The journey towards Serewyn had been peaceful so far. The forest around them seed to be waking up, the golden light of the morning sun filtering through the tall trees, creating dappled patterns along the winding path. Mikhailis leaned back slightly in the modest carriage, his eyes half-lidded as he watched the forest pass by, the quiet rustling of leaves and distant birdsong creating a serene atmosphere.
"It’s almost too perfect, don’t you think?" Mikhailis mused aloud, his voice carrying a hint of a chuckle.
Vyrelda, who sat across from him, raised an eyebrow.
"What’s that supposed to an?"
"Oh, just that this is the part in the story where sothing always goes wrong," he replied, giving her a playful grin.
"We’re out here, minding our own business, enjoying a scenic ride through a lovely forest—it’s pri monster attack territory."
Cerys laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners.
"You sound almost like you want sothing to go wrong, Your Highness."
Mikhailis shrugged.
"I’m just saying, it’s a bit too quiet. Nature has a funny way of reminding us not to get too comfortable."
Lira, sitting beside Cerys, gave him a sideways glance.
"If you’re worried about getting bored, I’m sure Lady Vyrelda could spar with you. Maybe that would keep you entertained."
Mikhailis let out an exaggerated sigh.
"And here I thought you cared for my well-being, Lira. Sparring with Vyrelda ans I’d probably end up with bruises."
Vyrelda crossed her arms over her chest, her expression one of mock offense.
"I wouldn’t hurt you. Much."
The carriage jostled slightly over the uneven path, the horses pulling them forward at a comfortable pace. The sun was still low in the sky, its light soft, and the air slled of damp earth and pine. It was a peaceful scene—one that Mikhailis wished could last forever. For a mont, he allowed himself to relax, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.
He listened to the gentle conversation of his companions, the rhythmic clop of the horses’ hooves, the creaking of the carriage wheels. He could almost imagine they were on a vacation, not in the middle of a potentially dangerous mission.
He kept his thoughts to himself regarding the Technomancer League encounter last night. It had been a close call, but there was no need to worry anyone else about it.
It’s better this way, he thought, his gaze shifting to Lira, who was busy observing the forest around them. She caught his eye and raised an eyebrow in question.
"What?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
Mikhailis shook his head, a smile playing on his lips.
"Nothing, just... appreciating the view."
Lira rolled her eyes, turning away.
"You’re strange sotis."
"Only sotis? I must be losing my touch," he replied, his tone teasing.
Lira laughed again, shaking her head.
"No, Your Highness, you still have your charm—for better or worse."
Vyrelda looked at Mikhailis, her expression softening slightly.
"Let’s hope the rest of this trip is as calm as this morning," she said, her voice earnest.
Mikhailis nodded, his gaze drifting back to the road ahead. He allowed himself to hope, just for a mont, that the rest of the journey would be as serene as this—but deep down, he knew better.
The mont of calm was shattered, however, by the sudden sound of shouting. It ca from behind them, the voices of people crying out, filled with panic. Mikhailis’s head snapped around, his body tensing as he looked back down the road. Dust rose in the distance, and he could see several caravans—filled with people—racing towards them.
"What’s happening?" Vyrelda said, her voice sharp, her body already moving as she turned in her seat, her hand instinctively moving to her sword.
Cerys leaned out of the carriage, squinting at the approaching caravans.
"It looks like they’re running from sothing," she said, her tone filled with concern.
"Running from what, though?" Mikhailis wondered aloud, his eyes narrowing.
The carriage slowed, and Vyrelda and Cerys jumped out, stepping towards the road as the first caravan approached. The driver was wide-eyed, his face pale with fear. Vyrelda raised her hand, signaling for the caravan to stop.
"What’s going on?" she demanded, her voice commanding.
The driver pulled his horses to a halt, his gaze darting wildly.
"It’s the Skalverns!" he shouted, his voice trembling.
"A horde of them, coming down the hill! Run! Run for your lives!"
Mikhailis’s stomach dropped. He turned, looking back towards the hill the driver had ntioned, his eyes widening as he saw the wave of creatures—hundreds of them—charging down the slope towards them. Dust and dirt rose around them, and the air filled with their snarls and the heavy thudding of their feet against the ground.
"Skalverns," Cerys muttered, her voice filled with dread.
The creatures were terrifying—quadrupedal beasts with muscular bodies covered in matted, thorny fur that seed to blend seamlessly into the forest around them. They had elongated snouts lined with sharp, serrated teeth, perfect for ripping flesh. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural yellow light, their movents coordinated and efficient as they charged, a hungry wave of destruction.
"We have to move," Vyrelda said, her voice tense, her eyes wide as she took in the sight.
"Now."
Mikhailis felt his heart hamring in his chest.
"Everyone, out of the carriage!" he shouted.
"We have to get to the horses—leave the carriage!"
The group moved quickly, jumping from the carriage and rushing towards the horses. Cerys was already mounted, her face pale, her eyes fixed on the approaching horde. Lira climbed up behind her, wrapping her arms around Cerys’s waist.
Vyrelda, her heavy armor clinking, jumped onto one of the other horses, grabbing the reins tightly. Mikhailis let out an exasperated sigh, running to the final horse. He grabbed the reins, his mind racing as he pulled himself up, throwing one last look at the approaching Skalverns.
"Well, this is exactly what I get for jinxing us," he muttered to himself, giving the horse a quick kick to get moving.
The Skalverns were growing closer by the second, their snarls and growls echoing through the air. Vyrelda turned, her eyes scanning their group, her expression turning into a grimace.
"Your Highness, you should be riding with !" she shouted, her voice barely audible over the noise.
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"You’re exposed back there!"
Mikhailis shook his head, urging his horse forward.
"I’m not weighing you down, Vyrelda! You’re in armor—we’ll never make it if I ride with you."
Vyrelda gritted her teeth, clearly not happy with his decision, but there was no ti to argue. The Skalverns were almost upon them, their eyes gleaming with an unnatural hunger as they charged forward.
The group raced down the highway, the horses’ hooves pounding against the dirt road. The Skalverns followed closely behind, their bodies a blur of thorns and snarling teeth, their movents as fluid as water as they weaved through the trees. They moved like a storm, uprooting small trees, trampling everything in their path.
Cerys turned, her eyes widening as she saw the Skalverns splitting into two groups, one heading directly for them, the other moving to cut them off.
"They’re trying to surround us!" she shouted, her voice filled with urgency.
Mikhailis felt a chill run down his spine. He knew they couldn’t let themselves get trapped.
"Into the forest!" he yelled.
"We need to lose them among the trees!"
Cerys nodded, pulling her horse to the left, leading them off the main road and into the dense forest. The trees closed in around them, the ground uneven, the underbrush thick and treacherous. Mikhailis spurred his horse faster, his heart pounding as he leaned low, his mind flashing back to his training in Ruslania. He had learned to ride well, but it had been years since he’d last ridden like this—like his life depended on it.
Focus, Mikhailis, he thought, his eyes fixed on the path ahead, his horse moving with frantic energy beneath him.
The forest was a blur of greens and browns, the sunlight flickering through the leaves, casting dappled shadows that seed to dance with their movent. The Skalverns were relentless, their snarls growing louder as they pursued, their thorny bodies crashing through the underbrush without hesitation.
Mikhailis felt his breath catching in his throat, his eyes darting to his left as he caught sight of movent. A Skalvern had managed to catch up, its snarling face snapping at his horse’s hind legs, its eyes gleaming with a terrifying hunger.
Damn it, Mikhailis thought, his mind racing.
He reached into his pack, fingers closing around a small talisman he had taken from the cloaked figure they captured the previous night—an explosive talisman, modified with strange markings that were clearly of Technomancer origin. He twisted in his saddle, his heart pounding as he took aim, throwing the talisman directly at the Skalvern.
The talisman exploded with a blinding flash of light and a deafening boom, sending the creature stumbling back, its snarls turning into a pained yelp. Mikhailis smirked, his confidence returning as he urged his horse forward, the adrenaline pumping through his veins.
I’ll just tell them I stole this from the castle if they ask.
Vyrelda glanced back, her eyes widening slightly as she saw the aftermath of the explosion. She gave Mikhailis a nod of acknowledgnt, her expression a mix of approval and frustration. She still didn’t like their formation, but they had no choice but to keep moving.
"To the ridge!" Vyrelda called out, pointing towards a steep incline that led up to a rocky outcropping.
"We can gain so distance up there!"
Mikhailis followed her lead, urging his horse towards the incline. The ground grew steeper, the horses scrambling for footing as they climbed, the rocks loose and treacherous. The Skalverns were still pursuing, but the rocky terrain seed to slow them down. Mikhailis could hear their snarls, growing fainter as they struggled to climb the incline, their thorny bodies not built for this kind of terrain.
They reached the top of the ridge, the horses breathing heavily, their sides heaving as they ca to a stop. Vyrelda motioned for them to dismount, her eyes scanning the forest below, watching as the Skalverns fell further behind, their snarls echoing through the trees.
"That was…too close," Mikhailis said, his voice breathless, his heart still pounding from the adrenaline. He wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at Vyrelda with a mix of gratitude and exhaustion.
Vyrelda nodded, her expression serious.
"We need to keep moving," she said, her eyes still fixed on the Skalverns below.
"They won’t stay down there forever. We need to find a safer route."
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