At the same time on the eastern side of the Kingdom of Berillan, the group of Theo, Uldor, Gorstag, and Catallina, were already on their way. They received a very important assignment from King Berillan to carry out a secret mission.
The mission they received was to investigate the source of a mysterious disease that had recently spread in several parts of the kingdom. This bad news had already reached the ears of King Berillan, and he wanted to find the root of the problem. There were reports that the town of Blanchill was the starting point of this outbreak. The town was famous for being a city that lived off of fertile livestock.The plague became even more alarming when the symptoms of the disease were similar to what Theo's entourage encountered on their way to the royal palace. Their skin peeled off until their bones were exposed. The gruesome sight led the kingdom to give the Band of de Sun an investigative mission.They felt a sense of apprehensionGorstag swore. "This forest makes my head float!" He covered his nose with a cloth. "The air is so humid, I don't like it!"Uldor glanced at Gorstag. "Keep your voice down! Our voices can be heard!" Uldor admonished in a whisper."That's right, this forest is very humid, there's a lot of moss growing on the ground and rocks," explained Theo, who walked ahead. "And I read in a book that Okren Forest used to be a hiding place for demons when they were expelled from the sky," Theo added.Theo, Uldor, and Gorstag walked slowly through the dense Okren forest. The sunlight grew dimmer as the towering trees covered the sky."Then you believe those obscure myths made up by the ancients?" asked Gorstag."Hmm...I believe everything written in the book because it was all based on previous people's experiences and stories," Theo replied."So you believe Iblis exist?" asked Gorstag again. Uldor just listened to the conversation between his tw
Gorstag wanted to vomit at the unnatural acting of his leader."I'm Hars, and this is Erwan," while pointing at the skinny man beside him then he pointed at the big man next to Erwan."The big one is Dapo."Theo bowed his head, then introduced himself, "Theo and the stupid man next to me is Gorstag and the quiet man is Uldor.""If we may know, which guild mission did you take?" asked Hars who was sitting across from Theo."From the Alku Guild in Alku Village. Well, you must have heard, for mercenaries who haven't taken a mission in a while. This assignment is the easiest while restoring our lost touch," Theo replied reassuringly."Have you not taken a mission in a while?" asked Erwan probingly.Theo let out a long sigh, then made a sad face. "To be more precise I... It's been almost 5 years since I took any mission, I took a long break." Theo paused his story for a moment and then continued, "That's because I got a really bad stomach wound during my first miss
Hars kept trying to distance himself from their pursuit, his heart beating hard in his chest. As he ran, his footsteps felt heavy, and his breathing was labored. The dense trees and bushes moved quickly around him, and the darkness of the night hung over them. Hars spoke to himself in a low voice, but filled with determination, "I must not let them get this. This is our faith!"He continued to run quickly, through the creeping bushes and towering trees. As he saw a small light shining faintly from a cave located in the distance, his sense of hope grew even more intense. It was the hiding place he had planned, a place where he hoped to find refuge from this pursuit.However, Theo, Uldor, and Gorstag were getting closer to Hars. The sound of their steps grew louder, rustling through the dense trees, as if they were shadows chasing Hars.Theo shouted to his friends, his voice carried by the cool night breeze, "Don't let him into that cave! We're almost there!"Uldor, wh
Hars pondered for a moment, his eyes moving between the gun Theo was holding and the host bottle in his hand. He knew that they would still pursue and would probably use force if necessary. With a sense of confusion shining in his eyes, Hars finally gave up.With trembling hands, Hars raised both hands and handed the host bottle to Theo. "Take it, but promise you won't kill me," he said in a voice full of fear.Theo accepted the host bottle carefully, examining the dark, twitching contents inside the glass bottle. It looked like a solid slime, writhing disgustingly as Theo scrutinized its contents. "What is this?" he asked with a serious expression.Hars glanced at Theo, trying to explain as clearly as possible despite his fear. "It's a host," he said, trying to give the necessary explanation. His voice trembled but was filled with determination to explain the situation as best he could.In the darkness of the cave that felt increasingly tense, Theo stood in front of the trembling Har
Catallina was in a state of deep melancholy at the moment, in the newly established refugee camps in the middle of the deadly plague-stricken city of Blanchill. The surrounding scenery made her heart feel heavy. The people in these camps were suffering, and there were screams of pain that filled the air. Victims were indiscriminate; there were men, women, small children, and even babies who were not spared from this plague. Catallina tried hard to hold back her tears, clenched her teeth, and swallowed saliva with difficulty.Lord Elias, the leader of the city of Blanchill, who had accompanied her, tried to provide some solace with his words, "Forgive us, my lady. We should have been able to entertain you in a much more pleasant atmosphere. I apologize profusely for this insult."Catallina turned to him with a look that radiated deep sadness, "There is no need to apologize, Lord Elias. I understand why the King sent me to this city."The two of them walked around the refugee camp ful
Catallina entered the quiet temple with a tense heart. Her footsteps which could be heard clacking on the stone floor signaled the tension that haunted her steps. She knew that the meeting with the priest would reveal a great secret that could change the fate of this deadly plague-stricken town of Blanchill. The priest, a wise old man in long faded robes, greeted him with a gentle smile that never faded despite this dark situation. The priest smiled and said, "Welcome, Princess Catallina. I have been awaiting your arrival."Catallina gave her respectful greeting very politely, "Thank you, priest." The priest nodded solemnly and looked Catallina sharply in the eye before saying, "However, before we get to that, I would like to ask, did you sleep well, my lady?" Catallina sighed heavily, letting worry and tension creep into her voice, "You can see around these eyeballs of mine, Priest." The temple priest smiled warmly then pondered for a moment, his
Theo, Uldor, Gorstag, and Catallina sat together in a room at an inn. There was a moment of silence, hanging in the air, but all present in the room knew that they had very important information to share.Theo, looking serious and thoughtful, opened the conversation with a tone full of urgency, "We encountered something in the forest that is very suspicious. There are three encampments in the middle of the forest, and there, we encountered people wearing red robes with an eye and key symbol on their chests."Catallina, with eyes full of curiosity and wonder, looked at Theo with intensity, "What were they doing in the forest? What is their purpose?"Uldor, who was always firm in his words, nodded and explained, "They were gathering around a large campfire. We decided to pretend to be treasure-seeking adventurers to approach them and find out what they were up to."Gorstag let out a deep sigh before explaining further, "But when we talked to
The tension in the room was palpable as everyone fell silent for a moment, pondering the implications of what they had heard. Catallina stepped up to the Temple Priest gently, realizing the weight of the responsibility the man carried."Are the shards dangerous?" asked Catallina.The priest took a deep breath and let out a long exhale. "Very dangerous," looked Catallina seriously then continued, "From the shard of this barbaric creature, those who possess it will gain evil powers and be able to get in touch with the devil, with his trickery he will grant all the wishes of the owner, once they are fully affected, the Devil will feed on his soul and take over his body."Theo was curious and asked. "You said that the shards are scattered all over the world. I wonder, what would happen if all the demon shards were collected?""The events of 100 years ago will repeat themselves, a world full of deceit, evil and culminating in a time of darkness
Gorstag was looking increasingly angry and frustrated as his previous attacks were fruitless. Even more embarrassing, all the attacks using his two axes were successfully parried by the two hammers used by Kain."Damn it! Damn it! Damn you, shorty!" shouted Gorstag very loudly, letting his frustration explode.Kain could not help but laugh, mocking his opponent. "Hahaha... Alright, Gorstag. I'll end this now, I think I'm starting to sweat."Gorstag who was provoked by Kain's taunt responded with his signature move. He took one step back, then with a steady stride, he leaped towards Kain, his two axes aiming at Kain as if to split him in two."You're crazy, Gorstag! Do you want to kill me?" Kain grumbled, trying to maintain his composure amidst the escalating situation.However, as Gorstag got closer to Kain, Kain quickly dodged the attack with an agile movement to the left. Gorstag's axe missed spectacularly, and as the axe was about to land on the ground, Kain immediately slammed bot
"Slow down, Gorstag," Kain said, trying to advise his opponent. "Watch your step. It's too stiff!" Kain was trying to guide Gorstag, albeit in the context of a training battle.Gorstag only responded with a loud screech, still pressing Kain with his two axes. His attacks were hard and merciless, creating tremendous pressure on Kain.Kain, however, had his strategy. He continued to evade Gorstag's attacks with no intention of counterattacking. For him, this fight was about testing endurance and agility.Gorstag tried to provoke Kain with his words. "You're just like a rabbit, Kain. Are you afraid to attack me?" he tried to interrupt Kain's concentration, but Kain responded with a casual and dismissive tone.Kain replied in a dismissive tone, "No, Gorstag, I'm just wiser in choosing when to attack. To me, this is just practice."The fight continued, and Kain continued to show his agility and dexterity in dodging his opponent's attacks. He knew that his counterattack could happen at any
"Really, were they chasing you back then?" asked Catallina, wanting to know for sure.Eran nodded as he sifted his gaze towards the soldiers they were observing. "Right, those are Dignus soldiers, they were chasing us back then.""That snob," grumbled Catallina in a hateful tone."Do you know him?" asked Eran, his voice a little louder than expected.Catallina looked sharply at Eran. "Shhh...don't yell. Your voice is too loud!" whispered Catallina in an annoyed tone."Did you hear something?" asked one of the soldiers suspiciously."No," the other soldier replied doubtfully."I just heard what sounded like someone over there," the soldier said, pointing to the thick bushes where Catallina and Eran were hiding.Eran and Catallina lingered in suspense, hoping the soldiers would leave soon."Really?" the first soldier's question echoed in the tension of the silent forest.The two soldiers looking towards the bushes suddenly felt an unexpected presence. They moved cautiously toward the bu
Catallina and Eran stepped slowly into the forest of Tossing Rill. They held arrows and long sticks as weapons and carried bags containing the results of their previous hunts."Isn't that enough?" asked Eran, referring to the existing game while pointing at the rabbits and mushrooms lying on the green leaves near them.Catallina shook her head, her eyes busy searching for traces of other possible games. "Not enough. We need more. Rabbits are getting hard to find around here," Catallina explained as she moved her head, searching for signs of the game.Eran understood the situation and looked around the increasingly dense forest. "Hm, we should go deeper into this forest. Chances are we'll find more food sources there, there must be a lot of deer we can bring, I've brought one before, right?" he suggested, hoping to get more adequate game inside the forest.Catallina looked thoughtful for a moment, her concern growing as she felt that time was passi
Amidst the bustling atmosphere of the Tavern, the sounds of laughter and joy filled the air as Theo and his group celebrated the success of their two recent missions. The clinking of tankards and the lively melodies of the master bards of Halbarad created a joyous atmosphere, bringing a sense of relief and relaxation to the weary soldiers.Theo approached the table located in the corner where Eran was sitting and then made an inviting gesture. "Eran, why don't you join us?"Eran, with a faint smile, shook his head slowly. Then, Theo asked again, "Does your wound still hurt?"Eran shook his head again. "The longer it goes on, the better it gets," he replied.Theo smiled and looked excited. "Great, so let's join in," he invited, trying to persuade Eran to join in.Eran still refused, "No... you know me, right? I prefer to be alone like this."Theo didn't give up, pleading in an excited tone, "Oh, come on Eran, just once to celebrate the success of our two missions."However, there was a
The shadows suddenly moved again. Eran, breathing heavily, tried to consider stopping for a moment in the dark forest filled with thick fog. For a child of Eran's size, he had shown incredible toughness and courage by being able to penetrate into the haunted and mystical forest of Yaban.However, he didn't have time to rest for long. The voice of an angry warrior could be heard from nearby, intimidating, "Where is that little boy?!" The shout was followed by more voices, "There he is! Let's go get him!"Eran felt his breath catch, and horror began to overcome him. The two soldiers who were trying to capture him kept getting closer, their voices echoing in his ears. The situation was even more difficult because the dark forest made it almost impossible for him to see his way between the dense trees.Unexpectedly, as Eran continued his run, he found himself right in front of a ravine. "Ahhh... ravine!!!" he screeched when his small eyes caught sight of the ravine that lay before him.In
The strapping old man looked at Eran with sharp eyes, hinting at great seriousness. The night wind rustled, and the atmosphere around them was filled with a tense atmosphere. It was as if nature itself was participating in an imminent war."You should run later, Eran. Understood?" he said again, his voice accompanied by the rustling wind that deepened the tension of the night. The dim moonlight shone on the old man's face, revealing the seriousness of his message.Eran pondered, his eyes never leaving the old man's face. Many wrinkles adorned the experienced skin on his face, giving the impression that the man had been through so many battles. There were several small wounds adorning his face, traces of the heroic stories he had gone through.Who knows how many battlefields he had witnessed, who knows how many friends he had left behind. But his scarred face also reveals that he is someone who always perseveres, never giving up.Eran's own face reflects the man's youth. His shoulder-l
In the already tense atmosphere, Enid with a chuckle said, "Ah, I forgot about someone... my third sister, Taneaya... I wonder what she looks like now. I'll bet she has grown into a very beautiful girl..." As Enid glanced at Dignus, he looked for any sign of reaction on his brother's face. Not long after, Dignus was startled, his expression frozen as if he saw a ghost. Enid cruelly continued, "I think Taneaya would be an expensive item if he were in my whorehouse, and of course, I would be able to enjoy her body every day."An explosion of rage was inevitable as Dignus vented his anger, shouting, "Bastard!!! I'll kill you if you dare touch her!!!" His eyes turned red and the veins on his face bulged like they were about to burst.Enid smiled with satisfaction, looking at Dignus challengingly. "So? Do you know what to do, Dignus?" asked Enid as he pulled himself closer.The two engaged in a battle of glances, Dignus full of anger and Enid with a terrifying
In a room filled with tension, Dignus and Enid faced each other, their eyes radiating anger and hatred toward each other. There was no weakness visible in their postures, each determined to uncover the truth underlying their conflict.Suddenly, Dignus let out a long breath, trying to ease some of the tension that filled the room. "What do you mean?" asked Dignus in a voice that, despite trying to remain calm, sounded bitter.Enid could no longer hide his annoyance. "Don't pretend you don't know! Your acting is terrible, Dignus," he said in an unfriendly tone. With steady steps, he approached Dignus, standing tall before him. "How come the mission in Hollowfield Village is still on your mission list?" said Enid in a puzzled tone.Dignus tried to defend himself, saying, "I already ordered my guild master to burn it when it was sent to my town." His face looked pale with guilt, and Enid's sharp gaze was probing every word that came out of his mouth.However, Enid, who could not bear the