Chapter 115: The Caravan and The Corrupted Monsters
Outside the wall of Eldoris, the Varkesh mages gathered around the tracing formation. The black markings imprinted on the earth glowed with the corrupted mana flowing beneath. The spell had already been in effect for some time but the sudden change prompted more than a few of the mages to tense. "The trail moved again," one of the mages muttered. A Varkesh warrior who stood nearby glanced at the northern wall. "Toward the dungeon?" The mage shook his head. "I do not know what it is approaching but I do know that the underground mana channels are prolonging the trace."
Another mage pressed both of his hands against the ground. "The signal is spreading." One of the warriors frowned. "Can you control it?" "We are in control of the ritual. We are not in control of what it is touching." The formation pulsed. A wave of corrupted mana surged outward. The mages continued their work, unaware that the disturbance had already reached into the forest.
Far to the east, a caravan from Rosen City was making its way toward Eldoris. Twelve wagons were packed with cloth, preserved foodstuffs, metal tools, processed materials and several crates of goods meant for Eldoris’s growing market. Twenty-four guards surrounded the convoy and the merchants kept to their wagons, moving at a steady pace along the road. The journey had been uneventful until the horses began to balk. One animal stopped so abruptly that the wagon behind it nearly ran it over.
"Move!" the driver shouted. The horse refused. Then the forest fell silent. One of the guards slowly turned his head. "What happened to the birds?" No one answered. A low growl rumbled from the trees. Then another. The horses reared in panic. Before the merchants could react, a wolf-like creature lunged from the forest and rammed into the first wagon. The impact sent the driver sprawling onto the road as crates scattered across the ground.
"Monsters!" The guards drew their weapons as three more creatures burst from the trees. The first guard jammed his spear into the chest of the nearest beast but the animal spun around the shaft and bit at his arm. Black veins crawled beneath the creature’s skin and dark veins of mana pulsed around its eyes. "That thing isn’t right!" The guard barely raised his shield before the beast lunged at him again. Another of the monsters slammed into the second wagon. Merchants spilled out of their carriages as the guards formed a loose ring of defense.
"Protect the people first!" one of the guards shouted. A merchant pointed at the overturned crates. "Those goods are worth a fortune!" "They won’t mean anything if we’re dead!" The forest exploded with life. Grey wolves, black boars and mana beasts swarmed out of the trees. Some of the animals had patches of black growths on their fur while others moved with an unnatural aggression. The predators fought alongside creatures that should have been their prey and none of them seemed willing to retreat. The guards struggled to hold the line. Several of the beasts were slain but more took their place.
Then a deep growl reverberated through the forest. The smaller animals suddenly fell back. A massive shadow blocked out the sky. The beast that emerged from the trees was the size of a wolf but its body was bloated to an unnatural degree. Thick growths of black material covered its shoulders and corrupted mana rolled from its body in waves of energy. A merchant stared in disbelief. "Monster Lord." The words spread quickly through the caravan.
The guards had gone pale. A Monster Lord had appeared on the battlefield. The creature lunged. A silver shape met it in midair. Raizen drove the beast back with a single strike strong enough to send it crashing through a line of trees. The Star Wolf King landed between the caravan and the forest. "Get behind us." The merchants scrambled to obey without question. Raizen raised his head. "First Fang Pack, secure the merchants. Second Fang Pack, clear the western side of the road. Third Fang Pack, hold the forest entrance." The Star Wolf Warriors broke into formation at once. The first group surrounded the wagons. The second vanished into the trees to deal with any stragglers attempting to flee around the battlefield. The third formed a barrier between the forest and the road.
The Monster Lord crawled out of the wreckage and charged again. Raizen met the creature in the center of the road. The impact sent shockwaves through the earth. The beast slashed at him with its claws but Raizen twisted aside and drove his fangs into its shoulder. He pulled free before it could throw him off and sent the Monster Lord sprawling with a burst of mana from his hind legs.
The creature let out a furious bellow and sent a wave of corrupted mana at him. The blast of energy struck Raizen square in the chest. For several long seconds, dark veins of corruption snaked across his fur. One of the Star Wolves turned to look at him. "Lord Raizen!" Raizen forced himself upright. The corruption burned through his veins. Then something inside him answered. His extra skill flared to life. The corrupted energy surrounding the wound was inhaled but only a fraction of it was broken down and expelled from his body.
His skill could take fragments of the corruption but it had no power over the source or the full amount of energy. However, the small amount it did consume was enough. The skill examined the corruption it had consumed. Raizen’s eyes narrowed. A new resistance had formed within him. The corruption spreading through his body slowed. Then it came to a halt. Raizen shook himself, sending flecks of black residue to the ground.
The Monster Lord charged again. This time Raizen was ready. The Star Wolf King moved faster. He slipped beneath the creature’s claws, drove his fangs into its ribs and used the momentum to throw it off balance. The Monster Lord crashed onto the road. Raizen loomed over it. The beast struggled to rise. Raizen drove his fangs into its throat. The Monster Lord let out a strangled roar. The Star Wolf Warriors around the battlefield responded at once.
"Hold your positions," Raizen ordered. Instead of charging forward, the second and third packs formed tighter ranks. The merchants stared in awe. Raizen was not only fighting the battlefield but commanding it. A corrupted beast attempted to break through the eastern side of the caravan but the second pack drove it back before it could reach the road. Another creature slipped through the trees from the west but the third pack encircled it. Raizen did not turn his head. "Flank left." Four Star Wolves moved as one. The beast was surrounded before it could reach the wagons.
Raizen turned his attention back to the Monster Lord. The creature was already on its feet. It lunged. Raizen met it in the center of the road. Their bodies collided again and again as the battle raged around them. At last Raizen grabbed the Monster Lord by the throat and pinned it to the ground. The creature’s claws raked at his stomach in a vain attempt to drive him off. Raizen tightened his grip. The Monster Lord let out a final, fading roar as it released another wave of corrupted mana. This time the energy washed over Raizen without taking hold of him. His new resistance remained in place. Raizen drove the beast into the ground one final time.
The road fell silent. The remaining corrupted creatures turned and limped back toward the forest. Raizen refused to follow. "Hold." The Star Wolves obeyed at once. One of them turned toward the trees. "They’re leaving." Raizen watched the creatures retreat. "They are not running from us," he said. The warrior turned his head.
"Something is driving them back." Before Raizen could respond, a Mana Bird landed on the road. Zephyr’s scout had arrived with word. Raizen’s expression darkened as the bird delivered its message. "How many more?" Raizen asked. The scout gave its reply. Raizen looked toward the road leading to Eldoris. "Then we return." The remaining merchants gathered around their ruined wagons. Some of them were injured, several of the guards had wounds and three of the wagons were completely destroyed. One of the merchants approached Raizen. "Are you protecting Eldoris?" Raizen looked at the man. "Yes." The merchant swallowed hard. "Then please get us there." Raizen turned toward the road. "Move." The caravan began its retreat.
Back in Eldoris, Tanaka was poring over market records with Kessa when the eastern gate bell rang. He looked up at once. A guard entered the room. "Lord Tanaka, we have an urgent report." "What happened?" "A Rosen City caravan has been ambushed on the eastern road." Kessa rose to her feet. "How serious is the situation?" "Several wagons were destroyed. There are wounded merchants and guards. Raizen is bringing the survivors to the Dominion." Tanaka’s expression tightened. "How far are they?" "Less than an hour away." Kessa was already gathering the records. "Which merchants?" The guard named several traders.
Kessa recognized the names. "They were due today." Tanaka turned to her. "Go to the storage district." She understood at once. "We’ll make space for the remaining goods and the wounded." "And the healers," Kessa added. "I already know." Kessa was halfway to the door when Tanaka spoke again. Tanaka turned to Sora. "We are going to the eastern gate." Sora followed closely. The bells rang out as guards took up their posts. When Tanaka reached the gate, Raizen’s caravan was already on the road. The survivors looked exhausted. Several of the guards were limping and three of the wagons were missing altogether. Raizen led the group through the gate. Tanaka’s eyes went at once to the bloodstained fur of the Star Wolf King.
"You’re injured." Raizen shook the blood from his fur. "It is not mine." Tanaka studied him. There were several dark stains on Raizen’s body. "Corruption?" Tanaka asked. Raizen nodded. "It touched me." Tanaka frowned. "How are you standing?" Raizen glanced toward the forest. "My skill activated." Tanaka’s expression tightened. "You gained resistance." Raizen nodded. "Yes." Before Tanaka could respond, one of the merchants stumbled up to them. "My lord, the ambush was not normal." Tanaka turned to face him. "What happened?"
"They were not hunting us," the merchant said. The man pointed toward the eastern road. "They were running from something." Tanaka turned toward the forest. Beyond the city walls, the trees stood in silent rows. For a long moment, nothing moved. Then a deep growl echoed through the forest. Tanaka’s expression hardened. Something had changed in the woods and it was growing closer.