“Are the demons attacking Svarnabhumi again?”“No, Your Majesty,” replied the counselor. “I would like to inform you that the nobles and dignitaries of the land of Purbha have arrived. Currently, they are heading to the Main City from the harbor at the East Gate.”“Ahh...” came a soft giggle from behind the golden curtain. “Those lowly people are finally willing to listen to my orders.”“Your Majesty,” Dhurm bowed again and still knelt in his position.A servant on the right side approached the emperoress, handing her a cup of drink.That was all that was visible from behind the golden curtain.“They have no choice, Your Majesty,” Dhurm continued. “The latest information we have is that the land of Purbha has been devastated. Only one percent of the territory remains that has not been overrun by the demons.”“Curse them,” said the emperor. “Only when they can no longer survive will they fulfill my command.”“Does Your Majesty have any orders for me?”“No, not yet. How many of them hav
“If you lose your temper so easily,” the father continued, ”believe me, our goals will never be accomplished.”“I know, Father. I know,” the son agreed. “It's just, they... I don't know!”“What are you talking about?”“Or at least,” Ryvel continued, ”they could give us a traveling companion.”Edwar finally opened his eyes and glancing with a frown at his son in disbelief.The son shrugged. “To alleviate the boredom, of course.”“Oh, God...” Edwar snorted and closed his eyes again. “No, you didn't say that to my face.”“But, Father―”“Stop blabbing, Son. I'm trying to sleep here!”“Oh, whatever,” Ryvel muttered, shrugging his shoulders again and casting his gaze out the window.***“We're lucky,” said the ship owner, ”it's not snowing right now.”“But this temperature still makes my feet feel like they're freezing,” said a man in the back.“Otherwise,” continued the owner, ignoring the grumbling of the man behind him, ”it's not just your feet that will freeze, idiot.You'll turn comple
“Are you kidding me?” said the first man. “With just one look, you can decide like that?”“Oh, for God's sake, man,” replies the first man. “Don't you see? They look so pathetic. Besides, why bring all those women and children?”“Who can know their shit?” said the first man. “After all, they're outsiders, man.”“Oh, gosh... that's what you said again.”“Enough of you two,” the chief glared at the two. “Can't you just not fight about everything, huh?”“Sorry, Chief,” the two said.“We're sorry!” the ship owner shouted in response to the chief's question. “We had no ill intentions in coming to Dakhsina, except to hitchhike.”“O-Our homeland has been destroyed!” shouted a man behind the owner.The ship owner frowned. “I told you to shut up, you fools!” he said, his voice suppressed.“But it's true, isn't it?” the man gulped.“What's going on here?” Mathias walked up to the ship owner, still carrying the little girl. “Who are they?”“A native of Dakhsina,” replied the ship owner in a low
“Yeah, you could say that. Although the number of those monster monkeys has been greatly reduced, still, they're a deadly threat to us.”From the snow-covered seaside area, the Larants then led the arrivals to the left, entering a dense white forest with a higher thickness of snow.Mathias assumed that the Larants might have been forced to build a dwelling in the middle of this frigid wilderness.But, were there no beasts or monsters of some kind living in the center of this land? he asked himself.“Come on,” exclaimed the chief. “We're getting closer!”Mathias looked at the men with him. They are exhausted, he thought.But, stopping in the middle of the road like they were at this moment, was certainly not a good idea.So, like it or not, they had to try to hold on with all the energy they had in them.“How did you find out about us?” asked Mathias.The second man chuckled. “Does this have to be asked?”Or perhaps, Larants are very good at disguising their presence in snow-covered co
“Yeah,” Mathias took a deeper breath. “Avenge my sister's death!”The Dyan frowned, taking a long look at the dashing young man before her.“Does that sound so cliché?”“No, don't take me wrong,” the middle-aged woman shook her head. “I didn't say that. However―”“Don't worry,” Mathias interrupted. “I told you before, didn't I? I have no grudge against the people of Dakhsina.”“Well...” the Dyan nodded. “I believe you.”“And now,” he continued with two hands on his waist, “I am torn about how to leave your land safely.”“So, you don't want to stay here any longer?”“I guess I don't.”“Too bad!”Mathias frowned. He felt as if the middle-aged woman before him could sense what he was feeling, and could read what was inside him.The Dyan giggled almost silently.“No,” she said, ”don't look at me like that.” “But I feel that you could―” “About something you're hiding?” the Dyang tugged gently on Mathias' hand, leading him to the edge of the crystal-clear pool of water. “Yes, I can feel tha
“We don't know what causes the earth to shake like this,” Arguan said. “However, the Dyan is right. We must show that we are worthy of acceptance in this land.”“I have no more fears,” said the man to Arguan's left.All eyes were on him.He lightly said, “After all, I don't have anyone else in this world to worry about me,” he continued with a shrug.“What a fool!” muttered the others.But Mathias understood the man. He had been and was in the same situation. To avenge Alicia's death, he wouldn't care about his own life.“There, over there!” Arguan pointed towards the mouth of the cave. “Quick, let's help them!”Upon arriving outside the cave, Mathias and the others were surprised by a pair of giant snake-like creatures with hairy bodies from head to tail.Groarrr!“What the hell is that?” Arguan widened his eyes.“White Serpent!” said another with an increasingly trembling and pale.“Hey!” a Larant shouted at Mathias' group. “Don't just stand there! Help us get rid of these hairy wor
The burst of acid was just a precursor to the next attack.Two equally deadly jaws opened wide, moving quickly, pouncing on Mathias from two opposite directions.But the man let gravity play a role in calculating his movements. He fell so fast that the beast's jaws only cupped empty air.As he slid vertically, Mathias cast his magic to bring forth two bluish swords of light, one in his right hand and one in his left.The Hairy Worm closest to him, the left one, let out a tremendous squeal.The sword of light that was an extension of the man's hand pierced and tore through the creature's body, from top to bottom.Swiiing!As soon as his feet hit the ground, Mathias threw himself to the right, flying as he circled the other Hairy Worm.Crash!Slam!One Hairy Worm floundered, blood from its long wound splashing in all directions. It growled and shrieked in pain, then slammed hard into the ground. It wriggled briefly and then died.The one remaining beast roared even more fiercely, furiou
Right then, the supreme leader of the Larants appeared in front of the cave mouth with six young women.The men bowed to her.The middle-aged woman approached Mathias and the others.“Do you like their meat?” she asked with a wide smile.Mathias smiled slightly. “I never knew.”“From what I hear,” said the Dyan, “the land of Purbha is so fertile and rich in natural resources, everything is abundant. So, it's only natural that you don't know or have never tried to taste the flesh of dragons.”“Yeah,” Mathias gave a small nod. “I suppose it is. But, that was a long time ago. Now, Purbha is just a dead land.”“You know, you have to be careful,” Rashmar continued. “Not all kinds of dragons you can eat their flesh. Most of them have deadly poison in their blood and even flesh.”“I'll keep that in mind,” Mathias sighed deeply.“Come with me!”Mathias complied with the Dyan's request. They disappeared at the mouth of the cave with the six young women.They led him to a branch of the cave tha