120 Come, come into the forest
The night has fallen, moonlight in the sky radiating the way of Justice, Vale, and Henry through the forest and the road. They weren’t stopping even for a drink or something to eat, they only stop in order to make the horses have some rest. That was the time Brom and Darla could finally catch up with them.
“Must you leave us behind like that, Captain?!” Brom glared at the three of them while he needs to take a deep breath after another tiring journey.
Darla took the horses to the small stream where the other three horses were already enjoying some refreshing water. She took five homemade pills from her pouch and gave them to all the horses. Henry saw her and was curious about the pills.
“What is that?” Asked Henry, pointing at the leftover pills in Darla’s hand.
“Energy pill, so the horses would not be easily tired and sick.” Said Darla to Henry, she looks at Henry and tried to pry for more answers, “I am sorry, captain, but I need to be asking you something.”
Henry looks at her and curiosity also comes to him. “Yes, what is it?”
“It maybe looks like that I was prying in, but... How come the four of you could be so obsessed with Anne?” Before Henry could answer her properly, she raised her hand and said, “I mean, I am happy for her, but the four of you seem a bit of excessive with your fascination towards her.”
“I am sorry Darla, if only we could give you the proper explanation,” Said Henry to Darla, he then gave her another reason for his feeling for Anne, “But I could tell you with much confidence, that I... We are so much in love with her and care for her wellbeing, she gave us something that we never had before.”
Smiling at Henry, she nodded her head, “That’s all I wanted to ask, captain, thank you so much.”
.....
Half an hour later, they were on the road again, mountains and valley, and they will reach Viora village soon.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtVale smelled something foul, an unpleasant odor that make his nose wrung. He screamed at Justice, just to make sure that he also smells the odor, “Justice! did you smell it?!”
Justice nodded his head, and with a frown, he told Vale about the odor. “Yeah, that was burning flesh.”
“This is bad! Something definitely happened at the village!” Screamed Henry. He even tried to make his horse run faster.
Brom begins to cast a powerful spell, a spell called Insight, which could give him a better sight of anything that is in front of him, miles and miles away. Using an insight spell, he gets to see Viora’s village right away. What he saw was something out of a horror show. Burning buildings and houses, avalanches that trapped people inside their houses, wailing and desperation everywhere.
“Brom, what did you see?” Asked Darla, she knows about the new powerful spell that Brom has gained.
After a while, he cast off the spell and looked frustrated into Darla. “Not good. We need to stop before we reached Viora village.”
“Let’s ask them to stop, for now. I’ll take care of the horses and you speak with them.” Said Darla to Brom.
Brom requested them to stop, and while Darla took the horses to eat, he speak to the three of them about the situation in the Viora village.
“Captain, I was gaining the new powerful spell that acquired me to see afar with my eyes, and what I saw in Viora village is not good.” He looked into Vale and tried to convey the message as calmly as he could.
Vale, Henry, and Justice look at each other. They are not ready to hear that what they were afraid of s becoming the truth now.
“Tell me, what happened there?” Asked Vale to Brom.
Taking a deep breath, Brom let out his concern, “About the earthquake, turns out it was the truth, captain... There was an earthquake and everything inside the villager was destroyed.”
The devastating news makes the three of them stunned and horrified. Justice still holds hope that the rumor about the incident in the Viora village turns out to be false, but it wasn’t the case. Henry curses and even punches one of the trees. Vale shook his head and with a pale face, he turn his attention to Brom.
“No! Are you sure, Brom?” Asked Vale to his subordinate.
Brom gave him a grim look, his memory still fresh with what was in store for them at Viora village, “I’m afraid so, captain.”
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Justice screamed at all of them. He was panicking.
Brom hold into Justice’s shoulder, and prevented him from going to his horse, “Wait, your majesty, I need to tell you something as well.”
Justice looks at him with a frown on his face, “What is it?”
“I saw Anne, and she was trapped inside of jail bubble deep into the forest beside a drained lake.” Brom finally gave the information that he withheld for a moment.
Vale turns his head to Justice. “It is the forest where you have met with the witch of the mountain, right?” Asked Vale to Justice.
“Yes, I saw her there, with an unconscious Anne...” He went quiet for a short time, and with frustration in his voice, Justice rustled his hair, “Gods! This complicated all of it.”
“Yes, we need to save the villagers, but also Anne.” Vale agreed with Justice. He tried to find an excellent way to get through this predicament.
Not long after, a big bird with silver furs flew lower to them. Silver Hawk was here, he perch on Vale’s shoulder and gave them some news.
‘Master, captain Xavier was already inside the Viora village. He brought the werewolf pack with him.’
All of them were surprised by the news. Vale talks to his familiar before jumping into his horse. “Good job, Silver Hawk. You can get some rest now.”
‘I must refuse the order, for now, master,’ Said Silver Hawk to Vale. ‘I wanted to help you, and will take the liberty of resting afterward.’
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmSmiling at his familiar, Vale brushed into Silver Hawk’s fur, “Thank you Silver Hawk, but remember to get into my shadow when you’re tired.”
Rushing into the village, Justice, Vale, and Henry were anxious as soon as they heard about Xavier that arrived early in the village.
“Gods! He must be using his werewolf power to reach the village. He probably enrages right now.” Muttered Justice.
“Knowing Xavier, you’re probably right,” Henry told Justice with a slight smirk on his face. Henry calmed down for a bit after they heard the news about Xavier.
They were right. As soon as they reached the village, the werewolf pack was already working to save the villagers, although there were casualties. At least they can minimize it after evacuating them to the safest point of the area.
Xavier was already transforming back, and when Justice saw him, he shook his head in desperation, “We need healers. There were too many victims, this is bad, and I don’t even see Anne everywhere.”
“Sabrina, go to Ventopi and asked for Healer’s request.” Henry talked to his familiar, and soon after, a small red bird came from his shadow and flew away.
Looking around the ruined village, Justice asked Xavier about another two people, “Where’s Martha and Ed? Did you see them?”
“No... I asked the villagers, but there were no signs of them everywhere.” Xavier shook his head with a grim face.
Cursed at the bad news, Justice called for his sword and asked the other three to follow him, “I know where Anne was. Let’s go and prepare your weapon.” He walks with his weapon ready in his hand. “We have a witch to kill.”
The four of them step carefully into the forest, the condition of the forest is still the same as three months ago. The charred trees with only black and sadness inside this forest, Vale saw something that make him gasp. There was a big hole in the ground, with a light coming from under the hole, a rainbow color light.
Dropping into the ground, Vale calls for everyone to see what he found. “You need to see this... This is the first impact of the earthquake.”
“So, the earthquake was coming from here?” Said Justice, observing the big hole in the ground.
“Yes, your majesty, did you like my work?” Said a woman’s voice from one side of the large tree.
They ready the weapon and put a defensive mode into the source of the voice. The witch of the mountain was standing in front of them, with her beautiful long black hair, slender body, and her rainbow color eyes. She smiled at them and, in a seductive manner spoke to all of them while embracing the tree.
“Hello, my heroes, so lovely that I finally see all of you together like this.” Said the woman whom they called the witch of the mountain.