The temperature is rising, and the climate is becoming drier. It's challenging for everyone to endure and exert stamina and strength, marching three hours each day under the scorching sun.
Finally, a small grove comes into view, though it's just a sparse collection of a dozen or so trees. In the vast desert, it's still considered a rare sight.
The lightly armored knight squad, serving as the vanguard, has already conducted an inspection. In reality, there was no need for any examination since the tree branches are so sparse that it's impossible to hide anyone. The ground temperature also makes ambushes impossible in such an environment, as maintaining combat effectiveness is challenging.
A knight on horseback is seen returning from a distance.
After hearing the vanguard's report, the convoy slowly begins to move.
Under the escort of the knights, the carriages of the princess and the prince enter the grove. The cavalry team surrounds the perimeter facing outward, guarding them. In the middle, a delegation consisting of priests and mages forms a barrier, enveloping the entire grove with a magical shield. Several mages fly to the top of the trees, and Joe orders six mercenaries to climb to the treetops for surveillance.
It's the third day since leaving the Kingdom of Sofien. They have departed from their homeland and entered the territory of a foreign country.
Between the Kingdom of Sofien and the Kingdom of Caoqi lies an extensive wilderness known as the Fire God's Pasture, which has been a major point of contention between the two nations. Caoqi Kingdom consistently claims the pasture as its territory, provoking continuous wars. Despite being a desolate plain, it serves as a natural barrier between the two kingdoms. For diplomatic reasons, Sofien Kingdom could potentially cede it to Caoqi Kingdom. However, no one dares to guarantee that Caoqi Kingdom won't further invade Sofien Kingdom after losing this barrier. The ambitions of Caoqi Kingdom are a source of concern for all nations on the continent.
This desert area is vast, encircling the southwestern to eastern parts of Caoqi Kingdom, acting like a massive moat guarding Caoqi Kingdom. Due to this defense, Caoqi Kingdom enjoyed a longer period of peace compared to other kingdoms. However, now, this moat impedes its further expansion.
No one denies that the Kingdom of Caoqi is the most powerful nation in the world. Its Holy Knight Order stands as the strongest among the three knight orders on the continent, and its Gale Knight Order is similarly renowned as one of the two strongest light cavalry orders alongside the Unicorn Knight Order of the Montita Kingdom.
The invincibility of Caoqi Kingdom's Magic Corps forms the robust foundation for its dominance across the continent. The Chief Mage of the Caoqi Kingdom's Magic Association is the Archmage Cobi Leo.
Though many argue that he lacks the qualifications to be called an Archmage, few dispute that he is the most powerful mage in the world. Of course, Chris believes that Cobi Leo is merely a third-rate mage. It is well-known that to earn the title of "Archmage," one must master all four magical elements. Almost all Archmages and advanced Grand Mages are proficient in all four elements.
An exception to this rule is Chris, who excels in fire, water, and wind magic but struggles with earth magic due to her personality conflicting with the grounded and stable nature of earth magic. Apart from her mastery of a spell called Quicksand Magic, she only developed her unique earth magic, known as "Rock Wall," for building her enormous laboratory.
Cobi Leo, even more extreme than Chris, only practices fire and wind magic. He struggles to perform even the most basic spells of the other two elements. The reason this mage can be called an Archmage is solely because he is the only one in the world capable of using a "Forbidden Curse" named "Apocalypse Cataclysm," the highest-level divine spell belonging to the fire element.
Enleiko is eager to witness this renowned mage, and if possible, to see the "Forbidden Curse." However, he finds himself alone in this desire, as almost everyone else is praying to quickly leave this terrifying land, and Archmage Cobi Leo is the last person they want to encounter.
With seven more days of travel, they will reach the westernmost city of Caoqi Kingdom, called Karadan. However, this also means being surrounded by enemies. To ensure the safety of the two royal members, the king has dispatched the most elite Royal Knight Squadron, the strongest combat unit in the Royal Knights, to protect the royal siblings. Hao Mang serves as the Deputy Commander of the escort, while the overall commander is none other than Joe, the mercenary who trained Enleiko.
It turns out that Joe is the uncle of the princess and the prince, and everyone treats him with the utmost respect. The other knights also show great deference to Joe's suggestions, and Enleiko has always suspected that Joe is not a simple figure. He has inquired about Joe from other knights, gaining further insights into Joe's character.
Enleiko, unlike other mercenaries, lacks status in the military. Regular soldiers generally look down on mercenaries, never giving them favorable treatment, especially the proud Royal Knight Squadron, whose members are mostly nobles' offspring. Hence, they hold a condescending attitude toward ordinary mercenaries.
But Enleiko is different. Although he travels with the mercenary team, his identity as a mage sets him apart. While officially, knights and mages hold the same status in the Kingdom of Sophien, the scarcity of mages makes them more highly valued than knights. Enleiko, due to his good fortune, has acquaintances among high-ranking mages. The lowest-tier mage he knows is the Senior Mage Beatrice. Therefore, Enleiko finds mages to be quite ordinary, despite the elevated perception of their status. Even the court mages who serve as personal protection for the king are only Senior Mages. The likes of Archmage Piert, similar to Beatrice, are scarce in number, and even the king cannot deploy them casually, underscoring the esteemed position of mages. As a mage, Enleiko naturally receives different treatment from the knights.
Moreover, Enleiko is renowned, having gained fame in the Kingdom of Sophien since the court martial. Among the four individuals, Kate has been appointed as the squad leader of the Royal Knights, accompanying Hao Mang on the mission and serving as his deputy. The role of squad leader in the Royal Knights is no less prestigious than her father's position as the deputy city defender of Newna City.
Bertina serves as the Royal specialized nurse, a position normally reserved for at least an intermediate cleric, making her age a bit young for the role.
Jerry, due to his excellent eloquence, assumes the role of deputy envoy, second only to the two princes in this diplomatic mission.
Enleiko, having had an embarrassing incident, is left out of the official envoy list. However, among the four, he possesses the greatest fame. Nevertheless, Enleiko is troubled by this, as his most significant life mistake is the most widely circulated rumor about him. Yet, every knight knows of Enleiko, and they are well aware of the gossip surrounding him. Each one wants to jest with him, so shortly after the diplomatic mission begins, Enleiko becomes friends with almost all the knights. His closest relationship is with Squire Knight Jack, who happens to be Jerry's brother. However, in Enleiko's eyes, they share no resemblance. Jack is a straightforward young man, lacking the cunning qualities often seen in Jerry. If Kate isn't available, Enleiko seeks information from Jack and practices combat skills with him, making Jack his other training partner besides Kate.
Therefore, when Enleiko becomes interested in Joe's identity, he directly approaches Jack for information.
In the inner defense formation near the princess's carriage, Enleiko found Jack, who was about to go on patrol. At Enleiko's suggestion, one knight was replaced by Enleiko himself. Jack led a patrol team of ten riders towards the next camp marked on the map. Before the sun sets, they need to reach there and conduct an initial inspection.
The group quickly urged their horses forward. As they had brought replacement horses, there was no need to conserve their mounts' stamina. During the gallop, Enleiko couldn't converse with anyone because the desert's sandstorm made talking extremely difficult. Everyone had to lower their heads and race forward on their horses. The sun gradually leaned toward the west, no longer as scorching as before, but the ground temperature showed no sign of dropping. Racing under such high temperatures, the warhorses quickly became fatigued. So when some horses gradually fell behind the group, Jack ordered a horse change. Enleiko dismounted and estimated that the main force should have already departed by now.
He asked Jack, "How much more until we reach the campsite?"
Jack roughly estimated, "If I'm not mistaken, we've covered about two-thirds of the way."
"Back there, it's going to be challenging for the rear to reach before nightfall," another knight remarked.
"Let's get there quickly, and then send someone back to report, urging the rear to pick up the pace," Jack suggested.
At Jack's command, everyone mounted their horses together.
As the sun gradually set, the wind grew stronger. When they reached the campsite, each person was covered in a thick layer of dust.
After dispatching a knight to report, everyone entered the camp.
This campsite is a small lake isolated in the wilderness. Enleco can sense the rolling underground river from deep within the earth. This sets him apart from ordinary people, as his extraordinary mental strength allows him to keenly perceive the concentration and movement trends of various elements, even though he cannot use magic normally.
With this lake in the vicinity, it becomes the only forest around.
Following Jack's orders, the knights lead their horses to the lake for water. Enleco and Jack climb a solitary hill in the campsite. Looking from the highest point, the lake appears like a crescent moon, reflecting dazzling light under the sunlight. The trees along the lake shore are unusually lush. Although the sky is filled with swirling dust, it is all blocked by the surrounding low hills. Greenery gradually infiltrates up the slope. Looking around, scattered bushes and shrubs resemble pearls on a vast black cloth in this desolate wilderness. As you gaze into the distance, the greyish sky seems to sweep countless trails of smoke, resembling a myriad of dancing shadows.
Enleco, lying on the slope with his arm as a pillow, observes Jack moving around the hill. His eyes fixed on the distant view, Jack seems lost in contemplation or simply enjoying the scenery.
Suddenly, Enleco recalls he wanted to ask Jack something.
He inquires, "Jack, do you know about Joe's background?"
"Huh? Joe? Why do you ask?" Jack responds.
"I'm just curious. All the knights respect Joe so much, and it's not solely because of his noble status," Enleco remarks. Given that many knights in the Royal Knights have noble backgrounds, and some families have a long history of nobility, the Royal Knights of the Sophia Kingdom place great emphasis on educating knights about honor. Each Royal Knight takes pride in their identity as a Royal Knight, refraining from casually flaunting their family's glorious history. Therefore, hereditary status and noble background alone cannot earn respect from the Royal Knights. Enleco has always found it strange how Joe commands such respect among the knights.
"Do you not know Joe's real name?" Jack asked again.
Enleco found Jack's habit a bit challenging to accept. Jack always liked to respond with questions rather than answering directly. However, there was no other way. To get answers from Jack, one had to follow Jack's way of thinking.
Enleco had known Joe's original name was Grian. However, for Enleco, who knew nothing about noble genealogy, it was just an abstract term.
"Yeah, I know. So what about Grian?" Enleco replied.
Jack approached and sat down next to Enleco, saying, "You seem to never pay much attention to people's surnames."
He turned to look at Enleco and continued, "You probably don't even know my surname until now!"
Enleco felt embarrassed because he had always lived in a small town where everyone was quite familiar with each other, sometimes even like a family. So, as long as they could address each other, surnames became unnecessary. Therefore, he developed a habit of not paying attention to other people's surnames.
Seeing his awkward expression, Jack knew he might have said too much and straightforwardly added, "Joe's real name is Grian. Tyssenkr, and his ancestors were one of the founding heroes of the Sophia Kingdom, as well as one of the twelve heroes in the Victory Day Battle."
Jack paused, and Enleco saw a vacant expression on his face, similar to what Kate often showed. He knew that knights falling into this state would take a long time to recover.
Indeed, after a considerable amount of time, Jack continued, "Grian Tyssenkr himself was also one of Sophia's three Holy Knights, but for some reason, he gave up his knight status and became a mercenary."
Having said that, Jack stood up and walked down the slope. Enleco saw a rather desolate figure from his back.
Never had he thought that Joe was so powerful. He turned out to be a Holy Knight.
Enleco stared into the distance, lost in thought. Suddenly, a dust cloud rolled in from afar.
He quickly stood up. It wasn't just an ordinary sandstorm that often occurred in the desert; it seemed like a cavalry unit was rushing towards them.
Since the beginning of the journey, Enleco had been repeatedly taught various dangers they might encounter during the mission and how to respond to them.
This mission was far from a joyful outing in the countryside. Besides worrying about the regular forces of the Kingdom of Caoqi, there were also various bands of thieves roaming the desert. Due to the vast expanse of this arc-shaped desert, connecting two large oceans and serving as the border for four nations, anyone aiming to reach the Kingdom of Caoqi had to cross it. Many desperados gathered on this desert, forming hundreds of small and large bandit groups. Some were nomadic, with no fixed territory, but most had their own spheres of influence.
From the direction where the dust cloud rose, Enleco doubted it was the larger force from behind that had already caught up. This was evident both in terms of time and direction. It was also unlikely to be the regular forces of the Kingdom of Caoqi because the raised dust was chaotic and tangled, unlike the disciplined cavalry units.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Enleco sounded the warning call, and Jack along with a few knights ran up the slope.
Looking in the direction Enleco pointed, a tense and worried expression appeared on everyone's faces.
"Looks like a bandit group," Jack expressed his opinion, aligning perfectly with Enleco's thoughts.
"Now, what do we do?" Enleco asked, as he was not a dedicated warrior. Just half a year ago, he was a simple clerk in his father's shop, never expecting to find himself fighting alone on a battlefield.
"It seems we'll have to find a way to alert our main party," Jack replied, turning to command two knights to prepare horses for a breakout.
Then he said to Enleco, "You go back with them too."
"Then what about you?" Enleco asked.
"It's impossible for everyone to run together; someone needs to provide a distraction," Jack replied and rushed down the slope.
Enleco and the other knights followed, running down the slope together. Four horses were already prepared.
Two knights behind them mounted their horses.
Enleco glanced at Jack and shook his head. "I'm not leaving. Having a mage here is much better after all."
"Do you want to wait for death? You're not a knight. There's no need for you to get involved in this battle," Jack advised.
"I don't want to die, but I won't leave comrades behind," Enleco said firmly.
Unable to convince Enleco, Jack ordered the two knights to leave immediately. The two knights chose different directions from the rear gap. They had to take a large detour, ensuring the bandits wouldn't detect them.
The remaining people each held two horses, ready to break through at any moment.
Enleco used the concealment technique taught by Joe to disguise the knights. If not paying attention, no one could associate this pile of shrubs with a group of knights.
Moreover, Enleco drew a magic circle on the chest protector of each knight. It was a kind of illusionary magic circle he learned from Chris's spellbook, which could create illusions on moving objects. Although not very powerful, it could deceive the enemy in battle.
The rolling dust cloud gradually approached. Soon, it reached the campsite. Perhaps the bandits hadn't noticed the knights in the woods, as they casually walked toward the trees in small groups.
Enleco and the others gradually retreated into the forest, leading their horses. As long as they weren't discovered by the bandits, there was still a chance to escape.
When they retreated to the edge of the forest, the group of bandits still hadn't noticed them. Enleco secretly rejoiced. However, at that moment, a sharp whistling sound pierced through the air. The outermost Royal Knight was immediately split in half. The two warhorses beside him were also cut into two pieces. Blood and entrails spilled out simultaneously.
Enleco looked up abruptly. Two mages were flying in the air.
The second gust of wind blades struck down. Everyone hurried into the forest.
After the wind blades split the treetops, shattering into dozens of smaller blades that wreaked havoc in the forest. Branches and leaves filled the air as the broken treetops crashed down, impaling one warhorse to the ground.
In the forest, all the bandits became active, figures wielding weapons charging from all directions.
The knights drew their weapons, and Enleco began preparing the only magic he knew. Although he was reluctant to use it again without fully understanding the magic, the current situation left him with no choice.
While chanting the lengthy incantation, Enleco gestured to Jack, signaling him to mount up and prepare for a breakout.
Fortunately, Jack, being an intelligent knight, quickly grasped Enleco's intention. All the knights mounted their horses in preparation.
At this moment, there were no more wind blades descending from the sky. Perhaps the mages deemed it unworthy to use magic for cutting down trees. They gathered magical energy, preparing for an effective massacre once the prey rushed out of the forest.
The ferocious bandits on the ground drew closer, some even mounted on horses, preparing to encircle. If not for their fear of getting too close and being accidentally harmed by the mages, they would have already charged in.
Enleco's magic was finally ready. As he completed the last line of the incantation, he released the "Chaos Crystal Barrier," enveloping all the knights.
"Charge!" Jack commanded, leading the knights out of the forest.
Dozens of wind blades tore through the air, striking towards the knight's formation. They cleaved through any obstacles in their path, almost flattening a small part of the forest.
Enleco never expected such an intense magical attack. One or two mages were unlikely to possess such formidable offensive capabilities. Although the magical power of the wind blades was completely absorbed by the "Chaos Crystal Barrier," the intense pain once again surged through Enleco's body. However, this time, he did not faint, perhaps having gradually adapted to the pain. The support from Jack and the other knight on either side, firmly holding him on the horse, also contributed to his stability.
Struggling to turn around, Enleco saw over a dozen mages flying in the air, and more mages emerging from the forest.
"So many mages," the knight beside him remarked.
"It seems this is not a typical bandit group," Jack expressed his opinion.
If it were a typical bandit group, there wouldn't be such a large number of mages. In any country, mages are a rare and respected profession. While there are rogue mages who may join bandit groups and commit crimes, they are few in number. Generally, laws in various countries are lenient towards mage crimes. Being a mage is an enviable profession, and even doing nothing, recognized mages receive generous monthly allowances from the government. For instance, Victor exploited this and managed to live comfortably without much effort.
The only plausible explanation for having a significant number of mages is a military force from a nation.
"This is an army disguised as bandits, the regular army of the Kingdom of Kaoqi," almost everyone understood the nature of the crisis they faced.
If they were dealing with regular bandits, there was a chance of escape, as bandits wouldn't engage in senseless pursuits. They wouldn't bother chasing prey that didn't yield much profit. However, the enemies behind them were different. If any knight managed to escape, the entire charade of the disguised bandit operation would be exposed. Therefore, unless all the knights' heads were severed, they wouldn't give up the pursuit.
The ground vibrations confirmed the arrival of a significant force from behind. As there were flying mages in the sky directing the pursuit, the knights knew deceiving the pursuers behind was nearly impossible. With deadly mages in the sky, there was no hope of splitting up and escaping. Their only hope now was for nightfall.
While Enleco and the others desperately fled, the two knights who broke out had already met the incoming large force. After hearing their report, Joe ordered the entire team to halt.
In the princess's carriage, the seven main members of the delegation sat together. The two knights once again recounted the information they obtained in front of the esteemed envoys.
After hearing the knights' report, the princess turned her gaze to the old mage with white hair beside her.
The mage closed his eyes, and his withered hands slowly raised to chest level, forming a ball. Between his lips, he uttered a series of mysterious notes—slow, drawn-out, with low and resonant tones. Tension filled the confined space as everyone else silently waited.
A considerable amount of time passed before the mage finally opened his eyes. Seeing the princess's skeptical gaze, he reassured her, "Rest assured, in that realm of eternal death, only two knights rest forever. The other knights are still alive in this world. However, those two knights had their lives taken by magic. One of the knight's souls told me that there are dozens of mages among the enemies. But our young mage, relying on his magical power, protected the lives of most knights."
"Dozens of mages?" Kate quickly inquired.
Apparently, the elderly mage was not fond of repeating the same question. He tightly shut his eyes.
"It seems like it's not a bandit group," Halmang analyzed. "Bandit groups can't possibly have so many mages."
"Can we go back home then?" Jerry said.
His words clearly sparked discontent among many. Kate glared at him fiercely. Jerry knew he had said something very inappropriate at this time. He recoiled his body.
However, one person seemed to consider his suggestion. The young prince said, "If the Kingdom of Kaoqi has already mobilized its army, this diplomatic mission loses its meaning. We should consider returning home."
Due to the prince's special status, no one spoke casually for a while.
After a while, the mage who had been resting with closed eyes slowly straightened his body. His eyes, now wide open, were sharp and profound, exuding immense pressure.
The prince couldn't help but take a step back.
"It's too early to say that now," the old mage stated.
Although the prince held a lofty position, he didn't dare to refute the elderly man before him. This mage was ranked second in the Kingdom of Sophia, the most revered mage after the Archmage Naga. Due to the crucial nature of this diplomatic mission, the king personally requested this elder to serve as the delegation's advisor.
"Indeed, if they are disguising themselves as a bandit group, it indicates that they are not an official force sanctioned by the king. Perhaps they are a private force from the Kingdom of Kaoqi's hardliners. If we retreat to our homeland, it will provide them with an excellent excuse, making war inevitable," Halmang declared.
All eyes turned to Joe, who had been silent all this time.
From start to finish, Joe maintained a calm demeanor, seemingly unaffected and entirely untroubled by the situation. Observing everyone awaiting his decision, Joe adjusted his expression and said, "Alright, since there are enemies ahead, let's bypass them! Kate, select a few who can fly to scout ahead. It's a significant responsibility, make sure those rascals don't spot you. Halmang, you lead the way; we must travel through the night. Reach Karadan as quickly as possible, and you need to re-plan the route. Ensure access to supplies and water along the way, avoiding encounters with those fellows. Also, minimize stops at campsites. Oh, and Princess, Prince, maybe you should stretch your legs a bit. Sitting in the carriage all the time is not good for your health. Halmang, prepare two warhorses for them. Let's leave the two carriages here." Joe efficiently organized everything in one breath and seemed ready to declare the meeting over.
At this point, Kate asked, "What about Enrico and the knights?"
Joe turned to look at Kate and said, "In such a vast open space, do you really think they'll have nowhere to escape?"
Seeing Kate's anxious eyes, Joe patted her shoulder and reassured, "Don't worry. If they manage to escape from those guys once, they can do it again and again. If you don't have a practical way to help them right now, at least you can pray for them."
As Kate fervently prayed for Enrico's safety, Enrico, in the distance, also silently prayed. He wished the horses wouldn't tire, hoped for the sky to darken swiftly, and prayed for the magic-wielding pursuers to exhaust their powers. He even wished for the sudden appearance of the sandstorms that often swept the wilderness.
However, perhaps due to his pact with the demon, none of his prayers were answered. The anticipated sandstorm didn't materialize, and the sky showed no sign of dimming. The magic-wielding pursuers continued to chase with undiminished vigor. As a result of the lack of a storm, they utilized the energy-efficient Wind Wings spell, allowing them to fly for a considerable time. On the other hand, Enrico and his group's mounts began to show signs of fatigue. Having lost three warhorses earlier, one knight fell behind without a replacement. When Jack suggested that he use his horse, the knight refused and decided to flee in a different direction—an act akin to suicide, known to everyone.
Amidst the wishes and prayers of the group, the knight turned and rode away in the opposite direction. The remaining knights continued switching horses, but the prolonged running caused the warhorses' speed to gradually decrease. Yet, the magic-wielding pursuers dared not approach the escaping group. This was entirely due to the peculiar magic Enrico had employed. The once confident and tightly coordinated attacks by the magic users proved utterly ineffective, leading them to grossly overestimate Enrico's capabilities.
"I wish I could use other magic," Enrico kept muttering to himself. Since the last use of this magic, Enrico had attempted countless times to utilize various other spells, but despite feeling the clear flow of magical energy, he remained unable to cast even the simplest spells.
"It seems you're in trouble," a voice echoed in Enrico's mind.
He immediately recognized it as the voice of the creature Most. Indeed, the voice continued, "I have a very suitable spell for your current situation."
With that, a new magic spell appeared in Enrico's mind.
Despite not understanding the purpose of this magic, Enrico dismissed the "Chaos Crystal Wall" and began chanting the newly learned spell. Like the incantation for the "Chaos Crystal Wall," this one was also exceedingly long and composed in an unknown language. Enrico had no idea about its meaning, but he knew the final phrase mentioned the name of the spell — "Dark Banner."
With the completion of the incantation, countless black feathers scattered into the air. Once these feathers were more than ten meters away from Enrico, they immediately transformed into a dense black smoke, shooting into the sky. They seemed like living entities, autonomously seeking targets. The flying magicians were immediately surrounded by several clusters of smoke.
It was a chaotic scene as the magicians, resembling headless flies, tumbled through the air. Soon, one after another, they awkwardly descended to the ground. Unfortunately, most of them miscalculated their landing speed, crashing headlong into the soil.
The pursuers behind, witnessing numerous magicians falling simultaneously, were thrown into disarray. Moreover, the peculiar smoke and dust in the sky gradually drifted in their direction. Soon, the vanguard of the chasing cavalry encountered it directly. Countless thick black smoke enveloped them, and a series of neighs and cries for help echoed.
"Stop, stop!" a leader commanded.
The pursuers came to a halt.
"What's going on?" the bandit leader turned to a middle-aged magician in a bright red robe behind him.
"It might be some kind of smoke-based magic," the magician replied uncertainly. Although all four elemental magic types included smoke-related spells, none of them exhibited the pronounced effects of the current magic. The thick black smoke completely blocked light, akin to a blindness spell. Moreover, those affected by the magic seemed unable to dispel it, a phenomenon beyond the magician's expectations.
The magician contemplated for a while, then extended his arms, conjuring a massive barrier that enveloped the surrounding area. The black fog from all directions gradually converged towards the barrier, tightly enclosing it.
After ensuring there was no immediate threat, the magician temporarily eased his mind and said, "This magic doesn't seem to belong to any of the four elemental magic types I'm familiar with."
Pausing, he continued, "I heard that the Madosi from Sophieon is here this time. This magic is most likely cast by him."
"What Madosi? What are the four elemental magic types?" asked a burly bandit with a thick beard beside him.
The magician secretly detested these bandits. If it weren't for his master's firm insistence on close cooperation with these bastards, he wouldn't bother explaining magical knowledge to such ignorant fools. However, now that the enemy had such a powerful magician in their ranks, it was necessary for those around him to have some basic understanding of magic.
The magician pondered how to simplify things for these coarse bandits, not expecting them to have a strong grasp of magical concepts.
After careful consideration, he explained, "The so-called four elemental magic refers to the magical skills that control the main elements constituting the world—water, wind, earth, and fire. Besides elemental magic, there are also divine invocation techniques using the power of gods, light magic, and psychic magic that affects only living beings. Additionally, there are very few spatial magic effects. Most mages specialize in the four elemental magics, like myself. Light magic is exclusive to priests, and spatial magic requires the assistance of magic circles. The only magic with such incredible power can be divine invocation, but mages proficient in this are quite rare. As far as I know, only the High Priest in our country and the Madosi from Sophieon, especially the Madosi, who studies the powerful and almost forbidden dark deity, Raktoskranis, possess this ability. Considering the group ahead, the protected mage is undoubtedly the Madosi."
"Could it be the disciple of that Madosi guy? If there's a mage with such power, he wouldn't come out alone with just a few knights. They seem more like an advanced scouting party," the leader asked.
"I've never heard that Madosi has taken on any disciples. Those who study divine invocation must abstain from using any other form of magic throughout their lives. Learning such magic doesn't attract people for no reason; no one willingly chooses to study this kind of magic. Besides, Madosi studied the forbidden dark magic of the death god Raktoskranis for special reasons. He even swore not to pass on this magic," the mage denied.
"Could someone have learned dark magic on their own?"
"If learning divine invocation were so easy, we wouldn't have so few divine invocation mages. You see, Madosi was originally a great archmage. To study dark magic, he gave up everything for his accomplishments. Regular mages can't communicate with deities."
"If it is Madosi, why is he there? As a mage, he should have the ability to escape on his own. Why not abandon those knights and escape himself? Could it be that he thinks his magic is profound enough to handle us alone? If he were a great archmage like Kobe Leo, it might be possible."
"That's very likely. Dark gods govern death, and mages using the 'Shadowy Steed' spell can escape faster than flying. But how does he know we're going to attack them? Just now, it was an obvious accidental encounter, not an ambush against us. Also, if he didn't want to save those knights, he should have been able to escape."
The higher-ranked mage and the leader of the bandits exchanged glances, both having the same realization simultaneously, saying, "He's protecting someone."
"Very clever, exceptionally clever. Disguise the prince and princess as ordinary knights, sneak into Caoqi in the form of a small team, leave an empty shell team behind, and wait for us to fall into the trap. Brilliant, truly brilliant," the leader nodded approvingly.
"Hehe, it looks like luck is on our side. If we had followed the original plan to attack that escort team, even if we succeeded, it probably wouldn't have been of much use. The people of Sophieon are indeed quite cunning. Unexpectedly, the goddess of luck has smiled upon us in the vast desert, bringing us into contact with them," the mage in the red robe said joyfully.
"But now we need to find a way to break this smoke magic. Do you have the confidence to defeat that Madosi?" The leader's words made the mages a bit fearful.
Facing a mage of the same unknown level, they also felt that the odds were against them. Moreover, with the most obscure dark divine magic, no one dared to guarantee that it could be dispelled. The bandits trapped in the dark magic pondered strategies.
On the other side, the fleeing Enleco only now felt that his body had surpassed its limits. Aches and numbness spread throughout him, making it impossible to stay seated on the horse. Jack tightly held Enleco's belt, preventing him from falling off the horse.
No one dared to pause; the wilderness was like the bandits' courtyard, and escaping a group of bandits on the plain was quite challenging. Due to the knights' honor, Enleco's companions steadfastly refused to turn back and reunite with the main force. Just thinking about the knight who voluntarily left the group and headed in another direction, Enleco could roughly understand what they were thinking.
Although no one wanted to stop, the horses couldn't endure the prolonged running. By the time the sun set, all the horses were exhausted. Finding a nearby campsite on the map, the group walked their horses towards it. Enleco was the only one who received special treatment, and they insisted on letting him stay on horseback.
The night sky was adorned with faint stars, and under the dim moonlight, the knights finally found the campsite. Jack carefully placed Enleco in a sheltered spot. Each knight performed their duties silently in the darkness, taking turns keeping watch and tending to the horses.
There was a well in the campsite, and water was a lifeline in this vast desert. The weary horses were brought to the well to drink the precious water first. In this desert, preserving life depended on these loyal warhorses. Caring for these horses was every knight's duty. The only one allowed to drink water before the horses was Enleco.
Leaning against the slightly warm hillside, gazing at the starry sky, Enleco absentmindedly drank from a knight's offered water flask. He felt a peculiar sensation, questioning why the son of a miscellaneous shop owner like himself was entangled in these events. It seemed all because of that wretched teacher, Victor. Whenever Victor came to mind, Enleco couldn't help but wonder what Victor was doing now. Soon, he dismissed the thought, finding it ridiculous. What else could Victor be doing other than getting drunk or sleeping? If nothing unexpected happened, he was probably drunk by now. Thinking of Victor led Enleco to think of his father, another person with a very regular life. In his memory, his father was like a clockwork figure, waking up, opening the shop, starting business, closing the shop, and then sleeping, all at precise times. Under his father's influence, Enleco was once a person of very regular habits. At this time every day, he would have been in bed already. How did he end up in such a situation, with no fixed abode and an uncertain future?
Why did all this happen? Thinking of this question, Enleco couldn't help but think of his other teacher, Princess Chris, the eldest princess. If not for her, how could he have gotten involved in this matter? Thinking of the princess, Enleco felt like he was pinned by a needle, unable to sleep soundly. The scenes of his painful experiences in the laboratory deeply tortured his poor soul.
Unable to continue these thoughts, Jack walked over with two blankets.
He laid one blanket gently on the ground and carefully placed Enleco on it before covering him with the other. Enleco knew they probably didn't have enough blankets for the whole group, so he asked, "What about the others?"
Jack, understanding why Enleco asked, explained, "Don't worry, we can squeeze together, and they insisted I bring these for you. Thanks to you, we were able to save our lives, so we must protect you, our guardian."
Jack paused and glanced at his small team, saying softly, "From now on, we rely on you. Only you have the ability to lead them out of this deathly land."
After saying this, Jack turned and walked toward his team. After a few steps, he suddenly turned back and shouted, "It's all up to you."
Though the words may not have been loud, they sounded incredibly clear under the silent night sky. All the knights stopped what they were doing and looked in their direction.
Although Enleco couldn't see anything in the pitch-dark night, he could keenly feel the immense trust from all the knights. This trust felt like an enormous pressure, momentarily leaving him feeling powerless. Gazing at the stars, Enleco pondered silently.
"All relying on me?" Enleco had never imagined he could have the ability to help others, especially these brave and strong knights. All relying on him? He was just someone who knew nothing, not even considered a proper apprentice in magic. Could they really trust him to lead them, or would his actions lead them to death? If only he truly had the power to help them.
For the first time in his life, Enleco deeply wished for enough strength, a power that entirely belonged to him.
Also for the first time, he felt immense pressure, a sense of duty, a responsibility.
Enleco lay quietly in the middle of the blankets, eyes fixed on the stars, awaiting the passing of the night and the arrival of dawn. Perhaps, when he woke up tomorrow, everything would have an answer.