It took a long time for the oracle’s results to come out, but preparing to leave was quick. A tense atmosphere enveloped the entire village.
Kassel tried to persuade Hudintin until just before departure.
“If the person identified by the oracle is indeed Rai, I promise to go. I will do my best to ensure this ritual succeeds. So, please ally with Lutia. It’s the way for both of us to survive. If Lutia falls to this unknown enemy attacking you, naturally, that enemy will target you next.”
Previously, Lofin had been rather indifferent in interpreting, but this time, he actively conveyed Kassel’s opinion. However, Hudintin and the other elderly Lemifs were as stubborn as their age.
“That makes sense. However, the number of warriors we have is barely enough to protect this village. How can you ask us to leave our posts, knowing the enemies could attack at any time, Worg?”
Hudintin no longer called Kassel ‘Ugeh’ but used the Lemif word for wolf, ‘Worg’. Kassel was disappointed but did not try to persuade further.
“Then, I will entrust the fate of Lutia to your wisdom. Hold another meeting, cast the lots again, and receive another oracle. If your gods wish to protect you, they will surely send an oracle to aid Lutia.”
Tanya was also greatly disappointed, but it was too late to turn back. Kassel spent the evening, until the preparations for departure were complete, sitting in front of a house with its roof spread out, lost in thought.
Tanya sat next to him.
“Tanya, I was thankful you were there earlier.”
“You say thank you too often for no reason. There’s no need for such courtesy.”
Tanya regretted her words immediately.
‘I was too harsh. I should’ve just said it’s okay.’
While Tanya was thinking of an apology, Kassel said.
“Don’t be too guarded.”
Kassel stretched his legs out and leaned against the wall.
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
Tanya stared hard at Kassel, and belatedly realized her gaze must’ve seemed ‘like that of a coldly glaring witch.’
“I know you find me pathetic and dislike me. But don’t push me away too much. It must be uncomfortable for you to be entangled with me, but it wasn’t my intention.”
Kassel hesitated a bit before correcting himself.
“Of course, it’s true that my affection is part of that intention.”
“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying right now.”
Tanya asked sincerely. However, Kassel was flustered.
‘He was so confident in front of Rai, why is he so timid now?’
As Kassel said, Tanya found him pathetic. And his following words were even more pitiful.
“So, I mean…, uh, once this is over, I won’t make Tanya uncomfortable anymore, so I hope you can bear with me a little longer.”
It felt like Kassel had come with a bucket of water to douse a fire burning in her heart.
“I understand.”
Tanya replied coldly.
“My mission is to safely escort you to Lutia, and I wish we could avoid discomfort until then. That’s enough, right?”
“Yes. And… I…”
“Go on.”
“I hope you don’t dislike me too much.”
“I never have.”
“It was really because my legs were weak earlier.”
“Earlier? When?”
“When we were coming out of Rai’s prison… when I leaned on…”
“Why does that matter?”
“Ah, never mind. Nothing.”
Tanya was frustrated.
‘What does he want to say?’
“I’ll help when it’s tough. And I don’t hate you or find you pathetic. Come, sit here and rest. We still have some time before we leave, so you might as well catch some sleep.”
“Thank you.”
Kassel said, as if blaming himself.
“I wish…, I could be stronger.”
“You are strong enough.”
Kassel smiled softly, then leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. And like a lie, he fell asleep. Tanya, feeling a bit tired herself, leaned against the wall next to him.
‘I could fall asleep right now too. I’m really tired.’
Just as she was about to drift off, Tanya realized what Kassel had been trying to say. She saw his face as he slept, having exhaled a long breath.
‘He was bothered by leaning on me earlier. He didn’t want to show weakness or to have relied on me, and he wasn’t trying to make excuses for having ulterior motives. And I rebuffed him for that.’
Tanya sighed to herself.
‘He must have misunderstood me completely. He’ll think I pushed him away just now. And this man, keeping his manners with women, will retreat if pushed, the poor thing.’
Tanya closed her eyes again to sleep.
‘Don’t listen just now! What happened to the determination you had when pulling in Lofin and pushing against Rai?’
☆ ☆ ☆
When she opened her eyes, Tanya saw a large Lemif blocking the sunset. She thought it was Pankentin, but it was Rai.
Tanya instinctively clutched the bead on her chest.
“It’s time to leave.”
Rai spoke in a clumsy tone and walked towards the village entrance. A few guards still meaningless followed him.
Tanya woke Kassel, who had yet to rise.
As soon as Kassel woke up, he asked.
“How long did I sleep?”
“Considering the sun hasn’t set, not much. About an hour?”
“My whole body feels stiff from running all night. Are you okay, Tanya?”
Kassel, still drowsy, stretched himself out.
“I’m used to it.”
Kassel massaged his body here and there, then staggered as he walked.
“Kassel.”
Tanya called him to stop for a moment.
“Yes.”
“About what you said earlier.”
“Yes?”
Kassel’s eyes widened.
“I don’t think you’re pathetic at all. Not in the slightest.”
Tanya said firmly. Kassel slowly nodded.
“Thank you.”
Kassel spoke with a voice still groggy from sleep, smiling.
“And I can be quite blunt. It’s a habit I picked up from traveling alone for so long. So, Kassel…”
Tanya suddenly found herself at a loss for words. Seeing Kassel’s expectant eyes, she knew she couldn’t ponder for long.
“…get used to it.”
Tanya wanted to smack herself in the face.
‘Tanya, what are you even saying?’
But Kassel took it well.
“Yes, I’ll get used to it.”
Kassel turned with a smile. Tanya tried to smile back, but it didn’t quite work.
‘A sorceress at a loss for words. I’ll have to relinquish my Master title as soon as I get back to Lutia.’
At the village entrance, the three individuals identified by the oracle, Sinabia, Lofin, and Rai, were already waiting. Around them were twenty-five Lemifs armed with spears and swords, and Pankentin who was in charge of them. Sinabia, whose hair color was as blue as the sky, which Kassel hadn’t noticed in the dark, turned her head towards Kassel and Tanya at the sound of their footsteps. She flipped her wavy hair over her shoulder and greeted them.
“It’s surprising. I didn’t expect to be doing this with you two. It makes me realize my foresight is still lacking.”
“Me neither.”
Tanya responded.
Kassel whispered to Lofin.
“A lot of Lemifs are coming along. Didn’t you say it would be a small group?”
“It is a small group. Last time, there were over a hundred. The Fvoe tribes will be blocking the paths. Even if we need to go with a small group, we can’t expect to enter Nontil’s territory without any battles. That’s why Pankentin is coming along as a guard.”
Lofin explained.
Pankentin glared at Rai and Kassel with sharp eyes, but Rai was indifferent, and Kassel tried to ignore it.
Men from the Zvi tribe usually had short hair, but Rai’s was exceptionally long. He had braided it and let it hang down to his chest, like a woman. It looked comical on such a large man.
“Pankentin seems to have a lot of complaints about me.”
Kassel whispered.
“Well, it’s your fault he can’t participate in the dragon awakening ritual, so imagine how upset he must be?”
Lofin replied with a laugh.
As they received a send-off from many Lemifs, the group left the village.
Leading the way was Lofin, designated as ‘the fastest walker.’ Behind him were Kassel, ‘the white-haired wolf,’ and next to him, Tanya, ‘the sorceress from the Sky Mountains.’ Sinabia, blind but ‘the priestess who would awaken the dragon,’ walked under Pankentin’s escort, who guided her around many obstacles on the road, making her blindness seem hardly a disadvantage.
‘The one who flies the fastest,’ Rai, alternated between walking slowly and quickly at his own pace. However, there was no sudden deviation as many Lemifs feared. He seemed to have no intention of doing so.
“Are you worried about Lutia?”
Kassel asked.
“Does it show on my face?”
Tanya asked. Kassel nodded.
“This will help Lutia, I agree. But it doesn’t feel as tangible as actually running around in Lutia itself. I can’t help but worry.”
“Yes. It wasn’t necessary for me to react to the oracle and involve you…”
“It’s not your fault, Kassel! If I hadn’t wanted to, no amount of pleading would have convinced me. Don’t apologize.”
Tanya shouted.
Kassel nodded, but this time, he wasn’t as timid as before. It seemed he had really decided to get used to Tanya’s way of speaking.
“Yes, we are here to protect Lutia. We will make it so.”
Hearing Kassel’s confident voice, Tanya felt encouraged, almost without realizing it.
‘Rai would believe this courage is what he wanted. If the crisis could be solved by adding my strength, then it could be resolved without me. There are six Masters in Lutia stronger than me. So, if Lutia needs help, it won’t be from the seventh Master but from a completely different power.’
Tanya hoped that this entirely different power would emerge from somewhere other than Lutia, perhaps here in Larden.
“And Master Dethain mentioned that Azwin and Gerald went missing somewhere in the Sky Mountains. If Lutia can’t find them, perhaps the Lemifs will.”
Kassel said, holding onto hope.
Tanya agreed.
“The forest is their domain. If things end well, Hopet will actively help in the search.”
Time was the issue. Both for Lutia and for the two missing White Wolves.
However, Tanya didn’t know how specifically this issue of time would come to trouble them. It wasn’t until the next day that they realized it was already too late to control.
☆ ☆ ☆
As night fell, their pace slowed. Both Kassel and Tanya, tired, relied on the small lantern Lofin carried. Neither Sinabia nor Tanya used their magical lighting, which could easily reveal their position to enemies. Only the gem embedded in Kassel’s sword faintly glowed in the darkness. Lofin’s sword sometimes glowed, more often did not.
When Sinabia showed signs of tiredness, Pankentin picked her up. Given his size, she looked almost like a doll in his arms. She looked towards Tanya and spoke in a soft voice.
“Our positions are different. I am protected by someone, while you protect others. I wished for a healthy body like yours, but the gods did not grant me abilities beyond what I was meant to have.”
She fell asleep against Pankentin’s chest as if a daughter nestled in her father’s embrace. In some ways, having someone to rely on to that extent was enviable. When she saw women relying on men due to their frail bodies, Tanya often thought of Tailed. Throughout her life, aside from her mentor, no man had ever seen her innermost thoughts. There was no need, nor did she want it.
“I’ve been curious since yesterday, how does Lofin find his way so well?”
Kassel asked with a sleepy voice.
“When you travel a lot, you naturally get good at it.”
Lofin replied in a similarly drowsy tone.
“One of my friends is a hunter, but he can’t find his way in the Sky Mountains. This place is like that. Do you have a special tool?”
Lofin tapped the sword at his waist.
“To find your way in forests like this without losing direction, a person from Acrand needs one of two things: magic or a token of Nadiuren. My sword is one such token. With it, navigating the forest is as easy as it is in Acrand. Not that it’s easy, given how dense these woods are.”
“So, my friend could run through the forest with one of these?”
“It depends on the individual’s effort and skill.”
“So, I just need to get a token of Nadiuren. How do you acquire something like that?”
Lofin laughed dismissively.
“It sounds to me like you’re saying, ‘Wow, you’re wearing clothes. Where can I get some?’ Hey, if someone already carries a token of Nadiuren at their waist, what else is there to get?”
Kassel looked down at his own sword in surprise.
“This sword?”
“While Lergo made it, the metal for the sword was personally obtained by Tailed, and the gem set in the handle came from Carnelock. If a sword represents the union of three powers championing humanity, even the goddess of the Sky Mountains must grant passage.”
As if responding to his words, the gem in the handle blinked slowly. Lofin, who had been treating the sword with reverence, stopped walking and whispered to Kassel.
“And this sword holds power beyond just being a token. Remember, the sword’s origin is the Sky Mountains, and its true purpose lies there as well.”
Kassel, tense, held his breath and asked.
“And what is its true purpose?”
“I don’t know.”
Lofin turned and walked away. Tanya, who had been listening with bated breath, frowned.
Kassel grabbed Lofin’s shoulder, pleading.
“Are you saying I should figure this out on my own? You could just tell me, couldn’t you?”
“I said I don’t know.”
“But you said it has a purpose?”
“Yes, it does.”
“So, what is it?”
“I’m telling you, I don’t know.”
“It has a purpose, but you don’t know what it is?”
“Ah! It seems that way.”
“Ah! I see! I thought you were going to say it enhances the lighting effect if carried around in the Sky Mountains.”
Kassel grumbled, and Lofin laughed to death.
‘The laughter that split the day hasn’t healed yet, it seems.’
Feeling the conversation was becoming too farcical, Tanya asked seriously.
“I heard we’re going to awaken a dragon, but what exactly will we be doing?”
The nocturnal song of birds echoed in the darkness. The moisture-laden scent of the trees, carried by the wind, had a fragrance hard to find in the forests of Acrand. But imagining the enemy lurking somewhere in that deep darkness left no room for romance.
“Dragons live for thousands of years but are active for only a few hundred. Most of their time is spent in slumber. Well, ‘slumber’ might not be the right word.”
Lofin scratched his chin and continued.
“It’s better to think of them as being in a standby state, ready to wake at their Lemifs’ call. But not just any Lemif can wake them; would they still be gods then? Humans get irritable if woken from just nine hours of sleep, let alone dragons who sleep for decades or centuries. So, each country, each tribe that rules has one dragon, and only one Lemif can awaken that dragon.”
“That would be Sinabia.”
“Sinabia is of a very high rank among such priestesses. Most sorcerers from Lutia couldn’t breathe in her presence.”
Tanya agreed with his statement.
Lofin continued.
“Moreover, Larden is quite a large nation among those governed by Lemifs, and their dragon holds a high rank in the dragon world. Comparable to the title of ‘Lord,’ it carries the title ‘Le,’ and its name is Nontil. The country serving him bears his name. Combined, it’s Le-Nontil-Larden, the guardian dragon of Larden.”
“If there’s a rank of ‘Lord,’ there must be other ranks too?”
Kassel, unable to resist such discussions, immediately sparkled with interest and asked.
“The ranking system of Aranthia actually comes from the dragons’ hierarchy. Thus, the rank of ‘Lord’ is called ‘Le,’ the rank of ‘Knight’ is ‘Ka,’ and ‘High Lord’ is ‘Sa.’ I don’t know many dragons’ names but…”
“Sa, Le, Ka, in that order, right?”
“To put it simply, ‘Knadil’ would be considered the master of dragons, belonging to the highest rank, thus being called ‘Sa-Knadil.’ Understand? Of course, dragons with the title ‘Sa’ maintain neutrality and therefore do not have a territory associated with their name. And just to clarify, don’t make the mistake of judging a dragon’s power solely by its rank.”
“Wow, the High Lords among humans were impressive, but I can’t even imagine what a Dragon High Lord would be like. What about the black dragon we met? What kind of being is it?”
Lofin scratched the back of his head, as if debating whether to speak.
“Guanil. That one holds the rank of ‘Ka’ and is considered an evil entity among dragons. He is a dragon that should not exist.”
The explanation was brief compared to the buildup.
‘Something’s being concealed in his explanation.’
Tanya noticed. Lofin, as if to cover up what he’d hidden, quickly continued with another explanation.
“The long-standing conflict between the Zvi tribe and the Fvoe tribe stems from here. The Fvoe tribe serves a ‘Ka’ dragon, so the Zvi tribe, serving a ‘Le’ dragon, feels relatively superior. They’ve been in conflict for hundreds of years, and with Guanil’s emergence, it escalated to the point of drawing weapons against each other.”
Lofin organized his thoughts and then fell silent. They walked in silence for a long time, with the following Lemifs not even opening their mouths to speak.
Tanya had many questions for Lofin, but the weight of the silence prevented her from asking. As usual, Kassel broke the silence.
“Could the trigger have been the incident ten years ago?”
Lofin, usually forthright with his answers, didn’t respond to this question. Without waiting for an answer, Kassel continued.
“And Lofin, you said you came here to investigate the incident of Excelon ascending the Sky Mountains, but is your real purpose related to that black dragon…?”
“One thing at a time, junior Wolf. After we finish awakening Nontil, I’ll tell you everything I know. But now is not the time.”
Lofin whispered, then later spoke so softly he was almost inaudible.
“Strictly speaking, our journey to Nontil’s territory itself is part of a religious ritual. Having lived with the Lemifs for so long, I’ve come to dislike disrespecting such rituals. Guanil’s name is akin to the devil’s name among the Lemifs. So, I’d rather not mention it.”
Kassel quickly understood and nodded.
“Understood. I’ll wait.”
Lofin smiled wryly, then stopped walking. He immediately handed the lantern to Kassel and signaled to the following soldiers. The well-trained soldiers raised their spears, guarding all directions. Pankentin, carrying Sinabia, rushed over.
By now, Tanya was quite accustomed to the Lemif pronunciation, so she could somewhat understand Pankentin’s slurred speech.
“What’s happening, Opai?”
Lofin adeptly caught the words. It was puzzling how Lofin could speak Lemif as fluently as Master Golbein, who had studied languages for decades.
Lofin replied in Lemif to Pankentin.
“There are corpses of Mozes ahead.”
“Any enemies?”
“I don’t feel any, but it’s better to check. I’ll go and see.”
“It’s better to go together. Where there are Mozes, Kagua is usually found too.”
“What about Sinabia?”
Asked Lofin, Pankentin woke Sinabia, who seemed as if she might collapse any moment from her frail walk as she descended from his embrace. He knelt and spoke to Sinabia.
“I apologize, Lady Sinabia. I’ll return shortly.”
“Don’t worry about me. The sorceress of Lutia and the captain of the Wolf Knights will protect me. And Rai never harms women.”
The fact that she specifically mentioned it suggested that Pankentin was most concerned about Rai. However, Rai seemed indifferent to everything.
Kassel, who didn’t understand Lemif, seemed to catch that they were talking about Rai. He looked at Rai, who was scanning the trees a few steps away, and said,
“Rai seems to be enjoying his freedom.”
“Does that look like enjoying freedom to you?”
“Doesn’t it?”
“Listening to you, it does seem like it.”
Rai’s face showed no expression, making it hard to tell if he was enjoying himself or just shaking his head to wake up.
“Ensure to keep watch.”
Pankentin gave one last command to the soldiers, then disappeared into the darkness with the lantern-bearing Lofin.
As Lofin’s lantern light faded, the surroundings became significantly darker.
Tanya recalled Kassel’s words from the evening.
“Don’t be always on guard?”
It was accurate. Tanya had assumed everyone she met was an enemy. She never let anyone in. She had no close friends. Excluding the masters of Lutia, she didn’t really have friends among the sorcerers either. Not in Kainswick, among the teachers or the students.
During her journey to find Master Tailed, Tanya encountered many people. Nine out of ten couldn’t stand straight in front of her, and the rest showed her either respect or fear. Even enemies were mostly just afraid of her.
For instance, Sheyden was on the side of respect, Jaymer on the side of fear, and Black was an enemy. There were exceptions like Queen Sanadiel, but those were as rare as Tailed.
Throughout years of travel, Tanya never made companions, nor did she need to. What mattered was her mission and finding her master.
‘Really, you’d abandon that face without a second thought?’
Tailed had confirmed several times when placing the seal on Tanya’s body. She had no hesitation whatsoever.
‘After all, a face scarred by sword cuts holds no allure for me. I consider this seal a blessing.’
After the sealing, Tanya had given up on human relationships entirely. She didn’t forcefully push people away, but she made no effort to forge connections. She thought it would hurt, but surprisingly, it didn’t affect her at all.
Men tried to look away when they saw her, and women avoided her out of fear.
‘It’s what I wanted. It doesn’t bother me.’
Tanya repeated these words like a mantra, and now, they had become automatic.
Thanks to this, Tanya did not hesitate even when facing numerous enemies during her long journey. Desiring to follow her master’s principle of not taking life with magic, she transformed into a wolf to kill only those who absolutely had to die. To those whose evil deeds could not be cleansed even in death, she cursed them to live a life so miserable they would wish for death.
For ordinary people, Tanya’s magic was like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, holding the power over life and death. She felt no need to consider others in this process, nor did she want to. Her single-minded focus towards her goal drew all her concentration to one point.
She forgot personal feelings. Due to an incident in her childhood, she was not swayed by any charming man she met.
…And then she met Kassel in Aranthia. The one she talked to in the library shared her persistence, having worked towards a single goal for a long time. His will to fill his weaknesses due to his fragility was even stronger. He talked a lot about ‘friends.’
He shared stories of how he met his friends, how he saved them, and how they saved him. Wanting to make more friends was one of Kassel’s broader goals. The only consistent thing in his impulsive and reckless actions was ‘friends.’
Even now, Kassel was fighting not for Lutia but for his friends in Lutia. He was helping the Lemifs not for the fate of the Sky Mountains but to find his friends who had gone missing there.
Ironically, since those friends happened to be significant figures, his personal feelings did not interfere with public affairs.
Even in the darkness, Kassel quietly spoke about the two friends who had gone missing. He speculated, half-jokingly, about the episodes with the two people in Camort, Azwin and Gerald, who seemed unlikely to get along but actually seemed to like each other.
Kassel’s stories were always interesting. Beyond his eloquence, he tried to entertain his listeners, especially when talking about his friends, his passion seemed to ignite.
In Kassel’s stories, Tanya saw her own reflection wandering the wilderness.
There was no one there.
No matter where she went, there was no one.
Even surrounded by people, she was alone.
‘It doesn’t bother me.’
That was a lie.
In truth, she was lonely. So lonely that she lied to herself it didn’t bother her. Now, she lied again, claiming that lie had become her truth.
One day, aimlessly walking in the wilderness without shelter from the rain, Tanya looked up at the sky. Tears suddenly streamed down her face. She cried in the rain for a long time.
That was when Tanya decided to return to Lutia. She wanted to return to the side of the masters of Lutia, who at least did not fear her.
She didn’t want to hear stories about Kassel’s friends. Because they awakened emotions long forgotten, emotions she needed to forget. But she had no choice but to listen, and the words she shouted in the wilderness came back to her.
‘It doesn’t bother me, I’m okay. Even if I’m not okay, I will be.’
Tanya remembered enduring the cold as she watched the setting sun, hugging her knees. She remembered her solitary footsteps on the white snowfield. She remembered fighting alone against sorcerers who borrowed the devil’s magic.
‘I’m okay being alone. I am Tailed’s disciple. I will not admit to being weak.’
Now, that misguided lie had boomeranged back as the truth.
She was lonely.
She wanted to be with someone.
The more happily Kassel talked about Azwin and Gerald, the more miserable she felt.
‘Kassel, if you had shared such adventures with me…’
Her vision blurred with tears, then cleared as they fell.
‘…would you talk about our times together to someone else with the same passion?’
“…So, in the end, it seems like Azwin pretends not to like Gerald. Admitting it would mean accepting it, which she hates. On the other hand, Gerald is aggressively proactive about everything else but pretends otherwise when it comes to Azwin. So, to outsiders, they seem to be at odds… Tanya?”
Kassel stopped talking.
Tanya’s necklace, reacting to her emotions, emitted a faint light. Her tears sparkled in its glow. She hurriedly turned away and wiped her tears.
“So, are they still stuck in that same old pattern?”
Tanya asked, trying to show she was paying attention.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
Asked Kassel.
‘This inconsiderate, forward man. Just let this go!’
Tanya turned away and was about to wave her hand, insisting it was nothing and to leave her alone for a bit.
‘No! Don’t do it. I don’t want Kassel to think of me as a cold-hearted woman.’
Tanya folded her extended hand.
“I was just reminded of the past for a moment. Tears come for no reason sometimes.”
Tanya dimmed the light of the bead and steadied her breathing.
“It seems my story stirred up some memories for you.”
“It did. But I’m okay now.”
Kassel didn’t press further.
‘Dangerous. I almost spoke too frankly.’
Tanya steadied her heart. She didn’t want to easily tear down the walls she had built in her mind over more than ten years. It would mean admitting that her past wounds were superficial.
‘Remember the time you tried to take your own life. Remember the scars you carved on your own face with your hands. My life exists not because I have to live, but because I’m already dead. Don’t forget that. Forget whatever emotions are surfacing now. Kassel said it himself. After this is over, we’ll go our separate ways without any hard feelings. It has to be that way.’
Tanya made a vow to herself.
Then Sinabia spoke to her in Lemif.
“Now that you seem to understand our language a bit, may I speak to you in our tongue?”
“If you speak slowly.”
Tanya responded, unable to take her eyes off Kassel, who was only looking in the direction Lofin had disappeared.
Sinabia spoke in Lemif.
“If you let him go now, he won’t come back.”
Tanya shot Sinabia a sharp look.
‘So that’s why she spoke in Lemif, because Kassel is listening.’
In awkward Lemif, Tanya said,
“The relationship you’re thinking of doesn’t exist between Kassel and me! Are you now trying to interfere in my personal life after looking into my past?”
Sinabia’s beauty didn’t fade even in such a place.
“I don’t know the feelings between you and the Ugeh.”
Sinabia’s voice sounded clearer in the forest than it would in a dark chamber.
“Once, Lofin said to me, ‘Can you live hundreds of years without love, just as a priestess?’ He said that because he doesn’t understand the emotions Lemifs have. What’s natural for me isn’t for him. That’s why I could only explain it this way. Queen Sanadiel of Aranthia has been alone for a thousand years but has never felt lonely or regretted being alone.”
To the queen, the Wolf Knights were like her children, and she regarded the Guardian Knight, who changes as frequently as the Grand Master of Lutia, almost like a lover. She had no reason to feel lonely. Sinabia, even with her eyes closed, pointed exactly where Kassel was.
“Look at him. I can’t see his face, but I can hear deep agony in his breath. Who is at fault? I do not know. But he believes the fault lies with him.”
Tanya had no energy to reply. Tears seemed about to fall again. Her tear ducts strangely couldn’t be controlled.
Before she became a sorceress after meeting Tailed, she remembered how much of a crybaby she was. It wasn’t that she was easily broken, but such habits didn’t easily change. Like Kassel, Sinabia was uncovering too many memories Tanya had long concealed.
“Now he is looking for someone to lean on. The person I saw in my memories, when he met someone to lean on, he truly exhibited his strong power. He is like a roof.”
Sinabia gestured as if illustrating a roof with her hands.
“The stronger the pillars that support it, the wider the roof can spread. Conversely, without support, it cannot stand alone. He was a farmer when it was time to farm, became a remnant soldier in a defeated army, a righteous thief among thieves, and a politician among politicians. And when the White Wolves supported him, he became the captain of the White Wolves. Now, it’s your turn.”
“I can’t be a pillar that supports someone.”
“I mentioned earlier, didn’t I? You, who protect men, and me, protected by men. I envied you.”
Sinabia spread her palms towards the sky, and white light dust formed the shapes of a wolf and a tree.
“To us, a tree represents a sorcerer. The sorcerer from the Sky Mountains and the White Wolf. As soon as I heard from the oracle that these two elements had intervened in Larden’s fate, I knew you two would influence the entire course of events.”
Sinabia folded her hands again, and the light dust she created floated in the air above Tanya’s head.
“You are the only one who can protect Kassel. And if you open your heart first, Kassel will surely give you what you want.”
Tanya closed her eyes and let the magic of the disappearing light dust wash over her.
“Sinabia, did you also read the prophecy the Queen of Aranthia gave me?”
“Yes, the teasing prophecy about your ‘lover.'”
“All your advice up to now, was it with that in mind?”
Sinabia understood exactly which part Tanya was concerned about and smiled.
“My ability to read the past is nothing compared to Queen Sanadiel’s prophecy. And as I promised, I haven’t delved into your past. I’ve only reevaluated Kassel’s past and your present. You don’t have to think too hard about it. What Kassel needs now is a friend. And isn’t it the same for you?”
“Lemifs say they do not lie, but I find your words hard to believe now.”
Sinabia smiled broadly, and Tanya, not used to smiling in such a way, awkwardly returned the smile.
“Thank you, Sinabia.”
Tanya turned back to Kassel. He turned around upon hearing her footsteps. He was about to say something first but stopped upon seeing Tanya intending to speak. Tanya also hesitated at the same moment, resulting in an awkward silence as they both tried to be considerate.
Tanya gathered her resolve and spoke up.
“Kassel…”
At that moment, the sound of rustling approached with the lantern. Lofin and Pankentin had returned.
“Guanil is nearby.”
Lofin announced.
“This is Nontil’s territory, isn’t it?”
Kassel, who had been preparing to listen to Tanya, suddenly stood up and asked. He seemed relieved that Lofin appeared just when Tanya was about to speak, indirectly evidencing his discomfort at the moment. Tanya lamented Lofin’s timing.
“Yes, we are already within Nontil’s territory. The fact that Guanil is roaming around means something bad has happened. We need to hurry. I’ll explain more as we go.”
☆ ☆ ☆
Lofin chose a slightly detoured route from the original direction. Although there was no specific time to adhere to, their pace quickened compared to before. Sinabia, who had been diligently following, soon called for Pankentin to carry her again, and he gladly complied, walking behind Tanya.
Rai moved slowly if they moved slowly and quickly if they sped up. The Lemifs did not speak to him, and he had remained silent since leaving the village.
“We found corpses of Mozes where we went to scout.”
Lofin explained.
Tanya had seen Master Irine bring in the corpse of a monster for research, a beast she had never seen before. It had short legs, long arms, and its body was covered in filthy fur, with a blunt nose that made its face protrude forward. But more than any other feature, its red eyes made the creature look both evil and powerful. The entire eyeball seemed soaked in blood, devoid of pupils.
“I’m not sure who did it, but we found signs of a fierce battle where some army clashed, and near there were also Guanil’s footprints. It’s hard to be certain in the dark, but it seemed like the Mozes were ambushed. The presence of barefoot tracks and scattered feathers suggested that Lemifs’ forces had been there and gone…”
Lofin trailed off, then suddenly asked Kassel,
“Are you thinking about something else?”
“Excuse me?”
Kassel, who seemed to be listening attentively, was startled and responded. Quick to notice, Lofin glanced at Tanya’s face.
“Did you two have a fight?”
Tanya wanted to resolve any issues between her and Kassel privately. She didn’t want Lofin intervening here and now. So, she asked with a deliberately stern face,
“Why are the Mozes here?”
Lofin smiled as if he were an old man who could see further ahead. Instead of the unpleasant joke she was expecting, he only provided an objective account.
“Lately, Larden has been threatened not just by Fvoe Lemifs but also by the Mozes. In just the last month, there have been two battles. Each time, we killed a large number of Mozes, but the damage on our side was severe.”
Lofin raised the lantern higher as he looked ahead again.
“That’s the second reason why Hudintin won’t send reinforcements to Lutia. You said that if the Mozes take over Lutia, Larden won’t be safe either? What if we send reinforcements to Lutia? Damn it, we’re in danger while I’m explaining this.”
Lofin slowly set down the lantern and signaled Pankentin with his palm facing down. He set Sinabia down, and the soldiers prepared for battle.
“Tanya, you don’t have to hide the light anymore.”
Lofin said.
Tanya lifted the bead, and blue light spilled in all directions. Red eyes reflected Tanya’s magical light, floating in front of them. They were Mozes.
“About a hundred of them.”
Lofin estimated the number and issued commands in Lemif to everyone.
“Gather around Sinabia.”
Pankentin relayed the order, and the soldiers swiftly formed a protective circle around Sinabia. Tanya and Kassel also stood by Sinabia’s side.
Kassel’s face met Tanya’s, then he looked away. Continuing their earlier conversation in this situation seemed utterly absurd. But as time passed, the awkwardness only deepened. Eventually, Tanya, unable to think of anything else to say, simply spoke.
“Stay close to me.”
Tanya chanted a spell and shot blue light at the Mozes in front of them. The semicircle of Mozes encircling them collapsed on one side, and the battle began.
Lofin was the first to draw his sword and charge into the darkness. Each time his sword struck the Mozes, red light shattered the darkness. His movements were so smooth it was hard to believe he was one-armed.
Pankentin stood by Sinabia’s side, ready to fend off attacks. However, the Mozes attacked only the other soldiers and avoided the towering giant. As he moved towards where the Mozes were, soldiers in another direction got attacked; when he went to assist them, another area was assaulted. The Mozes moved around the circle protecting Sinabia, attacking where Pankentin wasn’t.
Unable to bear it, he broke out of the circle and leaped among the Mozes, cutting them down with incredible swordsmanship alongside Lofin. But for the remaining Lemifs excluding Lofin and Pankentin, it was a tough fight. One Moze was enough to grapple with two Lemif soldiers.
Where Lofin and Pankentin stood, there were no issues, but the rest of the perimeter quickly broke, exposing Sinabia to danger.
Suddenly, five Mozes charged at Sinabia. Other soldiers rushed in, but their hasty attack led to four deaths. Tanya quickly dispatched three Mozes with her magic, but one managed to swing its blunt club at Sinabia. Blind, Sinabia felt the club descending towards her forehead and flinched.
The club swung by the Moze was blocked by a Lemif’s forearm before it could reach Sinabia, snapping in half. The Moze dumbfoundedly stared at the broken end of its club. The Lemif standing in front of Sinabia was Rai.
Discarding its club, the Moze charged at Rai immediately. However, Rai grabbed the Moze by its neck with one hand and flung it into the air. The Moze disappeared beyond the branches and didn’t come back down, as if it had gotten caught on something.
A few more Mozes rushed at Sinabia. But Rai, with bare hands, struck down the red-eyed beasts, breaking their necks. Despite being significantly larger than the other Lemifs, Rai agilely dodged the Mozes’ claws and blades.
Most of the Mozes that broke through the perimeter were demolished by Tanya and Rai.
‘Is he helping? If he can fly, avoiding them wouldn’t have been an issue.’
While dealing with the Mozes, Tanya glanced at Rai several times, who was standing back to back with her around Sinabia. Pankentin had ultimately not given Rai a weapon. Yet, there was no hindrance to him fighting. Tanya could somewhat understand Pankentin’s concern that handing him a weapon might lead him to turn it against his own.
Suddenly, Sinabia let out a small scream. Neither Tanya nor Rai was off guard. They eliminated all the Mozes approaching Sinabia. However, they couldn’t prevent one whose half body was torn apart and bleeding profusely from crawling towards Sinabia and biting her ankle.
Kassel, who was assisting other Lemifs with his sword, happened to be nearby. He inverted his sword and stabbed the back of the Moze biting Sinabia’s ankle. But even with half its body torn away, it didn’t let go of her ankle.
It took time to redirect the magical energy from outward to inward. Transforming into a wolf was faster. Tanya dropped the bead and grabbed the head of the Moze biting Sinabia’s ankle with her bare hands. Fur sprouted from the back of her hand, turning into a wolf’s paw.
With the teeth of a wolf, Tanya bit into the Moze’s neck, breaking its bones. As the neck detached, blood spurted from the Moze’s torso, soaking Kassel’s hands, Tanya’s head, and Sinabia’s ankle in red.
Tanya quickly attacked the Mozes rushing towards Sinabia. The sight of this giant wolf and Rai, attacking from the sky, caused the Mozes to panic and collide with each other as they fled.
Tanya threw away the Moze in her mouth and spat out the filthy blood. Even after transforming back into a human, the taste of blood lingered, so she spat again.
“Worg.”
The Lemifs murmured in awe.
“Worg.”
“Lado Worg.”
‘They’re mistaking me for the White Wolf.’
It was a natural misunderstanding for those who didn’t know she was from the Wolf Knights.
The Mozes that Lofin was fighting also retreated. He shook off the blood from his sword and returned to stand in front of Rai. Rai was still holding the ragged corpse of a Moze in one hand.
Lofin asked Rai in Lemif,
“Have you decided to fight?”
“This isn’t a fight.”
Rai tossed the corpse aside. It hit a tree, and the Moze’s body dangled. He bent down, staring directly into Lofin’s face, and spoke provocatively,
“I call fighting someone of your caliber a fight. I stepped back in the prison because I wanted to fight unbound.”
“Ask Kassel about that. If he agrees, I won’t avoid it. Wasn’t that the condition for your release?”
Lofin avoided the provocation just enough, probably thinking Kassel wouldn’t agree. But Rai did not ask Kassel either.
The short battle had significant casualties. Nearly ten soldiers died or were severely injured, unable to move, and five more were hurt badly enough to trouble walking. However, perhaps the most significant damage was to Sinabia.
Tanya used magic to stop the bleeding, but walking was impossible.
‘She only cried out once, even though it must have hurt terribly.’
Sinabia seemed weak but was surprisingly strong. Yet, with her bones crushed, she might never walk again.
‘Blind, and now she can’t walk either.’
Tanya apologized for not being able to protect her despite being right there, but Pankentin burst into tears, blaming himself. It wasn’t the Mozes but his own momentary pride that had left Sinabia’s side, he said.
Sinabia, pale from pain and blood loss, placed her hand on the kneeling Pankentin’s head. Her white wings trembled as she bore the pain. Being a race that knows no lies, she didn’t even offer a perfunctory reassurance. Her body couldn’t lie either.
“Pankentin, my warrior. Now that I have lost my feet, please be my legs. My fate here has not yet been decided.”
“I will, Sinabia. I will never leave your side again.”
Understanding the Lemifs’ hierarchical relationships was difficult, but in this act of sacrifice by Sinabia, Tanya saw true forgiveness. Pankentin cried as he wrapped her wounds, and Sinabia bore the pain stoically. Watching this, Kassel offered Tanya a handkerchief.
“Wipe it off. You’ve got a lot of blood on you.”
After wiping her face, indeed, a lot of blood had smeared off. Tanya tried to return the handkerchief but ended up wiping a few drops of blood from his face herself.
Blood.
The prophecy given directly by the Queen of Aranthia was closely related to blood.
‘The one adorned in the filthy blood symbolizing darkness… will reveal themselves, showing their true form.’
It was a prophecy she had forgotten until now. Tanya brushed off such memories.
Moze were still plentiful nearby, and other malevolent energies overflowed in all directions.
‘Now is not the time to worry about that.’
Tanya offered the handkerchief with a powerless smile. Though she accepted it with a smile, Kassel also remained silent.
“Are you two alright?”
Again, Lofin inserted himself between the two.
“No, not at all.”
Kassel politely answered Lofin.
“Be careful. Lemifs may be immune, but humans can get infected by the poison if scratched even a little by Moze’s claws. Apply medicine immediately if you get any wounds.”
Lofin ordered the wounded soldiers and a few uninjured ones to return, reducing the number of companions. The journey resumed with significantly fewer members. Tanya sighed deeply and followed the group.
After entering Nontil’s territory and being attacked by the Mozes, Pankentin heightened the vigilance. Sinabia, even with her injured leg, actively participated in navigating. Perhaps mindful of the attack by the Fvoe Lemifs a month ago, she advised Lofin on dangerous areas ahead and potential threats.
Lofin, valuing Sinabia’s intuition above his scouting skills, willingly followed her advice. However, not following his chosen path seemed to make Lofin lose his way.
“Be honest. You’re embarrassed right now, aren’t you?”
Kassel bluntly spoke up.
Tanya was surprised by Kassel suddenly picking a fight, and even more so when Lofin burst into laughter upon hearing it. Lofin, ruffling Kassel’s hair mercilessly, said,
“You’re growing on me. What did Quain say about you?”
Kassel, whose stoic expression itself seemed like a joke, chuckled softly.
“He scolded me for seducing the White Wolves with old stories.”
Lofin, lamenting that he couldn’t laugh louder given the situation, chuckled heartily. Tanya wanted to shout to anyone,
‘Where was the joke in Kassel’s words? Why? Am I the weird one? Is it because my feelings have frozen over that I can’t laugh?’
Not having seen the Fvoe Lemifs yet, but knowing their dangerous nature from the atmosphere among the other soldiers, it was almost terror when they heard they were lost. Pankentin was worried, and Sinabia, who had given directions, felt sorry.
Inadvertently, the burden fell on Lofin. Responsible for the lives of those following him, Lofin, however, showed no sign of responsibility, leading everyone as if he was merely hurrying along his way. He didn’t comfort the anxious soldiers, didn’t guide the lost, nor explain where they were wandering, just walked ahead making jokes with Kassel.
Eventually, they found the entrance to Nontil’s cave a couple of hours later than planned. Dawn was breaking. The soldiers were relieved.
“Weren’t we lost?”
Tanya asked quietly, ensuring other Lemifs couldn’t hear, with the cave entrance before them.
“Why do you ask?”
Lofin replied, lowering his voice.
“If we weren’t lost, you could have said so earlier to ease the fear. If we were lost, shouldn’t you have reassured and led the others?”
Lofin chuckled and asked something completely unrelated.
“Do you like men?”
Tanya frowned.
“If it’s not about that, stay away. It’s dangerous to come so close to a man who’s been starved for female company for years.”
His tone didn’t seem like a joke. Tanya glared at him with significant displeasure. However, Lofin didn’t look back.
Tanya used her appearance as a weapon to keep men at bay, speaking in the coldest tone and acting in the coldest manner when dealing with men. Yet, there were always men who tried their luck because she was a woman.
‘Damn. Another unpleasant memory surfaces.’
It wasn’t just discomfort she felt dealing with Lofin; it was instantaneous fear.
‘All this time, I could easily dismiss men with impure intentions towards me because I was confident I could physically overpower them. So, when I meet a man who could overpower me, I’m trapped in fear again.’
Lofin spoke to Kassel.
“We weren’t hiding well; it felt like the enemies were avoiding us.”
“Maybe it was because of Sinabia’s guidance?”
“Had Sinabia not said anything a month ago, would we have been attacked? I expected at least three or four battles. I’m not sure if this is fortunate or not…”
Upon reaching the entrance to Nontil’s cave, they found it hidden by branches and vines with bizarrely shaped statues on either side, standing guard like ministers to a king.
Lofin cut one of the vines, and the others retracted on their own. Kassel was visibly surprised.
“Strange creatures, aren’t they? Here, there are animals that resemble plants and many plants that resemble animals. The moving plants are only capable of catching insects. If I attack them, they run away.”
Lofin had become a villain in Tanya’s eyes but appeared as a compassionate teacher to Kassel. Tanya was boiling inside, unsure of which side to take.
“Do plants eat insects?”
Kassel asked, curious.
“They eat insects and other small animals to supplement their nutrition when they can’t get sunlight. There’s nothing big enough to eat a human, so don’t worry.”
Pankentin approached and set down Sinabia, who knelt in front of a statue and prayed. The other Lemifs also knelt and bowed their heads. Kassel, respecting the ceremony, was about to kneel when Lofin stopped him.
“Only Lemifs of Larden are allowed to kneel before the statue. We must not kneel.”
Lofin read the inscription at the base of the statue, pronouncing some words in Lemif language.
“Le-Nontil-Larden. Fate, ‘Gider’ allows the entry of those who follow. Choice, ‘Cloakoo’ forbids the entry of those not chosen. Where my breath reaches, my power accompanies; where my wisdom reaches, those beings shall worship me… By the name of Nontil, I bless and curse.”
“The words fate and choice are repeated, aren’t they?”
Kassel noted.
“I’ve explained a few times, but to understand the Lemifs, one must understand Gider. The Lemifs follow Gider, and Gider is directly ‘Cloakooed’ by the gods.”
“It’s somewhat clear, yet not.”
“Do you know why I warned you to be cautious of Rai? The Lemifs never lie, but if they think it follows Gider, they won’t hesitate to betray even their allies. The funny part is, if the betrayal is recognized as Gider, the betrayed don’t curse the betrayer. That’s why the word betrayal is rarely used. It’s more often said that ‘they followed the Gider in a bad way.'”
The prayer ended, but Sinabia remained prostrate in front of the statue. The other Lemifs did the same.
Lofin lowered his voice further.
“However, killing another isn’t recognized as Gider according to ancient oracles. The ability to kill members of the Fvoe tribe is because they aren’t recognized as Lemifs.”
Lofin continued in a threatening tone.
“Now, Kassel. You’re not a Lemif protected by Gider, and Rai holds his combat spirit too dear to defy such Gider. Can you still confidently control him to become your subordinate?”
Kassel shrugged his shoulders, a move that was expected to signal a loss of confidence.
“Making him a subordinate might be hard, but it’s worth trying to become friends.”
“Trying to make friends with everyone you meet, huh? Are you applying that method to me now?”
“Does it seem so?”
“It does. But it won’t work on me.”
“Think I’d be disappointed? It didn’t work on Master Irine, after all.”
“She hates talkative men. It’s a mystery how she ended up liking Tailed.”
“Just thinking about the time I faced Master Irine still makes me sweat. How long does the ritual need?”
Sinabia, having finished the prayer, stood up and responded in Lemif language to Kassel’s question.
“A day or two. But if Nontil is preparing to awaken by himself, he might wake up today. However, we can’t know until we meet him.”
Lofin translated for Kassel.
Pankentin supported the limping Sinabia and sat her down next to the statue, then directed the soldiers on guard duty. It seemed he was unclear about how long it would take to meet Nontil. After detailing who would stand guard and when, he said to Sinabia,
“This is as far as my duty goes. From here on, Lofin will lead.”
“Is that so.”
Pankentin, with a stoic face, called Rai and spoke to him in Lemif language.
“You are my replacement, so you must protect Lady Sinabia.”
Rai didn’t respond. Pankentin, wanting a reply, clenched his fist. The atmosphere seemed ripe for a conflict, but Kassel intervened. He couldn’t stand to watch allies fight in front of him.
“Wait. Pankentin, are you only going this far?”
Caught between the two Lemifs, Kassel seemed almost childlike. After Lofin translated Kassel’s words, Pankentin replied as if it were obvious.
“I have not been given the Gider to enter this cave.”
Kassel, upon hearing Lofin’s translation, immediately said,
“But hasn’t the person mentioned in the oracle been incapacitated? If the oracle is correct, doesn’t that mean another warrior is needed to protect the priestess? Gider? I’ll ask Sinabia if I’m understanding this correctly. Pankentin, you’ve caused the ‘awakening priestess’ to be injured by your negligence. Shouldn’t you then take responsibility and protect the priestess’s Gider? Staying here would be like running away from the Gider, wouldn’t it?”
At first glance, Kassel’s words seemed to reprimand Pankentin, but upon reflection, they offered him consideration. It was natural for Kassel, unfamiliar with Lemif customs and the oracle, to be out of place. However, stimulating Pankentin’s desire to accompany Sinabia made him hesitate.
‘This isn’t just consideration; it’s Kassel’s strategy. A meticulous calculation where failure is also a success!’
Tanya was impressed.
Pankentin would naturally resent Kassel for intervening in the oracle. On the other hand, Kassel was pondering how to send reinforcements to Lutia with the help of Pankentin, who held the military power of Larden. Naturally, receiving Pankentin’s resentment was the last thing Kassel wanted. So, Kassel turned that resentment into hesitation and that hesitation into consideration.
Moreover, Sinabia liked Pankentin, and the feeling was mutual. It was unclear if Kassel had calculated that far, but Sinabia had been dragged into his strategy.
“If the oracle is to be followed, then the other four have their duties. However, if any of the four are unable to perform their duties because they are protecting me, then the oracle would be deviated. Pankentin, if you are responsible for injuring me, that responsibility continues until the mission is completed. I agree with Kassel’s thoughts. That’s what I think.”
The application of the oracle could not be so loosely interpreted. If the Hopet of Larden were here, such an act would not be permitted even after a hundred considerations. However, for the group at present, Sinabia’s judgment took precedence over the distant commands of the Hopet.
Pankentin made a difficult decision.
“I will take care of her.”
Pankentin gave Kassel a slight nod. Seeing Kassel’s innocently joyful smile, Tanya was filled with doubts again.
‘No, he didn’t calculate it. He just did it.’
If Kassel really had calculated all this, he would have been a strategist who operates from the shadows. Kassel had never behaved like that.
‘He really intervened for Pankentin’s sake.’
The words Sinabia said at night came to mind.
He had become a survivor among survivors, a politician among politicians, and a White Wolf among the White Wolves. So, what was he becoming now?
After being recognized by Quain and Irine as another master, dealing with Rai, who could be considered a killer in human terms, and now, dodging Pankentin’s resentment, something was revolving around Kassel.
“Was what you said earlier sincere?”
Tanya asked Lofin as he passed by, her voice growling. Often, when she got angry, she reacted like a wolf without realizing it.
“What? Ah, that!”
Lofin stopped and placed his hands on his hips.
“As I said earlier, living among the Lemifs has made it impossible for me to lie. I don’t speak everything that comes to my mouth, but primal emotions just come out. It wasn’t a problem blabbering anything with the Lemifs, but this has become rather unfortunate.”
“You’re very bold. I envy that honesty!”
Tanya sarcastically praised him, knowing it wouldn’t have any effect.
“Why? Got a man you wish was honest?”
“Why do you act so slyly, sir?”
“What can I do about it, being a sir?”
Lofin shrugged his shoulders.
“Look, Lofin.”
Tanya pointed a finger at Lofin’s chest.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on you because of what others say, but don’t disappoint me any further.”
“Funny, Master Tanya. Were there ever people who weren’t disappointed by me? Who would that be? At least I don’t know any such person.”
“At least my master spoke highly of you.”
“Did Tailed ever speak ill of someone?”
Lofin turned and walked away. Tanya was boiling inside but turned her head sharply because of Kassel, who was watching the two with concern.
‘I’ll endure it for Kassel’s sake.’
After re-emphasizing the guard details to the soldiers, Pankentin picked up Sinabia. Lofin led the way, and the other five followed into the cave entrance. Upon entering, Tanya changed her description of the cave to a temple.
From the entrance of the cave, Tanya could see intricately carved reliefs on the walls. They depicted Lemifs kneeling under a large dragon. The rock wall with the relief seemed like black metal, reflecting light brightly when a lantern was shone upon it. Thus, the flickering of the lantern held by Lofin made the carved Lemifs’ wings appear to flutter.
Deeper inside, they encountered an even larger relief than at the entrance. Three dragons protecting the sun and another three protecting the moon were depicted in overlapping images. On the opposite side, what seemed like no drawing at all revealed its outlines when reacting to the blue light from Tanya’s magic orb. It was another picture, an odd creature intertwined with dragons, looking as if mistakenly drawn due to its uncertain form.
As they moved further in, more complex images appeared. Some thought to be reliefs were actually colored with ink, and what were thought to be paintings were finely carved reliefs.
“These are pictures drawn a time beyond our reckoning. They tell the history of Lemifs caring for gods descended from the sky. Dragons were both angels connecting gods and us, and gods themselves. It hasn’t changed even now.”
Sinabia kindly explained in human language. Facing the murals, Sinabia appeared as reverent as when facing the statue outside the cave. Kassel watched the paintings with his mouth slightly open, looking a bit foolish.
The cave widened, and a large wall blocked their path. The lantern light did not reach the ceiling.
“What animal is this?”
Kassel asked.
Tanya also examined the wall Kassel pointed to. At first, she didn’t realize it was a painting, simply because it was too large to take in at a glance.
It was a gigantic bird. The artist who painted this wanted to show that it wasn’t just drawn large but also included countless small Lemifs beneath the bird’s feet. If the proportions in the painting were accurate, this bird could cover the city of Nadium with its wings and cause the towers of Lutia to collapse merely by landing on their tops.
“Nurailfdom.”
Sinabia spoke as if to show what Kassel was pointing at.
“We also call it ‘Nurai.’ It’s a demon that existed in the Sky Mountains long before my mother was born.”
Sinabia spoke as if stating a historical fact.
“It was a monster that slaughtered Lemifs and devoured anything alive it came across. It was even said to eat dragons. Not even Saknadil, the ruler of the Sky Mountains and overseer of all order, could touch it… It disappeared at some point, and no one knows how, but if this monster had continued to live, the Sky Mountains would have become a corner of hell.”
A stone door blocked the area next to the mural of Nurai. Sinabia stepped down from Pankentin’s arms and, standing on one foot, touched the stone door. White light emanated from the tips of her fingers and flowed onto the door.
What seemed like a flat wall revealed finely carved grooves under the light. The milky light filled the grooves, drawing a picture. A tree as gigantic as the mural of Nurai on the huge stone door gradually embraced the light from its roots. The completed tree picture appeared to move slightly, as if swaying in the wind.
Sinabia gently pushed the door. The stone door, which seemed immovable even if hundreds tried, slid open with her gesture. The scraping of stone and the vibration echoed around. Air from a different world flowed through the gap in the door, enveloping the group. The smell of ancient dust pricked their noses, and moisture covered their faces.
Inside the door, there was no light at all, making Lofin’s lantern insufficient. Pankentin lit torches he had prepared and handed one to Kassel and another to Rai, even showing a fearsome intent during the simple act of handing over the torch to Rai, who, however, did not accept it.
Immediately behind the stone door, a spiral staircase led underground. It was steep enough that a misstep could send one tumbling to the bottom. Moreover, it was barely wide enough for two people to pass side by side, with a rough wall on the left and a precipice on the right. The spiraling structure, with its bottomless darkness, resembled a well, and warm air rose from below.
“It’s a good thing it’s dark. How far down do we have to go?”
Kassel asked.
“It won’t take half a day,”
Sinabia said.
“Hmm, if we slip, we’ll have enough time to review our entire lives on the way down.”
Kassel said this and stuck close to the wall as he walked. The stairs themselves were sturdy, but walking next to a sheer cliff for half a day was not a pleasant task for Tanya either. She deliberately did not brighten the area with her magic, letting the three torches burn. Somehow, she wanted to conserve her strength and did not wish to make it brighter.
At first, the spiral staircase made them feel slightly dizzy, but after about an hour, the rotation widened enough that it felt almost like walking in a straight line. The distance that could have been jumped across at the beginning now could not be seen across with just three torches.
“It seems we are in a giant conical space with stairs along its walls. Did the Lemifs’ architectural skills develop to such an extent that they could build this to accommodate dragons?”
Kassel said, twirling his finger in the air.
“It’s more that dragons lived in a naturally formed space, and ancient Lemifs artificially created stairs to visit their gods,”
Lofin said.
“But it doesn’t feel like a temple, filled with an ominous aura,”
Tanya remarked, to which Sinabia responded,
“This place is governed by sacred power. It’s absurd to say it’s filled with an ominous aura.”
“I may not have your prophetic abilities, but I am a sorceress too. I don’t see how such air could circulate in a habitat of a dragon entitled ‘Le.’ Shouldn’t we retreat for a moment to strategize?”
Tanya spoke frankly.
Everyone stopped walking.
“Is it that suspicious?”
Lofin asked.
“I’m just stating a basic strategy. If we’re not being chased, retreating for now might be wise.”
“Should have said so earlier. How long have we been walking!”
Lofin grumbled. Tanya shrugged.
“It wasn’t ominous enough at first to think of retreating. It’s not that bad even now.”
“Actually, as we descended, I also began to feel something was off…”
Before Lofin could finish, Sinabia said,
“That’s not possible. Neither Lemif, Ugeh, nor any power… can go against the Gider of dragons. If we’ve ended up here, we must comply. We have to keep going.”
To Tanya, Sinabia seemed more anxious than anyone else. If she had gained insight into the future through her ability to see the past, she couldn’t be unaware of this ominous premonition. It was precisely because she knew too well that she insisted, perhaps comforting herself.
“Sinabia, you know better, right? I only feel a small part, but aren’t you feeling it very clearly? If something has happened to Nontil, we need to hurry back and…”
“How dare anyone touch a god! Nothing has happened to Nontil. Let’s hurry.”
Sinabia spoke more forcefully. Her once calm face crumbled, and her voice trembled.
“They can be touched. Even dragons.”
Lofin said. Then, leaning forward from Pankentin’s arms, Sinabia opened her mouth.
“Pankentin should be grateful he doesn’t understand human language, Opai. To the Lemifs, dragons are akin to the gods you imagine. Don’t speak so carelessly.”
Even without opening her eyes, Sinabia’s expression, illuminated by the torchlight, appeared terrifying.
“It’s about facing reality. Dragons may be like gods. But they’re not absolute beings.”
Lofin set his torch down for a moment and drew his sword. As it slid from its sheath, red light scattered. Each beam felt as sharp as the blade itself.
“This sword is a Dragon Slayer, created with the purpose of killing dragons. Weapons that can kill dragons exist, and so do humans who can wield them.”
“Vena Esarck?”
Sinabia’s voice, always calm, surged dramatically. It wasn’t just a shrieking high pitch; it was ‘magic’ that shook the very psyche. Startled, Kassel sat down, dropping his torch. The torch, wrapped in oil-soaked cloth, rolled down the stairs, leaving sparks on the floor as it fell into the abyss on the right side of the staircase.
Tanya instinctively covered her ears, and Pankentin squinted one eye, tilting his head back. Rai, though he didn’t drop his torch, shrugged his shoulders. However, Lofin remained unaffected by Sinabia’s magic.
“Put down the sword, Opai!”
Sinabia’s eyelids lifted, revealing her eyes. Instead of the dim eyes of the blind, her pupils shone threateningly, like jewels. She shouted in the Lemif language.
“You are holding a weapon that defiles Nontil’s domain. How could you, having paraded around Larden for years with that sword, and having stood before the Hopet with it? Oh, the foolish priestess who lost her insight. To think it was just a magic sword made in Lutia, not recognizing Vena Esarck until now…”
In front of Sinabia, who raised her voice as if to tear him apart, Lofin, fearless, responded in the Lemif language.
“Don’t blame yourself, Sinabia. A dragon made this sword, and a dragon gave it to me. Le–Ganel–Lendor. There was only one purpose for creating this sword. A dragon that kills dragons, the bastard of the Sky Mountains. To kill Ka–Guanil. Defile Nontil’s domain? Before this sword, they should bow.”
Lofin gently turned the sword and sheathed it again. The red light vanished in an instant, and with one of Kassel’s torches gone, darkness deepened. Lofin quietly added,
“I apologize for mentioning that cursed name here. But this sword too moves within the Lemifs’ Gider. What I’m concerned about is Nontil’s Gider. Tanya is right. This place is filled with an ominous aura that shouldn’t be here. Don’t you know it well, Sinabia? Don’t be confident in Nontil’s power. Say it again. Should we continue down, or should we go back?”
Sinabia glared at Lofin with her jewel-like eyes for a while, her face covered in cold sweat. Pankentin looked back and forth between Lofin and Sinabia with a pitiful gaze.
“Let’s keep going down.”
Sinabia barely managed to close her eyes and speak.
Lofin picked up the lantern he had set down and quickly descended the stairs. Kassel, who did not understand the Lemif conversation, was puzzled by their fierce argument. Tanya pulled Kassel along, following Lofin, and the rest continued down the stairs.
“Why are you all doing this?”
Kassel asked.
“You don’t have the magical sensitivity to feel the unease. Perhaps that’s better. There’s an indescribable, terrible aura sleeping in this cave. That’s why Lofin asked. Should we press on, or turn back? Sinabia said to go on, and Lofin followed her decision.”
“What if it’s something bad?”
Kassel asked again. Tanya didn’t answer.
Finally, the end of the staircase came into view. The torch Kassel had dropped in surprise was still burning on the floor, conveniently in the center of a flat square. No one went to pick up the torch. Lofin ran to the center of the square first.
The bottom of the conical underground chamber was polished like marble. The torchlight reflected as if on a mirror, and like at the entrance, fine grooves were engraved here.
Despite the urgency and anxiety, Tanya couldn’t contain her curiosity and lifted the bead around her neck.
‘If we have to prepare for whatever problem might arise, it’s better to ready the magic in advance.’
Imitating Sinabia’s magic, Tanya sent a blue light onto the floor. The magic filled the grooves in the floor, which resembled black glass, illuminating the entire circular square.
The floor wasn’t made of flatly carved rock but consisted of thousands of flat stone slabs fitted together. As the light penetrated, the grooves on the slabs revealed themselves not as pictures but as text. Each was meticulously engraved with Lemif history and poems praising dragons in an ancient language.
Ideally, one would pay homage and perform rituals on each slab, taking steps while accumulating power for the priestess to awaken the dragon. That was the purpose of the slabs, and the role of the statues erected where there were no slabs. However, Lofin disregarded this, treading on the slabs with his dirtied feet as he ran.
Sinabia did not stop it. Rather, she urged Pankentin to hurry and follow Lofin. At the opposite end of the square was a gigantic door. Its immense size was not meant for Lemifs.
Tanya lifted the bead to illuminate the surroundings. The door, like the cave entrance they first entered, had bizarrely shaped pictures drawn along its grooves. The blue light that Tanya had moved along the floor slabs reached the door, revealing its image.
Tanya stopped her magic. To open the door, a real priestess had to use her unique magic, just like Sinabia did initially. However, there was no need to open the door. One side of the door was broken enough for a person to pass through.
A foul smell wafted through. Kassel was the first to cover his nose, and Rai wrinkled his nostrils.
‘Everyone was wrong!’
Tanya gritted her teeth.
‘It wasn’t just a bad premonition or feeling. There was a real bad smell!’
Lofin was the first to rush through the broken part of the door. Sinabia, Pankentin, Tanya, Kassel, and Rai followed him inside.
Inside was another high-ceilinged room. It was unclear what structure or principle was used, but sunlight from outside entered the room through small holes in the ceiling, even this deep. The floor, covered in emerald-colored tiles, reflected the sunlight, filling the room with a mysterious green light.
In the center of the room lay the largest creature that could be seen on this earth, its head resting on the floor as if it had just fallen into a comfortable sleep. Its long eyelashes, about a hand’s length, fluttered in the slight breeze coming through the broken door.
The giant arm, which could probably hold a person in one hand, stretched out long on the floor. Its long tail reached the end of the room, and its faded wings drooped down.
This blue dragon blended into the green light, becoming one with the room.
“I’m late again.”
Lofin kneeled in front of the dragon’s head. Sinabia, despondent, stumbled out of Pankentin’s arms and walked toward the dragon, only to collapse. She continued to crawl forward, prostrating herself in front of the dragon, wailing.
“Draz… Az Pod… Dbeu, Pod Dbeu…”
Tears streaming from her closed eyes formed large droplets on the sparkling tiles, dropping down like lies. Tanya could not hold back her tears at the tragedy inflicted upon such a beautiful blue dragon.
There was no breath of life from the dragon to fill the room, no heartbeat of the dragon to resonate with everyone’s hearts. A black spear was embedded above the dragon’s head, protruding under its chin, and its wings were nailed down, preventing flight. Blood from the dragon’s head had covered the tiles and solidified into a black, hard crust.
Le–Nontil–Larden lay dead in his sanctuary.
–TL Notes–
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