On the road, north of Druhwood.

“Bodou, Lord Wesil said...”

One guard whispering to another, the two seemed preoccupied with trying to fix the situation before them.

“What a nuisance... You two, hurry and get moving or we’ll have to move the both of you ourselves! We don’t have all day to be wasting time here!”

“S-sorry about this, just one second, please! Astrid! Don’t act as if you can’t hear them or even me!”

“Huuuuum...? Lukos...? Ahehe, moooooornin’~”

“Please don’t ‘mornin’~’ me! How did you even—no, now isn’t the time for that. Now, c’mon and get up already. And take these barrels of—haaah!? They’re all empty?!”

A carriage guarded by two men was currently attempting to quickly move through the north road, and yet had run into an unsuspecting duo with peculiar baggage. The man named Lukos struggled to persuade the woman, Astrid, from moving away from the center of the main road. She was now resting her arms and head against a single, sideways barrel amid many. Lukos hovered his trembling hands over the woman’s shoulders, uncertain on what to do next. And in that hesitation, the same guard from earlier began to voice his anger and impatience once more.

“If you’re not going to move that redhead, then I’ll do it myself!”

“W-WAIT! I really, really don’t think you should do that! She doesn’t like anyone touching her, anywhere, and at all—regardless of the reason...”

“Why should I care about what she doesn’t like?! She’s blocking our path and has no intention of moving by the look of it! Listen here, guy, we have a very irritable and wealthy merchant in that carriage behind me. And he wants to get back to Nefra as soon as possible. So, like I said, if you won’t move her—I will!”

The guard was now seemingly inbound to doing just that as he rushed toward where Astrid was resting.

“Th-that’s understandable and all, but I promise you; dealing with that girl there is probably—no, definitely way worse than anything that merchant could dish out. Just give me another chance, please? I’d rather avoid the hassle of her getting upset, haha...”

“...Tch. You’ve got one more minute. If she’s not moved by then, she will be moved instead. And don’t forget to move those damn barrels too!”

The guard returned to the side of his carriage, to which Lukos immediately shifted his attention back to the dazed or possibly fast asleep woman. Astrid simply remained, nonchalant and unconcerned, toward everything around her—causing Lukos to audibly sigh to himself. Eying the scene, he attempted to come up with an idea on how to get her out the way without touching her directly.

“There’s four barrels, five if you count the one under her. Maybe if I just nudge the barrel more toward her, she’ll grab onto it, entirely like some pillow? Then maybe from there, I can just roll her to the side...?”

Imagining the scenario, he shivered as the imagery lead to her being under the barrel and awoken with a surge of unabated wrath toward him. The seconds were going by, slowly but surely, and Lukos knew he was only wasting the little amount of time given to him. He then reluctantly settled on an idea; one he wasn’t too fond of either.

“I don’t have any other choice, do I...? If I move her; she’ll kill me. If that guy moves her; she’ll really kill him. And there’s nothing I hate more than senseless bloodshed. I just hope this doesn’t affect anything too important...”

Sighing once more, he walked near the resting redhead and her entourage of barrels. He then looked over the area in full, finding a certain spot some distance away from the two of them. The location was a semi-flat field of grass, dirt and a few rocks—a bit bumpier than the normal road, but not the worst replacement. Closing his eyes, he promptly spoke in a whisper.

“Activate: Unique SKILL, [Paradigm Shift].”

A high-pitched noise overtook the area and as it did, Lukos then heard a voice coming from the carriage some distance away from him.

“Finally, the road is clear. Febir, let’s get going!”

As the man named Febir nodded toward his shouting companion, they both mounted the carriage and proceeded along the same path Lukos had eyed earlier. He watched on as they rode around the two of them and back onto the main road, disappearing into the distance. And as he looked toward Astrid, he muttered a few words that he knew she couldn’t hear.

“I swear, you really are a handful, Astrid... Hm?”

With a distant chirp from above, Lukos adjusted his sight toward the sky. He caught the glimpse of a small, but speeding bird heading north of them.

❖

Shortly after, north of Druhwood.

Continuing along the main road for some time, we had yet to come across the merchant’s carriage. There weren’t many roads that left from Druhwood to begin with, and many weren’t as viable as the one we were on either. This road had simply been referred to as the main road to Nefra, meaning it was the fastest and safest trail.

In the constant sound of several hooves on that same road, repeatedly racking against my eardrums, my mind was occupied somewhere else. I could only wonder how Albel was doing.

He’ll be fine, right...? But against something like that—how long will he even be able to hold on for...?

I could feel the protrusion of restlessness spring from me like an outbreak of bumps upon my skin. Time was of the essence, yet we hadn’t caught up to the merchant still. It felt as if we were taking too long even, and my imagination was running rampant.

What if...we don’t end up catching up to them in time...? Then... No! We will! We definitely will! We must! Or else...

“I don’t know what’s going through that skull of yours exactly, youngin’, but I think this old man can get the gist of it by how hard you're grabbing at my sides.”

“S-sorry, Grandpa! I was just...”

“Wondering about the lad, eh?”

“Mhm...”

“The young lad gave his word—just as we did on our end. You’ll only sully that conviction of his with whatever you’re worrying about. All we can do is believe in him and succeed in what we’re doing here.”

I could only keep silent with my inability to reply as I meekly reflected on his response. And as I let my eyes drag across the moving scenery, I then caught a glimpse of two people near what seemed like a several barrels as the ride suddenly became a bit rougher. Turning my head to rear, the individual of the two who was standing, waved us off in a slight awkwardness that mirrored his strained smile.

“How curious... I wonder what that was all about...?”

“Youngin’! Look above us, is that what I think it is?”

At my grandfather’s shout, I quickly began to scan the sky.

“Cruubi...? What are you doing here?!”

“Chirp! Chirp!”

The tiny bird flew to us, landing on my grandfather’s head as it looked down at me. It didn’t remain still for even a second as it continuously hopped, seemingly frantic and more energetic than usual. It reminded me of how it was earlier today when I was together with Albel.

“I thought you were still with Albel, Cruubi? Wait, by any chance did he send you here?!”

“Chirp!”

Immediately taking to the sky once more, it began flying toward the north—in front of us. I couldn’t understand why it had come here to begin with.

“I guess that wasn’t it...? Is it trying to say something else? Grandpa, do you—”

“There! I can see the carriage up ahead of us, Chief!!”

Shifting my body to the side in order to see toward our front, I could just make out the rear end of a carriage ahead of us. Suddenly, something seemed off about it as its movements were weird. The carriage was beginning to swerve slightly, left and right, and picking up speed. They apparently hadn’t noticed us as of yet though.

“We must figure out a way to slow em down, Chief! Anyone have any ideas?!”

“Whatever it is, we have to make sure not to damage the totem too!”

“Dammit, how are they still keeping such a gap between us and them?!”

Grandfather’s comrades had begun yelling back and forth to each other, trying to figure out a way to get the carriage to stop as quickly and safely as possible. My attention though, was still focused on trying to figure out what was going on with the carriage in the first place. That answer arrived shortly after I then noticed Cruubi hovering in and out of the front area of the carriage.

Cruubi? Cruubi?! What exactly do you think you’re doing?! Wait, is it trying to slow them down for us?! Aaaaa! That’s so dangerous!! Way, way, way too dangerous!! We need to hurry and figure something out...

With one hand, I began searching through my bag of trinkets that rested in between my legs. And each item I placed my hands on, only made me realize more and more that most of what I had couldn’t be currently used in this situation—or more so—on horseback and in motion. I was feeling frustrated now.

Everything here involves having to setup first... There’s no way for me to do any of that right now! If only I could somehow use these at least, but even then...

Pulling out a drawstring bag filled with fragments of a blue gem, I looked toward the carriage ahead of us and my eyes landed on Cruubi. An idea then suddenly occurred to me. Gem fragments could still hold a residue of magic and serve a separate purpose then they originally held. And focusing on that same bag, I melded my own magic—my mana—with the inner contents in a way that was taught to me when I was younger. Inscribing a different spell across the entire bundle—to act in tandem. Not as one or separately, but as a whole when activated.

Maybe...?! But would it even understand what I want to try and do? I really hope so, since the more time we take, the longer Albel has to keep fighting that thing... Please!

“Cruubi!”

“Eru?!”

I screamed its name, while the others suddenly became silent—eyes darting back and forth between the road in front of us and myself. I clutched at my bag in restlessness once more, hoping it heard me. A familiar chirp was then accompanied by the appearance of Cruubi hovering over our stead again.

“Cruubi! Listen, I need you to do something for me!

“Chirp!”

I quickly outlined what exactly I wanted Cruubi to do, and somehow, it seemingly understood my intention as it hopped onto my hand and grabbed the drawstring bag. Its destination was once again the carriage as it flew off. The carriage, on the other hand, had not only stabilized itself on the road, but their speed had increased as they now noticed us after my shout.

“Grandpa!”

For what would come next, I began getting ready to shut my eyes in focus as I connected my hands together.

“Aye, don’t worry about anything here. I’ll make sure you don’t fall off. It seems like you came up with a rather interesting idea, youngin’. So, just put all your focus on that! I’ll let you know when that little thing does it.”

I shut my eyes, imagining the other fragments as I still held a single piece from that same drawstring bag from earlier in between my hands. I began my chant in final preparation.

“...A former shell of your once brilliance, now to liquefy and spread. Your unforeseen potential renews, broadens and rouses ahead—”

“Now!”

“[Crystalis Matter]!”

I released the spell and ended my chat at the roar of grandfather’s signal. Immediately tossing the isolated fragment into the air above us, it instantly heated, liquefied and then crystalized once more as it fell onto the path behind us. A second later, I could then hear the blue-colored corundum grinding against the ground in front of us. Leaning to the side once more, my eyes were met with the carriage gradually getting closer as the back wheels had suddenly stopped and gleamed in an elegant blue decor.

It worked!! Way to go, Cruubi!!

I could feel an urge of delight spring from within me as my spell and idea worked as planned—especially toward Cruubi’s perfect assistance. I had given Cruubi the drawstring bag with the intention on having it drop the fragments in front of the carriage. In doing so successfully, as they landed upon the ground—with the reciting and ending of my chant—they would heat up immensely, liquefy and only act once more upon sudden impact or movement.

When met with said impact, they would return to a crystalized form and expand. Their expansion would cause a loss in overall durability and lack their prior hardness, but this had been just enough to bring the carriage’s back wheels to a halt.

“Grandpa!”

“Perfect work there, youngin’! Now let’s go, you lot! We’ve got a totem to secure and bring back!”

“Aye!!”

The crystalized wheels finally caused the merchant’s carriage to come to a complete stop. And without missing a beat, the two guards that were in the inn yesterday then leapt from the front and withdrew their weapons. As we dismounted our stead, grandfather sent a glance my way that implied for me to stay by the horse. I decided to do just that as Cruubi returned to me and landed onto the palm of my hands.

Grandfather was prepared for confrontation as he readied himself with his long-bearded axe, resting the head on the ground near his feet.

“I’m sure you know who I am, but I’ll state my name once more anyways. I’m referred to as the Chief of Druhwood, Torrel, and you new-bloods seem to have left with something you shouldn’t have, hm?”

One of the guardsmen, Bodou, was the first to step forth from the carriage. He readied his weapon and responded in confidence.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, old man. Though, the only thing I care about right now is that the fact remains that you all just forcibly stopped us with what apparently was magic, right? If that’s true, by Crethian law and as members of the Old Palisade—we have every right to fight back!”

“You’re right, that you do. That is, only if the altercation is one-sidedly without explicit warrant. If you’re going to parade your words to us and assume we’re simple and ignorant countrymen; I have news for you, new-blood.”

The air changed slightly as a chilling wind encircled the area. Bodou became immediately alarmed, but on our side, we already understood what was going on. Grandfather had decided to get serious, disregarding any reason for hesitation. He then lifted his long-bearded axe, setting it on his shoulder now. His Warrior’s skill, [Virtuous Spirit], melded with the wind and dominated our surroundings.

It was a skill that output a Warrior’s intimidating aura that varied depending on the situation. If said Warrior held firm ground toward their situational belief—most weaker enemies wouldn’t be able to resist the debilitating pressure that came with it.

“Now, you can hand it over to us and make this simple or we’ll take it from you by any means necessary. Either way, it doesn’t matter to me. Just be mindful—we don’t have all day, new-blood.”

“...!”

Bodou slightly stumbled backward in response to grandfather’s threat. [Virtuous Spirit] had been working as intended. The merchant, on the other hand, remained in the carriage—avoiding any and all confrontation while leaving it to his guards. The standoff between said guards and ourselves remained in quiet apprehension. All waiting on Bodou’s decision.