Chapter 21- Storms Brew

After Eliana awakened her aura the amount of people getting injured or killed in monster attacks has fallen drastically. She has been slowly getting the feel of aura with the help of the two veteran warriors.

As they got closer to the capital the encounters with monsters increased instead of decreasing. Eliana said that it was because of this high concentration of dangers that the Thaolos Kingdom had extremely strong army.

Roen still ostracized himself from the people of the caravan, but every once in awhile would glance at Eliana when she fought. It was not out of affection more like he was interested in aura. Ever since she had awakened her aura he had grown increasingly interested in it.

The young noble also introduced himself as George Whitewater, the son of a wealthy merchant union. He had offered to send word of Eliana's awakening to her home country. She declined the offer, however after handing her a letter, she was visibly shaken. Roen walked over to assess her worries.

"What's wrong?"

"My father has gone to war."

"Then what is the problem? A king should take responsibility for his people."

"Not when most of the nobles are conspiring against him."

"Then I guess that's unfortunate."

Roen's comment irritated Eliana and she briskly turned and stomped off. They had made a deal for her to take him to the Thaolos Kingdom and until then she has to stay. Roen wouldn't bend to her demands plus he still needed her to study aura.

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"Hurry up and stab me."

"Again? But I've already..."

"A worm's attack cannot kill me. Now hurry up."

Roen and Eliana were sparing in the middle of the forrest far away from the rest of the caravan. Well by sparing it was more like Eliana stabbing Roen with her saber coated in aura. Roen had enough holes through his body that he resembled swiss cheese

"I think I felt something that time."

"Are you not mistaking the blade currently inserted in your chest?"

"Oops..."

They continued this process till Eliana ran out of aura. Roen had yet to sense anything after the entire ordeal.

"This is slightly frustrating..."

"It's because it's not a life or death situation."

"That's fine then, I don't really need it anyways."

Roen ended their stabbing session and let the tired Eliana rest. Roen spent the rest of the day looking for beasts to kill and ended up purging the surrounding area. He returned to a rowdy crowd surrounding the campfire. Passing by quietly he went to a secluded wagon and sat down with his eyes closed.

'Roen?! Thank goodness we have been trying to contact you for so long!'

'We?'

'Yea, I met Tyor earlier, but that's not the problem. Why did the phantom knights suddenly disappear?'

'Because you went too far.'

'I'm sorry?'

'Listen very closely, I'm about to reach the Thaolos kingdom capital. I presume you're close by as well.'

'Yea, but what does that...'

'Just listen, we are currently in enemy territory. An enemy that will either kill us instantly or very slowly.'

At Roen's words both side drew deathly quiet. Then Tyor came and asked,

'I believe master has a way to survive?'

'I do not.'

Both sides grew silent once again.

'Why can't we run away then?' Engil's terrified voice came through. A being capable of making Roen afraid was a calamity of epic proportions.

'There is only one way to survive this storm and that is to throw yourself into the eye.'

'Well, I wish you the best of luck then.'

'If you leave, your chances of dying by my hand increase.'

'Do, do you at least have a plan?'

'Meet me at the capital.'

'So that's a no huh.'

Ending the orders in a somber tone Roen got up slowly and left the wagon heading towards his own. The party was still going on, the warriors were still yelling at the top of their lungs, the alcohol tasted no differ than yesterday, the meat grilled by the fire the same way. Everyone was still alive and kicking just like yesterday. Nothing seemed out of place, yet they were all unaware of the storm brewing in the east.