The two guards hurriedly ran down the path they had traversed hours ago. Contrary to the way out, they went alone, without a carriage or horses accompanying them. The speed at which they moved was overwhelming.
The guards´ steps, like the martial artists in the movies, were inhuman, and their jumps high enough to cross any barrier. If they were in Zack's world, that speed would be enough to overtake a car at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour.
However, that speed is not sustainable for long. Although the main reason they took the carriage and horses, was for Zack's comfort and safety, they also used them to save strength for any inconvenience that arose, like the one that was happening right now.
If one could get close enough, one would notice the multiple sweat marks on the guards' foreheads.
“Are you sure we're the right way? We should have caught up with him by now" his companion asked, somewhat suspicious.
"I´m sure. We are going in the right direction” the guard responded taciturnly. On another occasion, he would have taught him a full lesson about trusting your comrades-in-arms but considering the circumstances, he could understand his friend´s state, so he let it pass.
“How could this happen? They did warn us that he could try to flee, but it was impossible” one of the guards began to mutter as they hurried along the way back.
“Stop thinking about it, it will only distract you. The important thing right now is to bring him back” his partner responded in a solemn voice.
“But how did he do it? None of us lost sight of him for more than a minute. How could he escape?!” his partner asked, somewhat hysterical.
The guard sighed internally, but he didn't say anything. Now is not the time to argue. He also doesn't know how he did it, or how he got this far, but that's not important. They must recover him as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be…
Just thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine. Fortunately, he had not been chosen for this mission because of his pretty face. The two guards continued running in the direction his tracking skill indicated. Although he wasn't sure what the distance was between them and the target.
…
A few minutes before. The fight- No. The massacre against the bandits was going smoothly. Despite the numerical advantage, the guards far surpassed them in level and skill, and along with Zack's spells, the bandits couldn't even touch them.
To tell the truth, none of the guards had experienced such an easy fight until now. Even if the bandits were vastly weaker than them, they would not allow themselves to be killed without resistance. Thanks to the presence of a magician, that resistance had disappeared, being replaced by terror.
As the bandits began to flee, spells began to rain down behind them, while the guards took care of those fleeing in the front.
Slash
After dispatching the last bandit, both guards turned around, and realized that it was over, but when they turned around, they saw a strange sight.
They could see one of the bandits in the group escaping in the distance, evidently scared by the extermination that had just happened. The strange thing, however, was that there was no one attacking him. There were no spells, and no magic being used, which gave the bandits behind them a chance to escape.
They looked at each other, wondering what had happened. Still, they weren't too worried. Most likely, the mage they were escorting had run out of mana, or simply lost interest, and turned back to the carriage as they watched the guards do the work. Some magicians are very eccentric.
One of them approached the carriage and knocked on the door to confirm its safety.
Knock Knock
“Mr. Wizard, are you okay?” one of the guards asked, without receiving an answer.
Knock Knock
“Mr. Wizard, can you hear me?” the guard called again, but there was no movement inside. Seeing this, the guard tried a few more times, without success, until he had enough, and opened the carriage door.
“Excuse me, sir-“ the guard began, only to be silenced by seeing the interior of the carriage completely empty.
The moment they discovered that Zack was missing, they used their tracking skill to locate him. At first, they thought he had been kidnapped by fleeing bandits to use him as a hostage, but as the hours passed that possibility became increasingly unlikely.
First of all, bandits never stray too far from their territory. One of the most important advantages of bandits is their knowledge of the terrain in which they 'work', not only does it allow them to locate the most advantageous area in which to ambush their victims, but it also makes it easier for them to hide if the kingdom's soldiers decide to try to get rid of them, and they can also prepare to escape in case the people they intend to assault are too much for them.
The most important reason why the kingdom's bandits are not eliminated is not because they are strong, most of the time it is simply because they cannot be found.
Entering unknown territory not only eliminates those advantages but also creates unnecessary risks that can endanger their life and the lives of their companions. Furthermore, none of the bandits were strong enough to kidnap Zack and flee so far before their eyes. That only leaves one possibility, Zack escaped on his own.
Although compared to Yamato and his group, the treatment Zack has received from the kingdom leaves much to be desired, that does not mean they are not aware of his value. The soldiers in charge of escorting Zack are part of the kingdom's elite forces, and thanks to this, both have access to secrets that most do not know.
Both escorts knew that the mage they were protecting belonged to the group of heroes summoned by the kingdom to end the war with the northern demons once and for all.
Even after knowing this, none of them thought he would be able to perform a magic so complex as to teleport while they were busy fighting the bandits.
Teleportation.
It was the only explanation that made sense in the guards' minds. And yet, they thought it was ridiculous. Space magic was one of the most complex branches that exist. All the people who are able to use it are highly renowned magicians with multiple achievements in their respective fields. And most importantly, they are all old enough to be grandparents of the wizard they were watching.
Until now, despite seeing what Zack was capable of on previous occasions, they still underestimated him. Although they both knew Zack's identity, they thought that, despite his strength, he did not live up to the legends about ancient heroes they had heard in the past.
Now, they have to pay the price.
…
After several hours of returning along the same path they had used before, both guards stopped.
"It's here?" Seeing that his companion had stopped, that could only mean one thing: the trail was coming to an end.
The other guard nodded and looked around for Zack. Although his ability was ideal to track down the person he selects, they will have to spend some effort knowing his exact location.
They were right now at the entrance to the Forest of Plenty, right behind the small barracks where they rested the night before. Most likely, Zack left some sign yesterday, which would allow him to teleport instantly when no one was watching him.
The two guards entered the forest again with the aim of catching Zack. Like last time, with every step they took in the woods, new plants and trees appeared, along with small animals that were enjoying the wonders of nature.
Despite being merely the entrance to the forest, the places where one could hide are multiple and varied. Both guards had to search carefully for several hours until they found a clue.
Half buried in the ground, one of them saw a half-eaten fruit that caused his tracking ability to react. Thanks to this, the two guards quickly rushed to where their skill took them.
About fifty meters from where they found the fruit, they found a tree like any other in the forest. However, if one looked closely, one could realize that that tree was hollow and that a figure was inside it.
Seeing this, both guards smiled. Finally this nightmare was going to end.
They approached quickly, thinking about the way they were going to tie him up, for all the trouble he had caused them. Once they were in front of the hole, they both stopped and stared at each other for a few seconds until, and then, both approached at the same time.
Pyun!!
At the moment when the guards caught the figure in the hollow of the tree, a strange sound came from its mouth. A non-human sound.
Hearing this, both quickly removed their hand from the tree and looked at what they had caught.
In their hands was a small ball of fur, with tiny, barely distinguishable legs, and a pig's snout.
They will both recognize it instantly. It was the animal Zack carried with him throughout his stay in the forest.
They roughly pushed the animal away and thoroughly checked the inside of the hole several times.
Absolutely empty, without any presence inside, with the exception of some berries that the rabbit had probably picked.
Seeing this, they both knew they were in trouble. They looked at each other for a few moments to see what the person next to them was thinking and they began to sweat.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
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If you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: https://discord.gg/FCcbacx4
The two guards hurriedly ran down the path they had traversed hours ago. Contrary to the way out, they went alone, without a carriage or horses accompanying them. The speed at which they moved was overwhelming.
The guards´ steps, like the martial artists in the movies, were inhuman, and their jumps high enough to cross any barrier. If they were in Zack's world, that speed would be enough to overtake a car at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour.
However, that speed is not sustainable for long. Although the main reason they took the carriage and horses, was for Zack's comfort and safety, they also used them to save strength for any inconvenience that arose, like the one that was happening right now.
If one could get close enough, one would notice the multiple sweat marks on the guards' foreheads.
“Are you sure we're the right way? We should have caught up with him by now" his companion asked, somewhat suspicious.
"I´m sure. We are going in the right direction” the guard responded taciturnly. On another occasion, he would have taught him a full lesson about trusting your comrades-in-arms but considering the circumstances, he could understand his friend´s state, so he let it pass.
“How could this happen? They did warn us that he could try to flee, but it was impossible” one of the guards began to mutter as they hurried along the way back.
“Stop thinking about it, it will only distract you. The important thing right now is to bring him back” his partner responded in a solemn voice.
“But how did he do it? None of us lost sight of him for more than a minute. How could he escape?!” his partner asked, somewhat hysterical.
The guard sighed internally, but he didn't say anything. Now is not the time to argue. He also doesn't know how he did it, or how he got this far, but that's not important. They must recover him as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be…
Just thinking about it sent a shiver down his spine. Fortunately, he had not been chosen for this mission because of his pretty face. The two guards continued running in the direction his tracking skill indicated. Although he wasn't sure what the distance was between them and the target.
…
A few minutes before. The fight- No. The massacre against the bandits was going smoothly. Despite the numerical advantage, the guards far surpassed them in level and skill, and along with Zack's spells, the bandits couldn't even touch them.
To tell the truth, none of the guards had experienced such an easy fight until now. Even if the bandits were vastly weaker than them, they would not allow themselves to be killed without resistance. Thanks to the presence of a magician, that resistance had disappeared, being replaced by terror.
As the bandits began to flee, spells began to rain down behind them, while the guards took care of those fleeing in the front.
Slash
After dispatching the last bandit, both guards turned around, and realized that it was over, but when they turned around, they saw a strange sight.
They could see one of the bandits in the group escaping in the distance, evidently scared by the extermination that had just happened. The strange thing, however, was that there was no one attacking him. There were no spells, and no magic being used, which gave the bandits behind them a chance to escape.
They looked at each other, wondering what had happened. Still, they weren't too worried. Most likely, the mage they were escorting had run out of mana, or simply lost interest, and turned back to the carriage as they watched the guards do the work. Some magicians are very eccentric.
One of them approached the carriage and knocked on the door to confirm its safety.
Knock Knock
“Mr. Wizard, are you okay?” one of the guards asked, without receiving an answer.
Knock Knock
“Mr. Wizard, can you hear me?” the guard called again, but there was no movement inside. Seeing this, the guard tried a few more times, without success, until he had enough, and opened the carriage door.
“Excuse me, sir-“ the guard began, only to be silenced by seeing the interior of the carriage completely empty.
The moment they discovered that Zack was missing, they used their tracking skill to locate him. At first, they thought he had been kidnapped by fleeing bandits to use him as a hostage, but as the hours passed that possibility became increasingly unlikely.
First of all, bandits never stray too far from their territory. One of the most important advantages of bandits is their knowledge of the terrain in which they 'work', not only does it allow them to locate the most advantageous area in which to ambush their victims, but it also makes it easier for them to hide if the kingdom's soldiers decide to try to get rid of them, and they can also prepare to escape in case the people they intend to assault are too much for them.
The most important reason why the kingdom's bandits are not eliminated is not because they are strong, most of the time it is simply because they cannot be found.
Entering unknown territory not only eliminates those advantages but also creates unnecessary risks that can endanger their life and the lives of their companions. Furthermore, none of the bandits were strong enough to kidnap Zack and flee so far before their eyes. That only leaves one possibility, Zack escaped on his own.
Although compared to Yamato and his group, the treatment Zack has received from the kingdom leaves much to be desired, that does not mean they are not aware of his value. The soldiers in charge of escorting Zack are part of the kingdom's elite forces, and thanks to this, both have access to secrets that most do not know.
Both escorts knew that the mage they were protecting belonged to the group of heroes summoned by the kingdom to end the war with the northern demons once and for all.
Even after knowing this, none of them thought he would be able to perform a magic so complex as to teleport while they were busy fighting the bandits.
Teleportation.
It was the only explanation that made sense in the guards' minds. And yet, they thought it was ridiculous. Space magic was one of the most complex branches that exist. All the people who are able to use it are highly renowned magicians with multiple achievements in their respective fields. And most importantly, they are all old enough to be grandparents of the wizard they were watching.
Until now, despite seeing what Zack was capable of on previous occasions, they still underestimated him. Although they both knew Zack's identity, they thought that, despite his strength, he did not live up to the legends about ancient heroes they had heard in the past.
Now, they have to pay the price.
…
After several hours of returning along the same path they had used before, both guards stopped.
"It's here?" Seeing that his companion had stopped, that could only mean one thing: the trail was coming to an end.
The other guard nodded and looked around for Zack. Although his ability was ideal to track down the person he selects, they will have to spend some effort knowing his exact location.
They were right now at the entrance to the Forest of Plenty, right behind the small barracks where they rested the night before. Most likely, Zack left some sign yesterday, which would allow him to teleport instantly when no one was watching him.
The two guards entered the forest again with the aim of catching Zack. Like last time, with every step they took in the woods, new plants and trees appeared, along with small animals that were enjoying the wonders of nature.
Despite being merely the entrance to the forest, the places where one could hide are multiple and varied. Both guards had to search carefully for several hours until they found a clue.
Half buried in the ground, one of them saw a half-eaten fruit that caused his tracking ability to react. Thanks to this, the two guards quickly rushed to where their skill took them.
About fifty meters from where they found the fruit, they found a tree like any other in the forest. However, if one looked closely, one could realize that that tree was hollow and that a figure was inside it.
Seeing this, both guards smiled. Finally this nightmare was going to end.
They approached quickly, thinking about the way they were going to tie him up, for all the trouble he had caused them. Once they were in front of the hole, they both stopped and stared at each other for a few seconds until, and then, both approached at the same time.
Pyun!!
At the moment when the guards caught the figure in the hollow of the tree, a strange sound came from its mouth. A non-human sound.
Hearing this, both quickly removed their hand from the tree and looked at what they had caught.
In their hands was a small ball of fur, with tiny, barely distinguishable legs, and a pig's snout.
They will both recognize it instantly. It was the animal Zack carried with him throughout his stay in the forest.
They roughly pushed the animal away and thoroughly checked the inside of the hole several times.
Absolutely empty, without any presence inside, with the exception of some berries that the rabbit had probably picked.
Seeing this, they both knew they were in trouble. They looked at each other for a few moments to see what the person next to them was thinking and they began to sweat.
------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ---------------------------------
If you want more chapters visit my patreon:
patreon.com/DaoistwgQxZL
If you want to know about updates and chat about the novel, here is my discord server: https://discord.gg/FCcbacx4