The Approaching Shadow
The next morning, in the lobby of the Steel Anvil Inn.
From the early hours of the dawn, Dean looked like death warmed over. Clutching his throbbing temples as if his head were about to split open, he repeatedly bowed his head in front of Lia.
"I am so terribly sorry, Miss Lia... I made an absolute fool of myself last night."
Dean’s face was pale and drawn from the hangover. He continued, his voice laced with indignation. "But it really is strange. I’m usually known as a heavy drinker—a hollow leg, if you will... to think I collapsed after just a few glasses of wine. There must have been something wrong with that wine, surely it was spoiled!"
Dean passionately argued that the wine was the problem, not his own tolerance. He clearly refused to admit any weakness in front of the beautiful woman he had fallen for at first sight.
Watching this display with her arms crossed, Elena let out a sharp scoff. "Excuses, excuses. You probably just got drunk on the atmosphere and passed out. There's no shame in a man not being able to hold his liquor, so why all the pathetic whining?"
Elena looked radiant and refreshed, completely unlike someone who had engaged in a wild, passionate tryst just hours prior. If anything, her skin practically glowed with a healthy luster. She cast a sly, secret wink toward Lia.
Thanks for the fun, darling.
Understanding the meaning behind that look, Lia feigned ignorance, offering a shy smile to comfort Dean. "It is quite alright, Sir Dean. You must have been exhausted from preparing for our journey. I do not mind at all, so please do not beat yourself up over it."
"Ah... Miss Lia, you truly are an angel!" Dean was deeply moved by her generosity once again, clenching his fists in admiration.
"Alright, enough chatter. Let's get moving. The sun is already high in the sky," Elena urged, and the party finally stepped out of the inn.
Since carriages were slow and easily drew unwanted attention, they had decided to travel on horseback. Eager to show off his capabilities, Dean had visited the stables early in the morning to rent the finest steeds available.
"This way, Miss Lia. I picked this one out especially for you." Dean led a horse forward by its reins—a magnificent white mare with a coat that shone like silk. "She's gentle and well-behaved, so even someone as delicate as you will find her easy to ride."
Lia stroked the horse's neck, assessing its condition. Solid musculature, deep, intelligent eyes, and a calm demeanor that didn't flinch at a human's touch. It was obvious at a glance that this was no ordinary riding horse. It was clearly a warhorse, trained not to bolt even when arrows rained down on the battlefield.
Ho... Dean actually has a decent eye. Lia smiled with quiet satisfaction.
Next came the luggage. Dean clicked his tongue as he looked at the massive steel tower shield resting in the corner of Lia's baggage. "Every time I see it, I can't help but marvel at how ridiculously massive that shield is. To think you've been carrying this around..."
Dean reached for the shield's handle, puffing out his chest. "Allow me to carry this for you. It's far too much for your slender shoulders. If we strap it to my saddle..."
"No, thank you." Lia firmly blocked Dean's hand.
"Uh... Miss Lia?" Dean blinked, utterly flustered.
Lia pulled the shield toward her back. The heavy weight of the steel pressed down on her arms, but thanks to the vital energy she had absorbed from Elena last night, it felt significantly lighter than before.
"This... is a keepsake of my late brother. I want to protect it myself. I'll carry it on my back."
Lia tightened the leather straps, securing the shield firmly to her back. With a shield nearly as large as her entire body strapped to her, her fragile frame looked as though it might collapse at any moment, yet she stood perfectly straight.
"B-but... it looks far too heavy. It will make riding difficult..." Dean hovered anxiously, trying to dissuade her, but Lia shook her head.
"It's fine. I must be able to bear at least this much weight if I ever want to face my brother in the afterlife."
In truth, she simply refused to entrust her shield—her lifeline—to anyone else. Furthermore, in a world where combat could erupt at any moment, strapping one's primary defensive weapon to someone else's horse was practically suicidal.
Elena watched the exchange with an intrigued expression. She's supporting that weight without even losing her posture? I knew it... she's no ordinary girl. A smirk played on her lips.
Lia approached the white mare. The horse snorted softly, but as Lia stroked its neck and channeled a faint trace of her aura, it immediately grew docile. "Good girl. Take care of me."
Lia placed her foot in the stirrup and vaulted up in one fluid motion. Her robes fluttered gracefully as she settled into the saddle. Balancing was difficult due to the weight of the shield, but her body remembered. It retained the muscle memory of fighting on horseback across countless battlefields. Combined with the flexible sense of balance she had gained from Elena last night, she sat with perfect stability, looking as though she were one with the horse.
Dean’s jaw dropped at the sight of her flawless posture. "Wow... Miss Lia, did you learn how to ride? Your posture... it's as perfect as any knight's."
"Ah, when I was young... my brother taught me a little. I'm just mimicking him, really." Lia laughed it off humbly, but her grip on the reins was firm. Feeling the horse's strong back muscles and steady heartbeat, she knew this warhorse wouldn't tire even at a full gallop.
Good. At this pace, we'll reach the Capital much faster than I expected.
Lia pulled the reins, looking ahead. "Well then, let us depart, Sir Dean."
Her deep blue eyes glinted coldly in the morning sun.
Sometime after Lia, Dean, and Elena had departed.
Two figures were wandering the streets of Ironforge.
"Damn it, damn it! Where did she go? Miss Lia!"
"She's not in this corner either! That bastard, just wait till I get my hands on him!"
Jack and Tom were tearing through Ironforge like madmen. Ever since they had regained consciousness after being beaten by Dean, they had spent two whole days without sleep or food, frantically searching for Lia. Their eyes were hollow and bloodshot, their lips parched and cracked, but their madness showed no signs of abating.
However, Dean and Lia had already left for the Capital long ago. Unaware of this, the two men continued to wander the vast city like ghosts, clinging to a futile hope.
Eventually, they found themselves back in the very alleyway where Dean had beaten them unconscious.
"Pant... pant... This can't be... Our Miss Lia..." Tom collapsed onto the filthy ground, clutching his head in despair. A crushing sense of hopelessness washed over him. "That bastard... that cowardly bastard must have kidnapped Miss Lia! He dragged her away by force! Right now, Miss Lia must be... *sob*... so terrified..."
Tom wept as his imagination ran wild. In his mind, Lia was a tragic heroine captured by the villainous Dean, on the verge of being defiled. His anger at his own helplessness quickly twisted into resentment toward his companion.
"This is all your fault! You idiot!" Tom suddenly grabbed Jack by the collar and shook him violently. "You should have stopped him back then! You always brag about your strength, yet you couldn't even beat a guy like that? It's because you're so pathetic and weak that Miss Lia was taken from us!"
"What? Don't make me laugh! You were the very first one to get knocked on your ass! You useless piece of shit, how dare you blame me!" Jack shoved Tom back with equal force.
"Miss Lia was my woman! If it weren't for you, I would have been happy with her..."
"Bullshit! You think Miss Lia would ever like someone like you? She loved me!"
The two men began to brawl, throwing clumsy punches and screaming obscenities at each other. Completely oblivious to the fact that Lia had thoroughly used and discarded them, they rolled around in the dirt, blaming one another for their misfortune.
It was then.
"How noisy."
An icy voice cut through the air from above, causing Jack and Tom to freeze and look up.
"W-who's there!"
At the entrance of the alley, a figure stood silhouetted against the light, their face obscured by the shadows.
"Are these the ones?"
"What? You bastard, we're in a terrible mood right now, so get lost!" Jack barked, stumbling to his feet to vent his anger. But before he could even finish his sentence—
Flash!
A lightning-fast punch slammed directly into Jack's jaw.
"Urgh!"
Jack couldn't even scream before he collapsed, instantly knocked unconscious.
"J-Jack?!" Tom fell backward onto his rear, terrified. But in the very next instant, a heavy blow struck the back of his neck, and his consciousness plunged into darkness as well.
***
A freezing sensation splashed across their faces.
"Ugh...!"
"Pfft! Ah, cold!"
Cold water was dumped over them, shocking Tom and Jack awake. Instinctively, they tried to move, but their arms and legs were bound tightly with thick ropes. Squinting through the dim light, they realized they were in a damp, dark warehouse that reeked of mold and moisture.
"W-who are you! Why are you doing this to us!"
"P-please spare us! We'll give you money!" Jack screamed at the top of his lungs, while Tom trembled in sheer terror.
Standing before them were four individuals.
At the front was Kyle, a handsome but cold-eyed blonde swordsman. Behind him stood Ella the mage, Luna, who was casually twirling a dagger, and Sera, dressed in her priestess vestments.
Kyle’s party had tracked Leon's trail all the way to Ironforge. After hearing rumors of two lunatics frantically searching for a blue-haired beauty, finding them had been child's play.
Kyle looked down at Tom and Jack, his voice devoid of emotion. "Answer only what you are asked."
"Untie us! Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you have any idea who you're messing with?!"
When Jack continued to thrash and scream in defiance, Kyle calmly drew the sword at his waist.
Splat!
"Aaargh!"
Kyle’s sword pierced straight through Jack's thigh, pinning it to the wooden floor. The sickening sound of steel scraping against bone echoed through the warehouse, accompanied by Jack's bloodcurdling shriek.
"Hieee!"
Tom turned pale at the horrific sight, shaking uncontrollably. A warm, wet sensation pooled beneath his trousers, forming a dark puddle on the floor.
"P-please spare me! Please... I beg of you, spare me!"
Kyle indifferently pulled his sword free, wiping the blood onto Jack's clothes. "I will say it again. Answer only what you are asked."
Jack writhed in agony, tears streaming down his face, while Tom nodded frantically.
"Where is Leon?" Kyle asked.
Jack and Tom exchanged bewildered glances. "L-Leon? Who is that...? W-we don't know! We don't know anyone by that name!"
"You have the wrong guys! We really don't know!"
Kyle’s brow twitched, and he raised his sword once more.
"Aaaah! No, wait! We really don't know! *sob*" Tom shrieked as the blade pointed toward him. Jack also wailed in pain, "We really don't know... *sob*... I've never heard the name Leon in my life..."
Kyle paused, falling into thought. Of course. There is no way he would have used his real name.
"A woman with blue hair, strikingly beautiful."
At Kyle's description, Jack and Tom's eyes widened simultaneously.
"Ah...! Do you mean Miss Lia?!"
Lia? Kyle's lips curled into a smirk. A predictable alias. He glanced back at the three women behind him, then kicked Jack hard in the head before asking, "Yes, that woman. Where did she go?"
"W-we don't know either! *sob*... We were searching for Miss Lia ourselves!" Jack cried out defensively. "She was kidnapped! Some bastard dragged Miss Lia away by force!"
"Kidnapped?" Kyle raised an eyebrow. Leon, kidnapped?
"Yes! Some guy showed up, beat us half to death... and took Miss Lia while we were unconscious! We're innocent!" Tom blurted out, quickly describing Dean's appearance. "He had a longsword at his waist... a real smug-looking bastard! Brown hair..."
Listening to Tom's description, Ella suddenly chimed in. "Huh? That description... isn't that Dean?"
"Dean?" Kyle recalled the name. A mediocre but quick-witted swordsman he and Leon had saved in the past. Dean took Leon?
The pieces quickly fell into place in Kyle's mind. Leon must have seduced and followed Dean after discarding these useless fools once they had served their purpose.
"That greenhorn Dean? He didn't seem like the type to pull something like that," Luna remarked, spinning her dagger between her fingers.
Sera spoke up softly. "But... Lord Leon is currently a peerless beauty. Perhaps greed got the better of him, prompting him to kidnap her?"
Tom and Jack couldn't comprehend a single word of their conversation. Talk of "a man" and "becoming a beauty" sounded like absolute nonsense to their ears.
"U-um... are you going to let us go now?" Tom asked hesitantly.
Kyle cast a brief glance at them. Deciding there was no more information to be gained, he slowly turned toward the warehouse door. "Let's go."
Luna glanced at Tom and Jack. "Do we really need to kill them? It's a hassle."
Without stopping, Kyle muttered coldly, "They are the ones who tried to kidnap our comrade. There is no need to keep them alive."
"Well, if you say so." Luna shrugged and followed behind Kyle, while Sera clicked her tongue in pity, giving the two men one last look before turning away.
Tom and Jack let out sighs of relief at their words.
"Phew... we're alive..."
"Crazy bastards... let's get out of here quickly..."
But their relief was short-lived. In fact, they didn't even have time to register it.
In the split second Kyle had turned around, his sword had already left and returned to its sheath. The two men hadn't even noticed.
Slice.
With a faint, wet sound, Tom and Jack’s vision began to warp bizarrely. The ceiling spun rapidly, and the floor rushed upward.
Huh...? Why is the world spinning?
With a dull thud, their heads hit the floor. What met their failing sight was their own headless bodies, still bound tightly in ropes. Blood was fountaining from the severed necks.
Without even a chance to scream, and without ever realizing how or when they had been decapitated, Tom and Jack’s consciousness slipped into eternal darkness.
Stepping out of the warehouse, Kyle looked up at the Ironforge sky.
"Dean, is it..."
His eyes grew even colder.
Leon... Yes, keep running just like that. Heheh.
Kyle’s party quickened their pace.