Marsil Pov

I kept moving forward, step by step, toward Redglass Mountain City.

The important thing was that I was alive.

The pain in my shoulder was still there, but I noticed something else.

A subtle warmth, a slow mending sensation spreading from the wound.

My body was healing itself, slowly but surely.

Maybe it was because of my strengthened spirit, or maybe I had just gotten used to regenerating faster thanks to my magical energy.

Either way, I could tell that within six to twelve hours, I would be fine.

That was good.

Because I still had more than a day and a half of walking ahead of me.

I adjusted the strap of my bag, careful not to put too much strain on my injured shoulder.

My mind drifted as I walked.

Redglass Mountain City.

It was a proper city, not a small town like Crimson Berry.

That meant more people, more resources, and more places to hide if I needed to.

More places to gather information, to prepare, to make sure I wasn’t being hunted.

I knew I couldn’t stay in one place for too long.

Elenora and her people had made that clear.

But a city was different from a town.

It was easier to disappear in a crowd, easier to blend in when there were hundreds, maybe thousands, of people around.

If I played my cards right, I could stay there for a while without anyone finding me.

I just needed to get there first.

I took another deep breath, letting the cold forest air fill my lungs. The pain in my shoulder was still there, but it was manageable.

I wasn’t going to stop.

Not now.

Not when there was still so much to do.

-

Rigor Pov

Moving through the narrow pathway, I kept my steps light, careful not to disturb the silence of the forest.

I stopped and turned to face my group of ten mages, all of them disciplined, all of them prepared for what lay ahead. Their eyes were on me, waiting for instructions.

“The target is a selective mage group that operates under Eval and his Morningstar Act,”

I said, keeping my voice steady and calm.

“They’ve been moving in and out of Crimson Berry Town, and they most likely know we’ve been following them.”

Some of the younger mages exchanged glances, but the older ones remained still.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

They understood the weight of this mission.

Before I could continue, one of them, an older mage, though still younger than me, spoke up.

“And what about Arfa?”

I let out a slow breath.

“Our people have informed us that Arfa may be in Crimson Berry Town as well,”

I said.

“But we don’t have confirmation.”

That changed things.

Arfa wasn’t just any mage under Eval’s command.

He was one of the twelve.

Directly below Eval in rank. If he was in Crimson Berry Town, it meant something big was happening.

It also meant that if we engaged, we had to be smart about it.

I looked at my mages, reading their expressions. Some looked eager, others wary.

Good.

Eagerness could be dangerous, but wariness kept people alive.

“Listen to me carefully,” I continued.

“We do not engage recklessly. Our goal is to confirm their presence, gather intelligence, and strike only if the situation favors us. If Arfa is there, we do not engage him directly. Understood?”

A chorus of nods followed.

If Arfa was in Crimson Berry Town, then this mission just became much more dangerous.

-

We kept walking.

Lenor, the older mage who had asked about Arfa, stopped for a moment. I could sense the hesitation in his steps even before he spoke.

“If we do encounter Arfa… What exactly is our course of action? I know you do not speak to young mages clearly, but I think I need to know about it...”

I stopped as well, turning my gaze toward him.

I let the silence hang for a moment before answering, my voice firm.

“If we find Arfa alone, and there is no way for him to call for reinforcements, we strike.”

The words left my mouth without hesitation.

“He is powerful,”

I continued, my gaze meeting Lenor’s, “but even he cannot stand against ten trained mages at the same time. If the opportunity presents itself, we eliminate him.”

I walked toward a nearby tree and placed my hand against the rough bark, letting my fingers trace the deep grooves.

My eyes darkened as I added,

“However, if we encounter him in the town center or in a situation where he has other mages around him, we do not engage.”

“We back down, watch, and wait,” I said firmly.

“Arfa is not someone to be taken lightly. If he has support, fighting him head-on is suicide.”

Lenor was silent, but I could see the gears turning in his head.

He was experienced enough to understand the weight of my words.

After a moment, he gave a slow nod, but I could tell there was another question lingering on his mind.

I waited, watching him, but after a few seconds, he chose to keep his thoughts to himself.

Smart.

If we were the ones ambushed, there would be no escape.

Only battle.

There was no need to voice that.

We all understood it.

I turned my attention back to the path ahead.

“Let’s move,” I ordered, my tone leaving no room for argument.

The group fell into step behind me, their resolve strengthening.

I had no illusions that this mission would be simple.

Crimson Berry Town was a volatile place, and our enemies were just as prepared as we were.

But one thing was certain: if an opportunity to strike arose, I would not hesitate.

I had seen too many battles and lost too many comrades to the cruelty of war.

There was no glory in this fight, only survival.

If we were caught, we would fight with everything we had.

There was no running, no surrender.

Freedom of Amber had given us a mission, and failure was not an option.

The thought of battle sent a surge of adrenaline through my veins.

The thrill of combat, the rush of magic crackling through the air—it was a feeling I knew well.

But this wasn’t about personal glory.

This was about ending a war before it truly began.

A rustle in the underbrush made me tense.

My hand instinctively went to the hilt of my dagger, and the others immediately fell into formation.

We weren’t alone.

I raised a hand, signaling for silence.

The group halted, eyes scanning the dense forest around us.

A few moments passed before the tension eased.

For now.

I exhaled slowly and lowered my hand.

“Keep moving. We’re close.”

The group obeyed without question, stepping carefully as we neared the outskirts of Crimson Berry Town.

The real battle hadn’t even begun yet.