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Forbidden Sphere Chapter 131
They walked toward one of the small fires and sat down around it, the young woman taking a seat next to Stoneheart."How did you end up in such a state?" Snowcloud asked. "And where are your other recruits?"Stoneheart let out a pained sigh. "It all began after we left the Valley. Just a few days from the border, that venomous bitch Amaya—" He paused and shot a look at Snowcloud, seemingly worried that he had offended her."She deserves the title," Snowcloud said. "Continue.""She ambushed us when we had only barely left the Valley," Stoneheart said, his expression somber. "We didn't have a chance."Snowcloud raised an eyebrow. "You were defeated by Amaya? For all her cunning, I never figured her for much of a fighter. How did she manage that?""She wasn't alone," Stoneheart replied. "There were two other novices with her, both Waning Moon scum, along with their recruits. Against three mages and near a thousand skilled fighters, it was a miracle that any of us managed to escape.""You
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 132
Arran felt a moment of apprehension when Snowcloud asked him what to do. He was anything but a strategic genius or a seasoned commander, and he felt a moment of doubt at his ability.Yet after the series of disasters Stoneheart's group had suffered, it was clear that they could not be trusted to lead — perhaps they had learned from their defeats, but Arran wasn't willing to take that risk. Not when his life was at stake.Snowcloud, meanwhile, knew even less of tactics than Arran did. For all her power, she lacked experience in real battles. And, seemingly aware of her limitations, she had now put the burden on Arran.Arran clenched his teeth, suppressing his anxiety. Of all of them, he was probably the best choice to come up with a strategy — something that did not bode well for their chances."The clearing," he said, turning to Stoneheart. "Does it have any exits other than the valley?"Stoneheart shook his head. "The surrounding hills are too steep, and the woods too dense. Perhaps
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 133
Arran led Stoneheart several hundreds of paces into the valley, where he found a spot for the oversized novice to hide in. Within the dense thicket, the raiders shouldn't notice him even if they passed within a few feet."Remember," Arran said. "Don't attack until you hear the sounds of battle."He had already said it earlier, but repeating the command couldn't hurt. If Stoneheart attacked too soon, the whole plan would fall apart."Got it," Stoneheart said. "And good luck.""Same to you," Arran replied.He quickly headed back, seeking out a hidden position halfway between Stoneheart and the clearing at the end of the valley. Here, he would be able to see if the raiders paused to gather their numbers before they entered the clearing.If that happened, it would be a disaster. His only choice would be to wait for the entire group to begin their assault, then attack them from behind. There might still be a chance of victory even then, but he knew it would come at a heavy cost.As he wait
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 134
The fury of battle still coursing through his veins, Arran rushed through the valley, chasing the remaining raiders with an insatiable thirst for blood. Where he found them, they died, and each death further fed his rage.The bloodlust grew stronger with every kill, and the stronger it grew, the more eagerly he killed. Even with an army of a hundred thousand before him, he would have attacked without hesitation.Yet here, the enemy numbers were limited. And with each enemy he killed, it took him longer to find the next one. The search frustrated him, and he ran faster, killed more quickly, fearful of losing even a single one of his prey.When he reached the mouth of the valley, he could see tracks leading in all directions. Impatient to continue the massacre, he chose one at random, then rushed forward with the boundless strength that surged through his body.He caught the man who left the tracks within moments, then cut him down in seconds. When he heard muffled voices in the distanc
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 135
"Let's go," Snowcloud said. "The others have set up a new camp, about an hour from here. While we walk, you can finally tell me what happened." She gave him a calm glance, then added, "It certainly took you long enough.""You knew?" Arran asked, startled.Snowcloud let out a weak laugh. "We've been training together for weeks. You think I failed to notice how your injuries healed in hours?" She shook her head. "Of course I knew something happened. I just didn't know what.""Why didn't you say something before?""I trusted that you would tell me if it became necessary," Snowcloud replied flatly. "And it seems I was right."It was not an answer Arran expected, and briefly, he found himself at a loss for words.For years, he had anxiously guarded his secrets from all those he met, learning to always have lies at the ready for those questions he could not answer. But now, Snowcloud had simply said that she trusted him enough not to pry into his affairs.He did not completely understand wh
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 136
"So what's the plan?" Stoneheart asked.They were sitting at the edge of the camp, far enough from the others that they could talk in private. Even so, Arran could see the recruits and villagers occasionally shooting nervous looks at him, and he understood that they had seen the aftermath of the massacre."We can't fight them," Snowcloud said. "The main force will receive word of what happened soon enough, and when that happens, it won't just be a single raiding party that comes after us." Brow furrowed, she shook her head. "The only way for us to find safety is with your uncle."Stoneheart's face fell, and he sighed deeply, whatever hopes he had for Snowcloud's plan clearly gone. "He's over a hundred miles north of here, with thousands of enemies in between. There's no way for a group this large to pass unnoticed.""That's why I'm going alone," Snowcloud said. "By myself, I have a good chance of slipping past them, and I should be able to get there in a day or two.""You're leaving u
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 137
"Can't sleep either?"Stoneheart's voice was weary as he sat down next to Arran, and from the way he moved, it was obvious that his injuries were hindering him.Arran shrugged. "We'll be departing soon enough, anyway," he said. "How are your injuries?""Not too bad," Stoneheart replied, picking at one of his bandages. "That food of yours helped, too. How did you get so much food with Natural Essence, anyway?""Just a bit of luck," Arran said, unwilling to elaborate."You seem to have a lot of that." As Stoneheart spoke, Arran thought he could hear some bitterness in the tall novice's voice."I've had my share of luck," Arran agreed, "both good and bad.""I could do with some of the former," Stoneheart said dejectedly. "Ever since I crossed the border, it's been one disaster after another. I never thought it would be like this."Finally, Arran couldn't take it anymore. When he first met Stoneheart, the novice had been annoyingly confident and boastful, speaking in grand terms about the
Forbidden Sphere Chapter 138
Arran ran until his lungs felt like they would explode, sprinting with all the speed he had in him. There would only be a single chance to get this right, and he would not let it go to waste.Along the way, he encountered a lone raider scout. The man died as soon Arran caught sight of him, body bisected by a Windblade.He briefly felt another stir of bloodlust as the scout fell, but with a ranged attack, the effect seemed weaker. Either way, he could not give into it — not now, with a far more devastating attack at the tips of his fingers.When he finally thought he had gone far enough, he paused for some moments to catch his breath. The wind was still strong — that was good. It would play an important role in the battle to come.If it worked, it would be a massacre that no sword could match. And if they were particularly lucky, it wouldn't just be the closest raiding parties that died. But either way, the attack would buy them days, not hours.Arran took a look around and soon found