The Flower Is Finished

We decided to continue the journey even though there were several obstacles that made the others feel confused. However, the distance from here to the Elf Clan was quite far, and it seemed they would not be able to endure it if we waited until midnight and launched an ambush immediately.

"Wouldn't daytime be too conspicuous?" George asked as we walked side by side. I understood his concern about what I had said earlier.

"I will take you to the edge of the cliff. There, there is a fairly large cave that might still be enough to accommodate the remaining soldiers," I said, and it made George nod his head.

"Why did you suddenly, umm… stop?" I turned to look at him and fell silent for a moment. It was impossible for me to say that I was waiting for the answer from the bird I had ordered to find out where they were holding the Elf Clan hostages.

"We must not act recklessly, and we also have to find out first," I said, but that answer still did not fully satisfy George's senses.

"Forget it, you don't need to think about it. I already have a plan," I said while gently patting his shoulder and immediately walking quickly toward Farrel.

"Where are we going?" Farrel asked, and I looked at him with a questioning expression.

"Don't you know that our destination is that cliff?"

"The cliff?" He scratched his head and tried to think to find my answer.

"Have you forgotten the cliff we found back then?"

"I slightly forgot, but…" he said stammeringly, and that instantly made me even more doubtful of who Farrel was at this moment.

"So, did you forget it?" I asked again with narrowed eyes, but Farrel laughed awkwardly.

"Hahahahaha… I know it, and let's go there!" he said, and I swallowed my breath roughly.

"Doesn't that look different from his attitude?"

We continued to trace the forest, then we decided to climb a steeper hill. To get there, we still had to walk another three hours, and I kept paying attention to the soldiers who seemed exhausted.

"Can you come here?" I asked while signaling George to sit on the horse he brought. We each brought horses, but since the path was quite steep, we did not ride them so the horses would not be startled by the road.

"What is it, Lord Xanders?" he asked while bowing his head, and I replied with a nod.

"How much food supply do we have?" Then he pulled his gaze backward toward several soldiers who were carrying the prepared food.

"It seems it will run out soon."

I nodded, then walked again while looking around.

The sun slowly went down, and without realizing it, it was replaced by an orange glow that made me smile faintly.

"Do you remember when we were small?" Farrel asked as he patted my shoulder, and I turned to him while nodding.

"Don't you think our childhood memories felt pleasant?" he asked with a very wide laugh, but I remained silent without answering his words.

"Isn't the cliff getting closer to us?" Farrel asked while looking around, and I only endured myself to answer his question.

From here, we could see the Elf Clan. Even though this hill was not very high, we could still see several areas that had been destroyed.

"I offer my condolences for your territory, Lord Xanders," he said to me when I stood silently watching the destruction caused by the demon clan.

"They are truly barbaric b*******," Farrel suddenly clenched his own hand and stared with hatred toward the Elf Clan race.

"Isn't the cliff already close from here?" George asked after seeing the forest atmosphere slowly turning orange.

"Yes, we will reach the cliff very soon."

"Come on, we must immediately go down to the cliff," I said, inviting the soldiers who were still silent watching what had happened.

We had arrived at the cliff, and it was quite deep, causing several soldiers to be shocked when they threw stones to check its depth.

"Yes, I once fell here before, and I think it is safe. There are no wild beasts that will attack us."

"Come on, prepare the ropes and we will go down one by one."

After that, we began installing the ropes and several ladder steps that we had prepared earlier when we were resting.

"I will go down first, so if the situation is safe, you may come down. And make sure, George, that no soldiers are left behind," I said to George. He nodded, and then I slowly descended, followed by several soldiers who also went down the cliff.

I descended slowly, and then the cold air immediately pierced my skin. I froze when I felt something different. I ordered the soldiers not to move or descend yet.

"Let me go down first. If I have reached the bottom and you hear my voice, then you may follow," I commanded the soldiers who were currently descending using the bamboo ladder, telling them to stay still for a moment.

"Yes, Sir, we will obey all your orders!"

After that, I continued descending slowly.

The deeper I went, the darker it became, so I immediately lit the fire I brought from the palace as a precaution for situations like this.

I looked around and stared downward to estimate how far I had gone. I had stepped onto the ground, but the soil felt like it had been stepped on by someone before, which made me confused. This was the cliff I found together with Farrel when we accidentally fell, and it seemed there was no known life here.

"Then whose footprints are these?" I asked softly while checking them using the fire I had lit earlier.

I checked inside the cave, and it turned out to be traces of someone who had taken shelter here. I thought—could it be the same person who once got lost with me when I fell together with Farrel. I also stepped on footprints that were exactly the same size as someone I knew.

After making sure the situation was safe, I hurried back to the previous place and informed them that the cave was safe, telling them to come down immediately because night was approaching.

I intended to light a campfire using several pieces of wood that seemed to have been prepared by someone. Fifteen minutes later, the fire was ready, and I left it burning while I went to call those who were still above.

From here, I heard the sound of flowing river water, and it seemed the water volume was quite large, sounding like someone walking in a hurry.

I looked around. It was still the same as before, and I smiled faintly, remembering the memories I once shared with Verrel when we fell from the cliff.

"You may come down!" I shouted loudly, and it was answered by the voices of the soldiers I had ordered earlier to descend once they heard my voice.

Half an hour passed, and no soldiers remained above, ending with George who descended last, slowly approaching me after ensuring all his soldiers had come down.

"Are you sure no soldiers were left behind, George?" I asked again, reminding him, since there was a high chance that heavy rain would fall tonight.

"Yes, Sir. I have made sure that no soldiers were left behind, and I was the last one to come down," he replied.

I nodded after hearing his statement, and we immediately entered the cave where I had already lit the campfire to warm our bodies as the temperature continued to drop.

"Is it safe here?" George asked after making sure the surroundings were safe and there were no wild beasts nearby.

"I think it's safe. This is also one of the hiding places I chose—one that cannot be found by the enemy."

"From above, we cannot be seen. In front, there is a river stretching quite wide, and that river is the path toward the Elf race, used as their water reservoir."

I explained it to George, and he nodded after hearing my explanation.

We set up tents to be used as temporary shelter, and some soldiers began praying, knowing that tomorrow's journey would be extremely tense.

At this moment, I was also with Farrel after we finished setting up the tent. Beside us, George chose to stay inside his own tent.

The light was blocked by the cliff walls, leaving only faint reflections from the river.

I continued waiting faithfully for the bird I had been expecting, but until now it still had not come.

"Where is he?" I muttered while looking around.

"You!"