Leaving Mul and heading south, after one day of traveling, we soon reached a paved pathway.
We followed it for two days and eventually saw a river in the distance. It was called the Lightning River. It is a majestic river flowing from the great Dalnia Kingdom all the way to the Glattia Kingdom, pouring into the Eastern Sea.
I was told by Luna that the name was said to be coined by an Ancient Sorcerer, who flew all the way to the sky and looked at the continent, and saw that it resembles a lightning strike coming all the way from the sea, threatening to split the continent.
Lightning River is said to be one of the danger zones in the Northern Continent, nobody dares to dive deep nor sail an ordinary ship in it. Hence, the ancient sorcerers created magical bridges, strong enough to withstand the river water, to facilitate transportation.
Connecting the two banks, a gigantic pure-white bridge could be found, exuding coldness. The name of the bridge is called Ice Sorcerer Bridge; the Exalted Ice Sorcerer created the bridge, he was also the founder of Glattia Kingdom.
The carriage slowly approached the bridge, I could feel the air surrounding us grow colder, the vegetation around us had a layer of frost and saw frozen monsters in the surroundings, yet, the river continued flowing unperturbed.
Stepping onto the bridge, the coldness vanished and replaced by it a warm feeling. On the bridge, there were carvings on the ground depicting various races worshipping on the railings, ancient runes could be found arranged in a specific manner. It is said that these runes are the reason for the strength of the bridge.
I stared wide-eyed and tongue-tied, astounded by the scenery in front of me.
Proceeding forward, there was an Inn in the middle of the bridge called Frost Inn, we stopped there for the day. I ate an apple from my bag and slept inside the carriage. I wanted to save money, the merchant and those well-off spent the night at the Inn.
I made a note to myself that in the future, I should visit this Inn and see what it holds.
***
Ice Sorcerer Bridge shrinking behind us, we headed towards a nearby village. The merchant told us that we will stay in the village today and went on to proceed with his business.
I decided to buy more food since the ones I had kept in my cloth are running out. I left the carriage and went toward a stall to buy some fruits. Apples were cheap, so I decided to buy a total of thirty-five apples, costing me one silver coin. I was given two extra apples by the seller, leaving me with six silver coins.
Packing them up, I ate the two apples while returning to the carriage. On my way, I met a group of children around eight to nine years old, looked at me with disgust, mixed with fear, pointed their fingers and shouted together, “Monster!”
I turned my head into their direction and glared at them. The moment our eyes met, they shivered, yelling, “Help! The monster wants to kill us!” The surrounding people looked at me with disgust mixed with fear, shook their head, and as if by consensus, they decided to ignore me.
This was not the first nor the last time they saw such a scene, nor was it my first or last time I encountered such a situation, occurred plenty in the orphanage. After all, only monsters have red-eyes.
Ignoring it, I went to the carriage and munched on the old food whilst looking at the sky. I wondered how will I be treated at the capital.
***
Nine days later, heading east and passing through several villages. A lush green forest appeared in front of us, the sound of rustling leaves was transmitted, giving a feeling of tranquility. It was famous for being an ideal place for ambushing merchants.
The Kingdom did not bother to maintain order there, even though it is used to go to the capital by commoners, nobles rarely used it, nor possessed a danger to them who were always escorted by high-class adventurer and used flying mounts.
We stayed the night at the border of the forest, it takes two days to cross the forest, thus, the adventurers were busy with their preparations; sharpening their weapons; coating the arrows with poison and creating spell-crystals for the fight that may happen in the days to come.
It was eerily quiet today.
***
The breeze blew past, carrying the smell of grass. Adventurers were walking in a formation around the carriages; the mage, Leona, at the center, the archer, Lane, hiding inside a carriage holding his bow at ready, the swordsman, Vic, wielding a greatsword taking the vanguard with Parry and Scott taking the rear.
It was silent, there was no sound of insects or living beings, only the rustling of the trees swaying with the wind. At a glance, one can tell that something was wrong. The adventurers grew more vigilant, kept close watch of their surroundings, proceeding carefully and ready to strike at the sight of an enemy.
Day turned into night, nothing happened. The adventurers decided to camp, they scouted the area and found a suitable camping ground.
They went on to set traps for monsters, Leona set a formation that detects movements from unauthorized people. She finished setting up the formation and went to every person and imbued her mana in our bodies to complete the formation.
I sat there alone, bored, looking at the night sky as I do every day.
Red flames gathered above her staff as Leona shouted, "Who's there!?"
Lane started to chant a spell and aimed his bow, it suddenly started glowing with a pale, blue light.
Vic, Parry, Scott all drew their weapons, standing ready while holding the physique strengthening spell crystals, ready to crush at a moment notice.
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The atmosphere was deathly silent. Finally, a man walked out, he had average facial features and a weak body. He was wobbling while walking due to his injuries, drenched in his own blood.
Alarmed, the adventurers searched their surroundings for any movement, seeking the bandits or monsters that attacked the man to strike.
I looked into the mans’ eyes, it felt hollow. He noticed my gaze and then looked back at me. It seemed as if he was petrified the moment our eyes made contact.
Without warning, he took a black dagger from his clothes, he ran and stabbed the middle of my chest.
Astonished, nobody had time to react. I felt piercing pain in the middle of my chest and something sour traveled up from my throat. I coughed a mouthful of blood, gasping for air and clutching my chest. I looked down and saw the dagger rusting at a speed visible to the naked eye, I was overwhelmed with dizziness and fell to the ground.
I heard an explosion, along with the nauseating smell of charred flesh.
I felt something warm covering my chest and dripping onto the ground, tainting my hands.
Shouts were heard, a soft hand held me and someone pulling the knife from my chest, brown water dropped down on the wound easing the pain.
I started to lose consciousness, everything became darker.
The last thing I saw that day was the fuzzy figure of a chubby old-man in his early sixties, holding a bottle containing a blood-red liquid.
Suddenly, everything went dark.
***
I opened my eyes, a familiar sight greeted me.
Darkness surrounding me in all directions, causing those who see it feel despair, but I was used to it. Above, a pair of distant, red-colored eyes staring at me, cold and silent.
Suddenly, I felt a piercing pain in the middle of my chest. I screamed. This was the first time I experienced such pain. It came and went just as sudden, replaced by a warm feeling spread into my chest, calming the pain.
Little did I know that this was the start, the start of the worst pain I’ll experience in my life. A pair of hands extended from the darkness, emitting frigid coldness that can freeze the soul, holding my chest and tearing apart the place where the pain was.
A third pair of hands extended silently, tearing one of the eyes staring at me. I saw blood flowing down like rivers, falling into the abyss.
Unease crept from my soul mixed with pain, I screamed, thrashed, yet hands appeared and silently bound me up. The hand brought the eye in front of me, it was gigantic, bigger than anything I have ever seen. Its veins felt like rivers, glowing like the sun, exuding distortions that shredded my body, making me wish that I die. I felt like an insect in front of it.
It happened in the blink of an eye, it was being forcibly dragged into my body. If another person was watching, they’d see that the body which seemed like minuscule in comparison swallowing the gigantic eye.
My screams echoed in my mind, yet no sound appeared. My body kept regenerating as if it is unwilling to die, only for it to be shredded again.
Frigid coldness invaded my body the more it was restored, it all happened extremely slowly as if it was to ensure that the coldness will be part of my body. A drawing depicting raven wings were being slowly engraved into my back.
I felt something appearing above my head, I looked up and saw it. A black-colored halo, absorbing all the coldness from the abyss.
It brought pain to every inch of my body, It felt as if the chilling wind will make me disappear. I wished I could pass out, yet, I was unable to.
Suddenly, a huge hand extended from deep within the abyss, tearing the second eye out. In the same instant, the sky of the abyss began to crack and blood began flowing downwards, flooding the abyss.
I felt despair, I stopped screaming, looking at the eye as it came closer and closer till it was above my head. It was pushed into the black-colored halo, seemingly piercing my soul. It seemed as if everything froze at this moment.
I stared blankly, sinking into the deep, blood abyss.
***
Corking the empty bottle, Larry asked with a serious expression on his face, “Tell me her condition, Leona.”
“She will survive, luckily, It was a rusty dagger,” Leona said with an ugly expression. They clearly felt and saw the man but they did not expect him to attack so suddenly.
Smirking, Lane said, “It is not your fault Leona, nobody would’ve expected that. Plus, it is not your fault that she has eyes similar to monsters. It is no wonder that will happen to her.”
Vic glared at Lane, indicating that he should stay silent.
Lane shrunk his neck seeing Vics' glare.
Vic said to Larry, “It is unexpected that you, out of all people, would use a potion to save her life.”
“If she died here while I ignored her, I won’t be able to sleep in peace!” Larry said, wearing a pained expression at the empty bottle.
Vic shook his head, saying, “Whatever you say, old man,” Looking at his companions, he continued, We do not know what happened in this forest, this man eyes did not seem normal. Stay vigilant till we lave the forest, kill anyone who comes near regardless of they are human or not, injured or not. Kill without exception!”
Parry, Scott, Lane, and Leona nodded with a solemn look on their faces.
He then looked at Cassandras’ body, saying, “Put her on the carriage, Leona, cast healing spell on her every day so that she won’t die before waking up.”
Nodding, she carrying Cassandra back to the carriage while the rest of the party got ready to leave the forest.
'It seems that I will have to report this to the adventurer guild, something is wrong here. Hopefully, It won’t be that bottle.' Sighing, Vic left to continue escorting the carriage.
One day later, they left the forest. Vic took a deep look at the forest and the huge shadow looming in the horizon, he turned back and continued heading for the capital.
Five days later, they arrived at the capital of Glattia, Glat. Seeing that Cassandra yet to wake up. The party took her to the Adventurer Guild of Glat where she can recover. Leaving the six silver coins beside her.
***
Adventurers Guild, in a room filled with bookshelves, scrolls, and documents. A woman was seated behind a chair, she had pointed ears, blue eyes, small nose, red lips, bountiful chest, fair long arms, and smooth legs. She wore a robe with numerous talismans depicting animals. Sitting there, she exuded youthful innocence, contrasting to her position. She was from the Elven Tribe.
Seated behind her desk, Kyra sported a gloomy expression while listening to the adventurer Vic report.
Finished, Kyra said, “I’ll discuss with the elders and shall give you a reward for reporting such a matter. You are dismissed.”
Vic bowed, “Thank you, President!”
The sound of the door closing shut reverberated throughout the room.
Kyra rose from her seat and locked the door. She returned to her desk and picked up a non-assuming pen, inserting it into a certain spot while circulating mana in a specific manner.
It felt like the pen was melting into the ground, finally, it transformed into a door. She unlocked it, took a lamp and went underground.
She eventually reached an underground cavern, illuminated by countless orbs floating in the air with an unknown number of bookshelves with ancient books sitting here.
If anyone knew of the existence of this underground cavern, the Kingdom of Glattia would cease to exist the next day.
She continued to walk, as if knowing her destination, finally stopping in front of a specific bookshelf written on it [Grand Sorcereress Yaelarin], picking a book called [Demonic Bottle].
Holding the book in her hand, she mumbled, 'Let us see what you are up to, stinky bottle.'