o-Spade.
[Check out my other novels, The Runner's Odyssey and Darkness - A Tale Of The Lost One's Journey]