087. The Forest of Mist (5)

 

The group, having analyzed the forest through Kyle’s recordings, ventured out the next day to establish the protective barrier.

“Gasp…”

“As the Saintess predicted…”

And just as Bella had said, the group encountered monsters.

Serpent-like creatures, emerging from the ground, were feasting on plants and small animals when they detected the human presence. With an unsettling growl, they lunged toward the group.

“Grrk! Grrrrk!”

“Grrrr…”

Though fewer in number than during the hunting tournament, the monsters were still considerable in their own right.

Weapons were drawn as the group prepared to confront the thirty-odd monsters.

The knights wielded their swords and spears, while Owen unsheathed his blade and began cutting through the enemies with precision. Kyle unleashed offensive magic, and Bella attacked with bursts of holy power.

Thanks to the group’s formidable strength—particularly the presence of Kyle, Bella, and Owen—the monsters were dispatched swiftly.

Just as they began preparing the protective barrier, a new, ominous sound rumbled through the mist.

“Grrrr…”

The sound was far more menacing and powerful. Owen turned sharply to face the source.

What met his gaze was a massive creature, one that had no business being in the Forest of Mist.

“This shouldn’t be here…”

Owen’s hand instinctively tightened around his sword as a ripple of fear and disbelief spread through the knights.

Ignoring the paralyzed knights behind him, Owen stepped forward. His blade now radiated a pitch-black aura, an ominous glow that seemed to ripple with violent energy.

In one powerful leap, he scaled the beast’s enormous body and drove his sword into its heart. The dark energy around the blade amplified its sharpness, allowing it to pierce the creature’s thick hide and heart muscle with ease.

Blood gushed forth as the monster let out a final, guttural cry before collapsing with a ground-shaking thud.

“His Grace truly is…”

“So this is what a Swordmaster is capable of.”

The knights murmured in awe. Kyle, meanwhile, looked unsurprised, as though he had expected no less, while Bella remained silent, her expression unreadable.

The appearance of a large monster in the Forest of Mist was highly unusual, but for a moment, it seemed the situation had been resolved.

Then came the unmistakable sound of more growls.

“Grrr…”

“Grrrrk!”

This time, it wasn’t just one. Several massive monsters emerged from the mist.

Owen slashed through another beast while casting a glance toward Bella.

“What’s going on?”

It was a veiled accusation, his tone demanding answers without outright saying it.

Bella’s expression twisted into one of shock and fear as she trembled visibly.

“I… I don’t know. Could it be… because of me again…?”

Her voice quivered as if recalling a traumatic memory, perhaps of the hunting tournament. The knights immediately formed a protective circle around her, interpreting her fear as a sign of vulnerability and their duty to shield her.

Ridiculous, Owen thought, letting out a sigh as he adjusted his grip on his sword.

Kyle, who had remained a passive observer, now joined the fray, summoning flames that roared to life in the cold, snowy air. However, the falling snow quickly doused the fire.

Clicking his tongue, Kyle redirected his magic into a bolt of lightning. With a sharp crack, a flash of light streaked down from the sky and struck a monster, electrocuting it instantly.

The thunderclap that followed was deafening.

“We should be fine as long as the number of large monsters doesn’t increase,” Kyle said, raising his hand for another attack.

“…Hey.”

Kyle’s voice faltered as his gaze shifted to Owen.

Owen’s condition was visibly deteriorating.

“Gasp… huff… huff…”

His breathing was erratic, each inhale sounding more strained than the last.

“What’s wrong with you?” Kyle asked, moving to support him.

Another thunderclap boomed as yet another monster fell, but Kyle couldn’t bring himself to cast another spell.

“Are you scared of thunder?”

Kyle held Owen steady, searching his face for an explanation. Understanding the cause seemed key to calming him down.

Owen shook his head.

It wasn’t fear.

It wasn’t fear… but something far deeper.

Owen’s sudden change under the storm was unsettling, and Bella’s earlier predictions about the monsters were proving true, albeit with unforeseen consequences. The group, battling against the overwhelming force of large monsters, had been thrown into disarray, particularly when Owen succumbed to his unresolved trauma.

Kyle, his expression sharp and unyielding, had unleashed a torrent of magical attacks on the advancing beasts. But amidst his deadly precision, his concern for Owen grew. The normally composed Swordmaster was gasping for breath, visibly struggling as the thunder rolled and rain began to fall.

“Hey, Owen! Pull yourself together!” Kyle’s voice was sharp, but beneath it lay the weight of worry.

But Owen could barely respond. His breaths came in shallow gasps, his hand clutching at his chest as if to ground himself. The flash of lightning and the deafening roar of thunder seemed to paralyze him further.

Kyle gritted his teeth, cursing under his breath as he helped steady Owen. Turning to one of the knights, he barked, “Take him. Ensure he’s protected. Stay on standby and don’t engage unless necessary.”

The knight nodded, though his expression was filled with trepidation. Kyle turned back to the battlefield with renewed intensity. With a single motion, he conjured massive spears of mana, hurling them at the oncoming monsters. The air cracked with the force of his attacks, as each projectile mercilessly tore through the beasts. Their massive bodies collapsed into lifeless heaps, forming a grim tower of destruction.

As the final monster fell, Kyle turned his icy gaze to Bella, who had been standing amidst the chaos, shielded by the knights. His piercing blue eyes were laced with thinly veiled fury.

“Saintess,” he called, his tone calm but heavy with unspoken threat. “I believe we need to have a word. Privately.”

Bella flinched but quickly steeled herself. Brushing past the knights, she approached Kyle, her steps careful and measured.

“Speak,” she said, her voice attempting to mask her unease.

Kyle didn’t answer immediately. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, he cast a powerful soundproof barrier around them, ensuring their conversation would remain private.

“No one will hear us now,” he said, his voice low but firm. “So tell me, honestly. What did you do to the forest?”

Bella blinked, feigning ignorance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Kyle’s gaze darkened, his posture radiating menace. “I asked you politely once. Don’t make me ask again.”

His tone was colder now, almost predatory. “If you don’t cooperate, I won’t hesitate to delve into your memories myself.”

Bella’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t anticipated Kyle’s capacity for such magic. She instinctively took a step back, but Kyle was faster. He grabbed her wrist, his grip firm but not painful.

“Afraid now?” he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper. “If you were so easily frightened, why did you provoke me—or Owen—for that matter?”

Bella clenched her jaw, unable to hide the trembling in her hands. Kyle’s words cut deep, exposing the recklessness of her actions.

“I only…” she began, her voice faltering.

“You only,” Kyle interrupted, his tone biting, “thought it was acceptable to risk everyone’s lives for what? To satisfy your selfish desire to see someone? Do you even comprehend what you’ve done?”

Kyle’s words bore down on her like a storm. “The knights who swore to protect you, the very people who put their trust in you—they could have all died.”

Bella’s face paled. For all her schemes, she hadn’t truly considered the cost of her actions spiraling out of control.

“But… I didn’t know Owen would react that way,” she muttered defensively. “That’s not my fault.”

Kyle’s frustration boiled over. “Does that matter now? His reaction or not, you manipulated this situation and put us all in danger.”

Bella’s mind raced. The plan had been to feign vulnerability, to create a situation where Owen would naturally step in to protect her. Yet, her plan had backfired, resulting in injuries to the knights and Owen’s unforeseen breakdown.

She glanced toward Owen, who had regained some composure, though his breathing was still labored. He looked distant, his gaze unfocused.

Kyle’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Do you know why Owen reacted this way?”

Bella hesitated but finally spoke, recalling the details from ‘The Flower of the Empire.’

“Owen has… trauma,” she admitted. “On a stormy day, with thunder and lightning, his parents were killed. Their deaths left him shattered. They abused him, yes, but they were still his world. Losing them felt like the collapse of everything he knew.”

Kyle exhaled sharply, his expression softening ever so slightly. “So it’s his trauma. Owen’s trauma.”

Bella nodded reluctantly. “Yes. That moment left a scar that still lingers.”

Kyle looked at her pointedly. “Exactly. His trauma. His memories. Owen’s.”

She bit her lip, the implication of his words cutting deeper than she wanted to admit. Kyle pressed on.

“Do you still not understand? Do you still refuse to see it? Owen is Owen.”

Bella’s gaze dropped to the ground. She didn’t want to acknowledge the truth staring her in the face. But it was becoming harder to deny with every passing moment.

Still, she clung to one last thread of denial. “But during the hunting tournament, there was rain, and even thunder. He didn’t react like this then.”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “According to what I’ve learned, memories transfer gradually. Maybe he didn’t remember that particular storm at the time. But now, he does.”

Bella’s lips parted slightly as realization dawned on her. Her chest tightened as she grappled with the weight of Kyle’s words.

“That storm. That day. It’s no longer just a memory,” Kyle finished. “It’s his reality.”

 

 

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