A hush fell for a moment before Ethan's son spoke up: "Hello, Father. How are you?"
Ethan replied in a firm tone, "I'm fine. And how about you, Leo? You look tired. Did a sandstorm catch you on your way here? You also arrived a little earlier."
Leo smiled and answered, "None of that. I arrived early because I was very eager to see the people who protected our region from the catastrophe of those demonic beasts."
Ethan said, "Then you must take some rest. Please, sit down, and you may begin now to discuss what you will do tomorrow."
Leo sat on an empty chair beside both Rin and Eirenor, then shook his hand off and said, "Oops, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Leo; I'm very pleased to meet you," and then sat back down.
Everyone introduced themselves before the discussion began.
Rin said, "You know that tomorrow morning we will set out directly for the Southern Forest."
Leo replied, "Yes, I know, and I'm ready for that as well."
Rin asked, "What exactly do you mean?"
Ethan answered, "I have prepared a horse-drawn carriage for you to help you travel smoothly and swiftly."
Everyone's faces lit up with joy. Rin spoke first: "We are truly grateful to you; this will make things much easier for us."
Ethan responded humbly, "No need for thanks. Compared to what you yourselves have done, this is nothing. Without you, this city would have been awash in blood like the others. It is I who should thank you. In any case, my son must be tired from such a long journey, and I would like to speak with him for a bit; so you may leave if you wish."
After everyone departed, Leo and Ethan remained alone, talking at ease, smiles never leaving their faces. Ethan appeared to feign toughness, though his worry for his son was clear.
The two of them left the dining hall straight for the outside of the castle, where life still thrived in this city that had stood for centuries. They wandered through its streets and alleys as though taking leave.
They spent the day roaming until the sun set and a crimson moon appeared in a blood-red sky. Night had truly fallen.
Oran said, "It seems it's quite late. We should return to the castle—everyone must be asleep by now."
No one objected, and they all headed back together.
The girls had spent a pleasant time buying provisions and luggage, and joy was evident on their faces.
Everyone had already eaten both lunch and dinner, not to mention the snacks, so there was no need for another feast.
Upon reaching the castle, the guards allowed them entry without any obstacles, as if they were coming home.
The boys went to their rooms, and the girls to theirs; they all fell asleep immediately.
The Next Day
Morning arrived with a heavy silence as the first rays of sun in their journey toward the Southern Forest filtered through the castle's corners. Rin, Leo, Oran, Selene, Eirenor, and Aretha, along with Leo—the king's grandson—stepped out of the castle gate that closed behind them. Before them stretched golden sand dunes shimmering in the pale morning light, the echo of their footsteps repeating on the earth's surface as it extended toward the horizon. Nothing in the castle drew the eye; all the guards and servants watched the caravan depart into the unknown, leaving behind a thousand unanswered questions.
Oran took the lead in the front row, scanning the rolling sands and planning the first move. The sun's early heat broke the dawn's chill, gently warming the air and stirring in their hearts a vague sense of strength and caution. They were acutely aware that the desert's harshness spared no one who let down their guard.
Day One
They walked until midday, covering nearly twenty-five miles before finding a small oasis guarded by slender palm trees. The water there was pure enough to fill their water skins. They ate dates, drank, and Rin and Leo vowed to remain ever vigilant in order to protect Leo and their comrades.
Selene, seeking to break the journey's silence, quietly addressed Leo:
— The road is long, but we can share stories and jokes so that loneliness fades.
Aretha nodded in understanding and said:
— Indeed. Tell us about your adventures before you left.
Leo smiled shyly; Selene let out a soft laugh, and they continued onward.
Night One
At sunset, the sky gradually turned a deep crimson streaked with hues of blood, like a dark, flowing cloak. The sun hung like an ember on the horizon as shadows lengthened. They found a short palm tree and hung three lanterns beneath its branches to serve as their camp. Oran kindled a small fire, and everyone prepared a simple meal of dried meat. Meanwhile, the full moon rose, glowing with a dark red brilliance like a burning ruby in the sky.
Suddenly, hordes of demonic beasts charged toward their camp. Leo trembled with fear as Rin raised his sword and shouted:
— Prepare yourselves! They are remnants of the Winged Fire Serpents!
The demons surged forward, their screams tearing the night as their flesh-clad claws ground the sand. Rin, Oran, and Eirenor formed a protective human shield around Leo, Aretha, and the others. Rin and Leo exchanged swift blows with the beasts, plunging into the chaos of blood and darkness. After a tense few minutes, their discipline and swift defense repelled the first wave. They breathed a collective sigh of relief as Rin's heart swelled with the scent of demon blood and the taste of their first victory.
Weeks Two and Three
The days passed with relentless repetition: scorching heat by day and piercing cold by night. They traversed towering dunes, climbing with strenuous effort and descending with caution for fear of a fatal fall. At night, the blood moon appeared each time like a summons to an impending ruin, and winds carried a foul stench left behind by ancient battles.
On the eleventh day, Oran discovered the charred remains of a burned-out camp. They approached and found scattered corpses, blood and entrails strewn across the sand. Oran knelt beside a skull near his feet and shuddered: it belonged to a child, its eyes wide open, tears still wet on its cheeks. Clenching his sword, he whispered to himself, "If only we had arrived earlier, perhaps this would never have happened."
They held a burial for the bodies and continued their journey.
End of the First Month
When they reached the midpoint toward the forest, they came upon the edge of a wide ravine flanked by metamorphic rocks. Oran cast a stone to indicate the slope's direction. They navigated the ledge and cautiously descended into the ravine, where massive skeletal remains were scattered throughout. Horrified, they exchanged glances. Leo spoke in a low voice:
— This must be a lair for the demonic beasts—perhaps they slaughtered and stored them as provisions.
They spent a final night at the ravine's edge, sharing stories of ancient legends: a demonic gate that opens when evil spirits chant a specific incantation in the absence of a new moon. But the moon was full—so why did it appear blood-red?
Month Two: The Infiltration of Mystery
They entered plains where the sand seemed a lighter shade, as though faint waters had washed over it. The blood moon vanished behind heavy clouds, taking the eerie echo of evil with it. In the distance, a bright red beam appeared, like the flame of a candle flickering in the depths of a golden dawn.
Month Three: The Final Miles
At last, the caravan discovered a gentle incline leading into the forest. The desert dunes gave way to stretches of green trees on the horizon, their branches beckoning them to a new adventure. The sunset painted the sky with sharp hues: a violet twilight streaked with dark crimson across the clouds, and the blood moon remained behind the foliage as a sign that evil endured.
When they placed their first steps upon the forest floor, everyone felt a mysterious aura surround them. Rin closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them slowly:
— I sense it… more than ten users of demonic powers around us.
Leon, holding some fallen leaves, observed:
— Here are traces of fluctuating energy… as if it's dancing in the air.
Oran concluded while gazing into the dense shadows, "Our true mission begins now."
Rin raised his sword firmly, "Let us be the first Sand Falcons to soar into the heart of this forest, never forgetting that we have come in search of the truth."
And so they crossed the enchanted forest's threshold, the desert scene fading behind the
m, replaced by a canopy of thick trees, hidden whispers, and creatures awaiting them in the darkness…