After only two months, the leaves on the trees began to turn into different shades of red, orange, and smooth yellows.
The wind around the kingdom turned cooler into calm and cool gusts, as the forest floors were filled with piles of leaves.
A few hundred miles south of Veridrake, a single carriage drawn by horse traveled slowly through a dirt path.
This dirt path was filled with leaves, making it indistinguishable from normal grassland, but the fact that no trees blocked its path made it clear that it was a pathway.
The dirt path stretched on for many miles, cutting through this very dense land thick with trees.
*CAAW*
A crow swooped in and soared a few dozen feet above the carriage.
It held a small piece of rolled-up paper in its mouth.
At that moment, Nova's nose-dived from hundreds of feet higher up in the air, slamming into the crow.
Nova was a good bit larger now. In standing height, it was about 7 feet now, and its wingspan was a staggering 20 feet wide.
The crow landed in Nova's mouth unharmed, but very scared.
It squeaked at the large Pheon in anger before letting go of the note in its mouth.
As it did, Nova let it go and grabbed the note from out of the air.
Nova then swooped down, soaring beside the carriage window. It was too large to land on top of it.
Nova learned this lesson already in the past when the horse nearly broke its back after Nova sat on the top of the carriage.
Nova swung its beak and tipped the note into the carriage through the window.
It hit the top of a cloaked young man's head before tumbling and turning down to his lap.
Lyrian lifted his hood, taking a look at the note that was now in his hands. fr(e)ewebnov(e)l.com
The four other figures resting inside of the carriage with him looked at him curiously.
On the left side was Lyrian alone, and on the right were Ranthor, Hyren, Metaal the adventurer, and Hyst.
Lyrian unrolled the small piece of paper and read it in his head. As he did, his eyes widened in surprise.
'From Ounz Von Haven: 2 Weeks ago, my father Jiva, left to hunt the Black Petal Sect by himself. We tried to stop him but he was too adamant and wanted to prove he was still strong. He hadn't returned, and we had just received news that he had been captured. We know nothing else...'
"W-what does it say, Lord Lyrian? Why do you look so surprised?" Hyst questioned on seeing Lyrian's expression.
"Your grandfather has been captured." Lyrian calmly stated.
"What!?" Hyst blurted in surprise.
The others were also quite shocked. Hyst shut his mouth, turning to the side as he controlled his anger.
While clenching his fist he said under his breath, "I told him not to... that old bastard couldn't be humble enough to admit that he isn't strong enough to fight anymore!"
His words were out of frustration.
The others stayed silent. Ranthor had a slightly concerned look on his face, Hyren's eyebrows were furrowed, and Metaal's eyes were closed as he calmly rested against the wall.
Lyrian exclaimed at that moment, "Hm. It'll be all right. After all, we are heading to the place most commonly associated with the Black Petal Sect throughout the two months of exploration."
"I guess you're right... but don't you think we should have told the others that we were coming here first?" Ranthor asked at that moment with a hint of concern in his tone.
"No. They wouldn't have let me do this alone. But... I have bigger priorities."
"Jeez... you sound like Hyst's grandpa." Ranthor joked, causing Hyst to grin slightly.
"Still... the council would only want to withhold you from going alone because of how dangerous this mission is. We can encounter far stronger beings than the two Hairs that you fought and be in big trouble." Hyren said seriously.
Lyrian faced him, "That's why I told you not to come with me. If you want to stay safe, coming with me isn't the right option." He stated.
"Screw that! I will find my sister no matter what!" Ranthor exclaimed out of nowhere.
"That's right... we will destroy the Black Petal Sect. I will avenge my family." Hyren said, his teeth clenching in anger.
"I will find Orua... even if it means I die," Hyst said with conviction.
"So you're after my sister huh?" Metaal suddenly exclaimed at that moment.
"Wha--oh... yeah," Hyst replied with a slight stutter. "Isn't that why you're coming along too?"
"Oh me? Pfft! Of course not! I couldn't care less about that bitc--" Metaal stopped speaking at that moment, as Hyst glared at him with a furious gaze.
"Whatever." Metaal said, looking over to the side, "Mayor's kid..." He said under his breath.
"Then why are you coming on this mission with us?" Hyst asked, wanting to know the answer.
"Lyrian Theageld. He's interesting." Metaal exclaimed as everyone faced Lyrian at the same time.
"I want to confirm his strength and find out just how strong he is."
"If that's the case, then you should duel him!" Ranthor said at that moment.
"D-du
el? Che! Listen, kid... Lyrian is strong, but he isn't strong enough to defeat me. That wouldn't be a worthwhile bout." Metaal said, scoffing at the proposal.
"What did you say!? You could never beat Lord Lyrian!" Ranthor suddenly exclaimed in an angry tone.
"That's true... Lord Lyrian would win." Hyren said.
They looked at Hyst, who said, "I can't really be sure."
This made them turn to the carriage driver next, "Oi! What do you think? Who would win between Lyrian and Meta--" Ranthor tried to say but was abruptly cut off.
"W-WILD BOAR!" The carriage driver screamed as the horses pulling the carriage screeched in horror before halting abruptly.
"Boars?" Lyrian said under his breath, unsheathing his blade before jumping out of the carriage.
As he did, he noticed a giant group of 15 Wild Boars, each having bloodshot eyes that were a deep purple color.
After only two months, the leaves on the trees began to turn into different shades of red, orange, and smooth yellows.
The wind around the kingdom turned cooler into calm and cool gusts, as the forest floors were filled with piles of leaves.
A few hundred miles south of Veridrake, a single carriage drawn by horse traveled slowly through a dirt path.
This dirt path was filled with leaves, making it indistinguishable from normal grassland, but the fact that no trees blocked its path made it clear that it was a pathway.
The dirt path stretched on for many miles, cutting through this very dense land thick with trees.
*CAAW*
A crow swooped in and soared a few dozen feet above the carriage.
It held a small piece of rolled-up paper in its mouth.
At that moment, Nova's nose-dived from hundreds of feet higher up in the air, slamming into the crow.
Nova was a good bit larger now. In standing height, it was about 7 feet now, and its wingspan was a staggering 20 feet wide.
The crow landed in Nova's mouth unharmed, but very scared.
It squeaked at the large Pheon in anger before letting go of the note in its mouth.
As it did, Nova let it go and grabbed the note from out of the air.
Nova then swooped down, soaring beside the carriage window. It was too large to land on top of it.
Nova learned this lesson already in the past when the horse nearly broke its back after Nova sat on the top of the carriage.
Nova swung its beak and tipped the note into the carriage through the window.
It hit the top of a cloaked young man's head before tumbling and turning down to his lap.
Lyrian lifted his hood, taking a look at the note that was now in his hands. fr(e)ewebnov(e)l.com
The four other figures resting inside of the carriage with him looked at him curiously.
On the left side was Lyrian alone, and on the right were Ranthor, Hyren, Metaal the adventurer, and Hyst.
Lyrian unrolled the small piece of paper and read it in his head. As he did, his eyes widened in surprise.
'From Ounz Von Haven: 2 Weeks ago, my father Jiva, left to hunt the Black Petal Sect by himself. We tried to stop him but he was too adamant and wanted to prove he was still strong. He hadn't returned, and we had just received news that he had been captured. We know nothing else...'
"W-what does it say, Lord Lyrian? Why do you look so surprised?" Hyst questioned on seeing Lyrian's expression.
"Your grandfather has been captured." Lyrian calmly stated.
"What!?" Hyst blurted in surprise.
The others were also quite shocked. Hyst shut his mouth, turning to the side as he controlled his anger.
While clenching his fist he said under his breath, "I told him not to... that old bastard couldn't be humble enough to admit that he isn't strong enough to fight anymore!"
His words were out of frustration.
The others stayed silent. Ranthor had a slightly concerned look on his face, Hyren's eyebrows were furrowed, and Metaal's eyes were closed as he calmly rested against the wall.
Lyrian exclaimed at that moment, "Hm. It'll be all right. After all, we are heading to the place most commonly associated with the Black Petal Sect throughout the two months of exploration."
"I guess you're right... but don't you think we should have told the others that we were coming here first?" Ranthor asked at that moment with a hint of concern in his tone.
"No. They wouldn't have let me do this alone. But... I have bigger priorities."
"Jeez... you sound like Hyst's grandpa." Ranthor joked, causing Hyst to grin slightly.
"Still... the council would only want to withhold you from going alone because of how dangerous this mission is. We can encounter far stronger beings than the two Hairs that you fought and be in big trouble." Hyren said seriously.
Lyrian faced him, "That's why I told you not to come with me. If you want to stay safe, coming with me isn't the right option." He stated.
"Screw that! I will find my sister no matter what!" Ranthor exclaimed out of nowhere.
"That's right... we will destroy the Black Petal Sect. I will avenge my family." Hyren said, his teeth clenching in anger.
"I will find Orua... even if it means I die," Hyst said with conviction.
"So you're after my sister huh?" Metaal suddenly exclaimed at that moment.
"Wha--oh... yeah," Hyst replied with a slight stutter. "Isn't that why you're coming along too?"
"Oh me? Pfft! Of course not! I couldn't care less about that bitc--" Metaal stopped speaking at that moment, as Hyst glared at him with a furious gaze.
"Whatever." Metaal said, looking over to the side, "Mayor's kid..." He said under his breath.
"Then why are you coming on this mission with us?" Hyst asked, wanting to know the answer.
"Lyrian Theageld. He's interesting." Metaal exclaimed as everyone faced Lyrian at the same time.
"I want to confirm his strength and find out just how strong he is."
"If that's the case, then you should duel him!" Ranthor said at that moment.
"D-du
el? Che! Listen, kid... Lyrian is strong, but he isn't strong enough to defeat me. That wouldn't be a worthwhile bout." Metaal said, scoffing at the proposal.
"What did you say!? You could never beat Lord Lyrian!" Ranthor suddenly exclaimed in an angry tone.
"That's true... Lord Lyrian would win." Hyren said.
They looked at Hyst, who said, "I can't really be sure."
This made them turn to the carriage driver next, "Oi! What do you think? Who would win between Lyrian and Meta--" Ranthor tried to say but was abruptly cut off.
"W-WILD BOAR!" The carriage driver screamed as the horses pulling the carriage screeched in horror before halting abruptly.
"Boars?" Lyrian said under his breath, unsheathing his blade before jumping out of the carriage.
As he did, he noticed a giant group of 15 Wild Boars, each having bloodshot eyes that were a deep purple color.
