Cold. Very cold. My body was literally freezing as we walked up the mountain. The Aura Shield that ‘Gilbert Argevald’ used already faded away.

‘Gilbert Argevald’ that’s so weird to think of in my mind.

‘Gilbert Argevald’ I’m not too fond of that man sharing the last name with him.

‘Gilbert Argevald’, well, since he agreed to go with me, I’m still happy. That thought alone is enough to keep me a little warm going up this mountain.

“————!”

What was that?! Interrupting my thoughts was a weird bellow coming from the distance. I have never heard that before.

“That’s the guardian of the Skaldr mountains, it’d be best to rush.”

“Wi–Gilbert Argevald, it was fine earlier wasn’t it?”

“We weren’t too high up, reports about this thing is that for whatever reason it doesn’t go below a certain altitude.”

“Why does it have such an attitude?”

“...”

After my question he just silently continued walking. I also asked why he didn’t use another shield, but he said it was to conserve magic. If we get too cold, he can use his Flame Tempest and it uses less effort apparently. I ended up asking another question.

“Hey, is it possible for me to use magic since I have an Edonai as well?”

“Yes, anyone with an Edonai can use magic. The strength and how to use it is different per-person, but that's what I learned. Apparently I had zero potential for magic after all.”

“Velbus sucks.”

“I mean, I guess.”

A metallic roar gets even loader the further up the mountains we get.

“——————!”

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Once the roar quiets down, ‘Gilbert Argevald’ continues to speak.

“We’re going to have to run through in a bit. Shannon’s guys are probably still following us since he has a thing for us.”

“A thing for us?”

“He probably hates us as much as you hate him.”

“Oh. Don’t you hate him also?”

“Of course.”

Without warning, he throws a metal spike into the mountain ledge behind us and an arc of lightning crashes the snow down the path we just were walking on. Immediately after the mountain path gets blocked he uses the Aura Shield.

“Eclaire, c’mon!”

“Huh?! Okay!”

Following his lead, we run through the mountain path. I vaguely hear the shouts of soldiers as we detour to the rocky slope of the mountains. It’s tough to get a foothold, but everytime he goes ahead, he waits for me to reach him.

More abruptly than expected, a torrent of fire shoots out at where we’re standing, and in an emergency movement ‘Gilbert Argevald’ pulls me down into a slide down the mountainside.

Unexpectedly from Shanen El’gant, a surge of flames come directly from him.

[Magma Burst] An intense blast of flames, intense enough to burn rock.

A heat so intense it was almost impossible to look at.

As we’re descending at fast speeds, ‘Gilbert Argevald’ tossed me to the nearest ledge, immediately breaking the shield while I roll into a stand. I snap backward to see Shanen El’gant follow up with sharp speed to collide with him. He used the time to create the shield and blast the mountainside so his sword was still normal.

While sliding down the mountain, ‘Gilbert Argevald’ kicks Shanen El’gant in the face, using it as a platform to jump to the ledge I was at. With a screech, the pig squeals out more orders to his men.

“Get theeeem!”

Rolling forward, we run into an open area surrounded by his soldiers. He had them climb the other direction while he took the path of luxury, all for this. I pull out both of my swords and prepare to eliminate the ones in our way.

“—————————————!”