Using the spire and the distant cliffs to navigate, they set off again. Their pace had slowed considerably, but they refused to stop. The sun started its climb down westward. By the time the terrain started to flatten, and tallgrass covered fields stretched before them, the sun had already touched the peaks of the mountains, casting tall shadows across the world.

  The sky, dyed crimson, slowly began to darken. Stars glimmered brightly, the moon began to rise from behind the mountains. Colours faded as the sun vanished behind the horizon.

  “There!” Ava shouted, pointing ahead. A small fire illuminated a large rock, perhaps a few hundred meters ahead of them.

  “Oh, finally…” Clara cried out. With renewed vigour, they hastened their steps and rushed towards the campsite. The dilapidated church seemed more welcoming than ever.

  Distant shouts reached their ears. “Incoming people!” A familiar voice shouted. “Are they back?!”

  They passed the threshold of the Hallowed Ground as the last rays of sunlight disappeared.

  “Ava!” Charles’ voice echoed over all the others as he broke off from the gathering crowd and ran up to his sister, embracing her in a tight, gentle hug. “I thought you were-“ he couldn’t finish his sentence.

  “Alaric! Clara!” Elizabeth and Victoria rushed towards them, immediately stopping in their tracks as soon as they saw the wounded wolves, and the two young men on the horse.

  “Kneel, let them off.” Alaric turned to the horse. It obediently folded its legs, lowering itself to the ground.

  Jason stumbled off the horse. “Reuban needs help. Now.”

  “Can we get some help here?” Clara shouted.

  Not a moment later, Lochlan and Avery reached them.

  “Grandmother needs to see him. Make sure to be careful with his leg...” While Elizabeth ordered them around, Alaric sat down.

  “Are you wounded too?” Victoria knelt beside him.

  “No, I’m fine. Jason needs help too. And Ava. And Clara needs to sleep. And she needs to recover her mana, fast.” He spat out his thoughts as quickly as they came to him. “Reuban didn’t wake up since his leg got broken. It’s been…” he squinted, trying to remember. “I think something like ten hours. Maybe more, I’m not sure. Clara needs to help him as soon as she can-“

  “Alright.” Victora stood up. “We’ll handle it. And Sol and Luna’s wounds too.” She turned her gaze at them. “Come with me, you two.” She walked up to Ava and Charles. “You can’t ask her that stuff now, are you insane Charles? Ava, come with me…”

  She was too far away for him to properly hear what she said at that point.

  I need to rest too. He admitted to himself. Every muscle in his body ached. He couldn’t think straight anymore. “Keep watch.” He muttered towards the horse before forcing himself to get up. He stumbled with the first step he took, only to catch the horses mane.

  “Alaric.” Charles called his name as he started to drag his feet towards the church. “I need to know what happened out there – this is the first time your group came back so badly wounded. Reuban is at death’s door for god’s sake, and Ava could barely stand-“

  His voice was so loud, and so insistent. “Tomorrow,” Alaric muttered, continuing to make his way to the church.

  “No. I need to know what we’re up against so-“

  “Let the kid rest, for fuck’s sake!” Carl shouted.

  “He can barely stand, are you blind?” Robert piped up from above the boulder. “They all need rest.”

  Charles folded his arms. “I’m responsible for everyone’s safety. For all we know they’re being chased and whatever did this to them will-“

  “We’re not!” Alaric spun around to face him. “Don’t step out of Hallowed Ground and you’ll all be fine! Do you really think I wouldn’t tell you? That I’d hide that kind of information? The mana core is destroyed, so let us fucking rest for once! Before whatever’s next comes, and we have to go out there again! I’ll tell everything tomorrow.”

  Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

  With hastened steps, he walked past the crowed that gave him way, leaving the dumbstruck Charles behind, made his way to the back room of the church, and collapsed on the woven grass mat. As soon as his head touched the ground, he felt his consciousness slip away.

  “Alaric!” A voice shouted his name as small hands shook him awake. “Wake up!” His eyes shot open to Victoria’s panicked face. “Something new is happening!”

  He let out a tired sigh and closed his eyes again. Not again. Let me rest dammit.

  “Don’t fall back asleep!” Victoria shook him again.

  With a groan, he opened his eyes. “What now…?” A blue box floating just above Victoria’s head caused his protests to die out. “Bloody hell… again? What time is it?” He sat upright, much to Victoria’s relief.

  “Six in the morning, if the system clock is accurate.”

  It’s not even dawn yet! Silencing his inner cries, he read the system message floating in front of his face.

  WARNING – SECOND STAGE OF AETHERFALL HAS BEEN COMPLETED

  YOUR HALLOWED GROUND HAS STOOD THE TEST OF CORRUPTION FOR NOW

  REWARDS GRANTED

  HALLOWED GROUND PROPERTIES INCREASED MINISCULLY

  OBJECTIVE – RESCUE THE SURVIVORS CHASED BY THE PROFANED LEGION APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTHEAST

  “Survivors?” He breathed out. Others had survived? He snatched the cloak someone had put on him to act as a blanket and started on his feet.

  “Yeah – it appeared just a minute ago. I came to wake you up as soon as it did.” Victoria bit her lips. “What’s the Profaned Legion?”

  He felt his heart sink. “The things that nearly killed us yesterday.” He headed towards the doorway, but hesitation gave him pause.

  I can’t face off against that again. We barely survived. His hand reached for the torn cloth cover acting as a makeshift door.

  “If there are survivors…” Victoria’s eyes glimmered with hope. “It might be people we know. We have to save them, right?”

  He took a deep breath. “Yeah. We have to try.” He pushed down the fear and panic, the hesitation and exhaustion. “Can you get me some water?”

  While she rushed off, he covered his eyes and took a few slow breaths. I’m too tired for this. He let the thought linger for a while before clipping the knight’s blade’s scabbard to his belt and throwing the cloak over his shoulders. As he left the small room, Victoria had returned to the church with a large cup of water.

  “Thanks,” he drank it, then snatched a couple of fruits from the basket they stored them in. “Let Charles know what’s going on, wake up Avery, Lochlan… anyone willing to fight. Robert too – he should stand watch, in case things go badly.” He hesitated as he left the church. It was a risk – he was asking everyone he named to put their lives on the line.

  “I want to help too.” Victoria pointed southeast. “I can fight, I’ve been training. You know how I can use my magic.”

  Alaric tightened his jaw. “I know. I need you to lead everyone who’s willing to come to me. I’ll probably need your help – all of your help. But we can’t afford to wait till everyone’s ready to go.”

  Victoria narrowed her eyes. “How will I find you?”

  Alaric glanced at the two wolves. “Luna will lead you. Right?”

  The wolf softly howled.

  I’d like to think that’s affirmation. He decided to believe that. “I’ll ride the horse.”

  “Cinder.” Victoria smiled. “I think that’s a good name for him. I’ll wake everyone up. We’ll be following, so go.” With that, she hurried off.

  “…Cinder?” He glanced at the stallion calmly watching the horizon. It’s tail and mane looked as if they were aflame. Well, they were aflame with a cold fire that didn’t seem to hurt the horse or its riders. The name does fit. “Cinder it is,” he muttered as he pulled himself on the saddle. “Sol, find those survivors. Luna, lead Victoria to me when she’s ready.”

  The male wolf leapt on its feet and disappeared into the night, while Luna calmly waited.

  “Follow Sol, Cinder. Let’s find those people.” It was a good opportunity to find out how well these animals marked by him were able to find each other.

  The horse neighed softly, then broke into a gallop. Had he not been tightly holding onto the saddle, he would have been on the floor right now, possibly with some broken bones.

  I shouldn’t have stopped horse riding after high school. Then again, he would have never thought he’d find himself in this peculiar position. Despite years having past, he quickly remembered. His hunched back slowly straightened, his grasp on the saddle and bridle relaxed, and his legs gently pressed against the horse’s sides.

  The wind whistled in his ears, it tugged his hair and cloak. He couldn’t help but be surprised at how big the horse was, and how much farther he could see from its back. He barely caught glimpses of Sol’s silhouette dashing in the dark. Cinder followed the wolf, keeping up with surprising ease.

  It almost felt like the stallion was holding back some of its strength. He gently pet its mane, feeling the cold flames dancing on and beneath the long hairs. The silver colour was pale enough not to blind him, but just bright enough to be visible from afar.

  Let’s hope the survivors don’t think I’m an enemy. He awkwardly laughed at that thought. He was heading towards them, riding the steed that once belonged to their enemy. His eyes narrowed with doubt and worry. What was he supposed to do if they were actually chased by a knight like yesterday? He couldn’t fight it off alone.

  Maybe they have some good fighters.

  Minutes passed as he rode. The sky eastward started to light up, crimsons and purples dyed colour into the black. Stars slowly blinked away, disappearing. The thick, otherworldly fog creeping closer each passing second finally began to retreat, and in the distance, the light of a few torches glinted, just beyond the next hill.