HBWnovel Chapter 75: To Mistwood! (4)
Chapter 75: To Mistwood! (4)
Chapter 75: To Mistwood! (4)
Two weeks after Amon sought Carmen's permission to travel out of Solfea, he was aboard a massive flying ship. It spanned the length of two football fields from the nose to its stern, and there were plenty of levels to house people and goods. It wasn't the most luxurious of flying ships but had enough amenities to entertain and feed anyone.
Cruising at an altitude above the clouds, the flying ship seemed like a moving island. A massive structure that towered over every bird in the sky, the Solaris flying ship moved gracefully, ensuring that not a single tremor could be felt on board.
And that stability was for a good reason.
Medics, supplies, Knights and even volunteers who had given up their time in service of good were headed towards Mistwood to help those affected by the earthquake. And among them, were a few very familiar faces.
"I'd expected a crowd, but not this many..."
Amon frowned as he observed the mess hall during lunch.
The entire eighteenth squad that Amon belonged to could be seen dining away at the corner, even though the Black Dragon Order wasn't supposed to be deployed on aid relief. His familiar Captain, Jareth Solaris, was impassive while watching his two subordinates yap away. Lucia Osiris, Amon's usual partner-in-crime, cheerfully spoke while a man in his twenties seemed disinterested.
Adding Amon, his entire squad was present for this mission, which brought a minor migraine to Amon. He'd imagined he would be free to explore Mistwood as usual, but Amon's movements would be heavily monitored with his captain supervising him.
It was Carmen giving him the silent order... Not to misbehave.
Then there were Leon's good friends. Gale, Adelia and Rufus were chowing down their fried rice while heartily in conversation with Leon. Since they were cadets, they weren't present as Knights but rather as a volunteer corps.
Their presence wasn't calculated, but it was also a headache in its own right. While they grew to be formidable Knights in [Bright], Leon's friends were just cadets at the moment. It could lead to disastrous effects if they were caught in the crossfire when clashing against the Blood Demon.
"What are you daydreaming about?"
Amon's mental dilemma was cut short by a playful, sonorous chuckle. Yue, who wasn't meant to be on the expedition, somehow managed to burrow into the flying ship. Using the excuse of sending aid from the Elune House, Yue convinced the Solaris House to put her in the aid mission, even though she wasn't part of it.
"Nothing..."
"Haha, that can't be it."
Yue giggled and sat her plate down. Everyone present who saw them would undoubtedly mistake them as lovers who couldn't be separated from each other as they whispered into each other's ears.
"You're thinking about how we're going to break away from the crowd to have a secret tryst, right?"
"... why must you word it like that?"
"I'm hurt! That's not what you wanted?"
Acting like she'd been deceived and betrayed, the young beauty slapped her forehead theatrically. Yue feigned tears, only for Amon to look down at her disgustingly.
"Be serious, will you?"
"Haha, you're no fun."
Tapping her finger twice on the dinner table, Yue created an invisible sound barrier in a split second. There wasn't any cast or movement of her wand. It was all done through her mind alone. That mastery could only be found in mages with far more experience than an eighteen-year-old girl.
"You improved again... It hasn't been long since you became a Six-Circle Magician and have already improved your casting. Impressive."
"Hehe, praise me more."
However, then came the following problem.
What were they going to do with the cursed sword?
It was near-indestructible, and even if they sealed it in Sword Garden, an ambitious Knight or even a future Solaris Lord may be tempted to unseal the blade in search of the ultimate power Qyriwirth promised.
Ultimately, they decided that to prevent the Blood Dragon's will from emerging again, they needed to seal the cursed sword at an unknown location, far from the lustful eyes of Knights who desired power at any cost. The vault's memory would be lost in their generation, and records of the Blood Demon would be wiped clean to prevent any hopeful Knights from getting any weird ideas.
Time would erode the sword itself, and eventually, the Blood Demon would be nothing more than a fairy tale that no one remembered.
Alas, the Solaris ancestors couldn't have anticipated a mega-earthquake breaking the weakened seal.
"In the end, we will need to clean up after their mistakes!" Yue complained while sipping on her juice.
"We're lucky that Ascalon is in Leon's hands. Without it, I doubt we could defeat the Blood Demon."
Even though the Blood Demon was a terror that reigned in the past, it was still weak to the absolute sovereign of swords, the Holy Blade Ascalon. The ancestors only chose to seal the cursed sword because no one during their time wielded Ascalon, the ultimate blade that could break all curses.
That's why Amon wasn't afraid of it in the slightest. As long as Leon was around, they could destroy the Blood Demon before it grew too powerful.
"You're right..."
Yue furrowed her brows as a random thought entered her brain. Amon continued with his action plan, seeing that she didn't voice anything out.
"If we find any trace of the Blood Demon, don't send out any of our powerful operatives. The Blood Demon grows on strong bodies, so if we send in a master alone, it will take over their body."
"Don't worry about my side. I've warned Bane of the dangers many times. If anything, I'm more worried about the Solaris House..."
"..."
Yue's words struck a chord with Amon. The cursed sword would always gravitate towards powerful Knights such as members of the Solaris House. Just by obtaining a Solaris body, it would grow exponentially, and its killing spree would accelerate.
In [Bright], the Blood Demon managed to take over a regular Knight's body, and that was enough to massacre all of Mistwood. So, if it took over anyone in the Solaris camp...
"Especially since Grandpa Alrock and Commander Carmen had dispatched those two Tower Knights to protect Leon and me... Honestly, they're just adding more problems."
Amon couldn't see them physically but could feel their presence on board. They monitored the pair like hawks, ready to intercede for them at any moment. While Amon appreciated their concern, having those two around Mistwood would add to the risk.
If the Blood Demon somehow got their hands on their bodies, each with the power of Six condensed Suns... The subjugation of the monster would just become more complicated.
"Shall I get some sleeping powder? One that is strong enough to wipe out a Pillar Knight?"
"... and where would you get that?"
"I recently met this great alchemist, you see! But since it's a new product, we must test it. So, if you would be so kind, I will add some to your tea at night, okay?"
"No, thank you."
"Tch, you're so cold."