Chapter 15: Resting Before The Battle

Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Resting Before The BattleAcross the battlefield, the other members of the group watched the exchange between Lian and Dax, their eyes wide with lingering adrenaline. The fight they had just witnessed was nothing short of thrilling. "He’s not entirely useless after all," Sera murmured, her expression teetering between disdain and a flicker of curiosity. Patrick, standing at the center of the group, let a faint smile curl his lips. "Well, well," he said softly, his voice laced with a trace of amusement. "Our young Mage is starting to shine, isn’t he?" Raising a hand to command attention, he continued, his tone smooth yet commanding. "You’ve all done well. Let’s move out of this area and find a place to rest. You lot look like you could use it." His gaze lingered on Lian and Dax. The other two Knights from Dustwall were, frankly, unremarkable. Ordinary humans, nothing special about them. Patrick had seen their kind before—too many, perhaps. It wasn’t entirely their fault. They lacked talent. Hard work could carry you far, but talent was the spark that set true potential ablaze, a crucial factor for any living being. The Knights of Grimreach nodded, their expressions solemn. They would follow any order from Mage Patrick without question. Lian, still catching his breath, straightened up. He was about to use his sword as a crutch when a steady hand gripped his shoulder from behind. It was Dax. "You’re the reason these two are still breathing," Dax said, jabbing a finger toward the other two Knights, his voice rough but carrying a weight of gratitude. "Sorry about earlier, and thank you, Mage Lian," the Knights said, their gazes earnest. They spoke to him differently now, with a respect that hadn’t been there before. They could ignore the status that came with being a Mage, but they couldn’t ignore the raw power a Mage could unleash. "No problem. I only helped because my heart wouldn’t let me stand by," Lian replied with a small smile, a trace of pride flickering in his expression. It was the first time Knights had addressed him as Mage. He was thrilled. "Alright, let’s move," Patrick said abruptly, his voice cutting through the moment. The group set off in a new direction, away from the tracks they’d seen earlier. No one but Patrick had noticed, but the footprints on the ground didn’t match those of the alpha they’d just fought. The alpha’s paws were slightly smaller, while the tracks were larger—and deeper. That could mean only one thing. There was a monster stronger than an Iron 5 lurking in the forest. "Heh, this journey won’t be a waste after all!" Patrick thought, a sly grin tugging at his lips as he moved with the group, his senses ever alert for anything that might emerge from the shadows around them, like a predator stalking its prey. After about fifteen minutes of steady travel, the group halted. "Alright, we’ll camp here," Patrick announced, surveying the area. The ground was no longer a muddy quagmire but solid rock, and the trees had thinned out, offering a clearer view of their surroundings, a rare moment of reprieve in the oppressive forest. Jeremy, Dax, and the two Knights from Dustwall exchanged confused glances. They hadn’t brought tents, bedding, or any supplies. How were they supposed to set up camp? But in the next instant, five tents materialized out of thin air. "There we go," Patrick said, gesturing to himself and the other two Mages. "Each of us gets a tent. You six can split these two." This time, none of the Dustwall Knights dared to argue. They simply nodded, their faces etched with bewilderment. What in the world was going on? "No need to worry about keeping watch—I’ll handle it. Consider it a bonus for your performance," Patrick added as he stepped into his tent. "That’s a spatial ring!" Lian muttered, his face lighting up with excitement. "When will I get one of my own?" He wasn’t the only one marveling. The Dustwall Knights hadn’t expected this either. They’d been told to bring nothing but their armor and swords, and now they understood why. "Tch, you really are a bunch of pathetic peasants," Sera scoffed, her tone dripping with contempt as she flicked her hand. A silver gleam flashed from her spatial ring, and a small metallic object, no larger than a palm, appeared, hovering before her. Strange runes adorned its surface, pulsing with faint blue energy. With a toss, the disc floated to the top of her tent. A low hum followed, and a translucent blue barrier shimmered into existence around it. "?!?" The four "peasants" gaped, their eyes wide with astonishment. "What the hell is that?!" one of the Knights blurted out. "A barrier?" another hissed. Dax stood speechless, his jaw hanging open. He knew what it was—he’d heard of such things from a merchant. It was an Artifact, a device crafted by skilled artisans from beast territories. He didn’t know the specifics, but he knew one thing: they were insanely expensive. Lian watched the scene, his shock not from the barrier or the artifact itself—though that alone would have stunned him—but from a small detail that caught his eye. The runes etched on the disc. "Why do they look so familiar?" he thought, his expression growing serious. "No, I must be mistaken... maybe I saw them wrong." Shaking his head slightly, Lian snapped out of it. "What are you peasants staring at?" Sera snapped, noticing Lian’s gaze. "It’s nothing special. Just a Barrier Artifact. Keeps you lot out and alerts me if anyone tries to sneak in." Her tone was dismissive, but the way she glanced at the disc betrayed a hint of pride. Without looking back, she approached the barrier, which parted briefly to let her pass before sealing shut with a resonant hum. Patrick, observing from a distance, gave a faint smile. "Get settled," he said, his voice calm but carrying an edge of authority. Then, with a casual wave, he produced dried meat from thin air and handed it to the four Knights. "Rest, eat, and keep your weapons close. I’ll take watch, but that doesn’t mean you can let your guard down. Always be ready for a sudden attack. Even I might miss something." He scanned the surroundings, feigning concern. The Grimreach Knights had already received their share of food and headed to their tent. Both they and the Dustwall Knights shared larger tents, while Lian, as a Mage, was entitled to one of his own. After taking his food and thanking Patrick, Lian limped to his tent. It was small but functional, with a leather cot and an oil lamp casting a soft glow on a wooden table. Bathed in the dim light, Lian collapsed onto the cot. His body felt heavy, his ankle wound partially healed and bandaged by Dax’s skilled hands. He closed his eyes, trying to relax as he chewed on the dried meat, but his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The System, magic, Gates, monsters... and now artifacts. The world was far bigger than he’d ever imagined. "No use dwelling on it. I need to rest. Using magic isn’t exactly a walk in the park..." he muttered under his breath before slipping into a light, uneasy sleep, his dreams haunted by the faint glow of unfamiliar shapes...