[Day 12 Month 6 Year of Crescent Moon: 13.30]

“...” On the side of the road, a girl can be seen folded her hand as she looking far to the horizon. However, the atmosphere surrounding her is gloomy as she ignoring the two not far from her.

“S-Shirley, what are you pouting for?”

“Sigh, let her alone... She is currently in child mode...” Harold shakes his head as keep preparing the tent using a wooden nearby, but sometimes he takes a glance on Shirley then continued. Roland who troubled beside Harold jumped in surprise as suddenly Shirley shouted “Am not a child!” noticed that she losing control, she closed her mouth with her hands before turned away with a red face.

After finishing the wooden ‘tent’ Harold pleasantly smiled seeing his work in front of him.

“Erm, Harold… what is ‘that’? Did you said you want to build a tent to us?”

Shirley timidly pointed at the ‘thing(tent)’ in front of Harold and asked while showed a troubled smile. Roland that standing nearby didn’t say any word as he stared with a troubled expression.

“What do you mean? That will be your place to rest of course.” Harold raised his eyebrows at Shirley question and pointed the wooden tent with his thumb over his shoulder. Shirley smile twitched and turned toward Roland with blank eyes like asking for an explanation, unfortunately, Roland turned away and avoiding eye contact.

“Hey hey, are you doubting this? It may appear like this but this tent is stronger you know? Thanks to this, I manage to survive until now.” Harold frowned seeing Shirley and Roland didn’t have a good impression on his work.

The wooden ‘tent’ that Harold and Roland build is built between two small trees about 2 meters with one long branch tied as horizontal support on chest height. Then placed more branch that leaning to the horizontal support in the backside as a beam. After that crisscross vine on the beams and cover the framework with big leathers. Then in front of it was two rows of stacked log which covering the front. This was the Field-Expedition Lean-to and Fire reflector that Harold build.

“W-well, it can be true but…” Shirley feeling bad seeing Harold expression but there is uncomfortable feeling in her heart. It’s true that the wooden tent looked stronger but, on what the tent inside her mind or the story she heard to the thing that Harold build is looked different so she feeling hesitated for a while. It looked more like a shelter.

“Here, take this.” Roland pulled out a sleeping bag from his dimensional bag and gives it to her. Shirley stared at the sleeping bag on Roland's hand and blinked and her expression turned bright.

“Thank you!” She smiled and take the sleeping bag and trotted to the ‘tent(shelter)’ that Harold builds with a cheerful expression.

Harold seeing Shirley rushed past him happily while holding the sleeping bag frowned and approached Roland. He planned to call Roland but he stopped few meter away from him as he narrowed his eyes.

Roland who at first feeling troubled when the tent wasn’t created with good bedding as he stared at the hard ground below the strong wooden shelter. He thought that Harold maybe forgetting about it, but when he sure that Harold doesn’t have any intention to fix it, Roland's face turned blue.

Does he think Shirley, who raised with good bedding would agree to sleep on the ground? Ah, it’s true, right? Seeing hesitant face on Shirley's face, make Roland sighed before he searching something in his bag. With a troubled smile, Roland gives Shirley his sleeping bag.

But what he didn’t expect was, Shirley smile that so bright make his heart waver. Actually, Roland was already familiar with lady smile when he was a noble back then. But the smile of Shirley was so pure than anyone in his mind. Even when he see her smile when he meets her at the Holy Shrine, he can feel his heart beating. And now seeing it right in front of him suddenly make his face become hot.

Roland shakes his head as he clenched his heart place over his armor then noticed a strange stare from Harold.

“What is it, Harold?”

Harold didn’t answer as he still staring at Roland with narrowing eyes.

“Nothing. I only want to say that we need to talk about something.”

“Something? What is?”

“Let’s meet with Rey's first.”

Harold shrugged from Roland question and turned to move toward Shirley. When he hear a footstep, Harold only glanced over his shoulder and with his eye shining he saw unexpected aura appear on Roland body.

Shirley currently sitting on the sleeping bag from Roland while happily stacking a branch to make a fireplace inside the shelter. But because right now is noon, of course, she didn’t light it. She didn’t have any experience but she sure her work is decent, she smiled while poking it with a small branch on her hand before she noticed two people approached.

“Ah, welcome back. Do you need something?” Noticed the serious aura from Harold, Shirley dropped her branch and sitting in straight posture on the sleeping bag.

Harold who watching Shirley sitting comfortably above the soft sleeping bag, blinking before sitting on the ground and he felt the hard ground on his butt.

“*Cough*, I want to ask something to both of you.” Harold coughed before turned to Shirley and Roland. They exchanged a glance before turned to Harold with expression ‘What is it.’

“First, I want to know your knowledge about the darkness invasion. No wait, I didn’t care about the legend story. I want to know your own, say everything on your mind.”

Hearing Harold word, Shirley and Roland surprised for a moment before falling on deep thought.

Not long after, Roland was the first to speak his mind. He folded his arm and his eyes flickering.

“To tell the truth, I didn’t know anything about this invasion. We were told about the Legend of the mad queen of darkness who will envelop the world with darkness and when we, the Humanity would gather together to fight it. But for whatever reason, the monster of darkness suddenly appeared before the awakening day of the Queen of Darkness this year. Make the leader of each power feel uneasy.”

“Oho, as expected of Roly the great. You tell a story like you read a script.” Harold word makes the tense atmosphere turned funny as Shirley was also giggling. Then Shirley like remembering something placed her finger on her chin and say.

“Yes, like Roland said. I also hear that the ‘Resistance’ has been fighting with the force of darkness all around the continent. It sure is strange as the monster attacked with more coordinated form like there is a leader among them.” Shirley suddenly feels a chill thinking the monster having intelligence.

“That is true, now even when the Queen of Darkness still sealed the threat of monster keep increasing. The road becomes more dangerous even bandit would leave their hunting ground if they still loved their lives.” Roland's eyes turned fierce as he thinking about something.

“You are wrong. The Queen of Darkness is already awakened.” Harold declaration makes the other surprised. ‘How can this be? This is not the time of her awakening.’ Many thoughts filled their mind but they turned to Harold to seek for an explanation.

“You already know that the Queen of Darkness always ended with her being sealed away right? Are you not wondering how she keeps ended being sealed? If it me, I would not let myself to be sealed once again.”

“But Harold, even it was true how you can be so confident about her awakening?” Shirley asked the question that Roland also thought of.

“You know my power right? I will not say something flattering, in a matter of fact. My power, the shadow was actually part of the darkness power. And right now, my power is increasing. This is the clue that the Queen of Darkness manages to broke her seal.” Hearing it, Shirley and Roland was dumbfounded. Because their power was given by the High God and it affinity was Light, of course, they cannot sense the Darkness really well. They only know when the surrounding changed.

Seeing Harold expression turned ugly, Shirley placed her hand on Harold's shoulder and say.

“So, is that the reason you want to quickly finish this mission?”

Feeling the hand of Shirley make Harold's heart calmed down, but he says.

“You are wrong, I can feel that the Queen of Darkness is still weak but if this continued she would become stronger and be a threat for all of us.” Hearing it, Shirley tilted her head ‘eh, isn’t it the same?’

Roland who is deep in thought suddenly says. “So, that means that even with her weakened power, she still manages to control the monster really well and if she back in full power, we would be annihilated?”

“That is why, we-“ Before Harold can finish his word, he already standing while unsheathed his long sword. The black sword giving out a cold aura around it. Shirley and Roland also noticed a dark presence and prepared their weapon. Three of them jumped out of their shelter and noticed that they are surrounded.

“N-No way! How can the Dark Hound is here!? We are not far from the Signal Village!” Shirley shouted as she gripped her long mace.

“Is it true that the Signal Village in danger… we must make haste.” Roland slowly backing away and come near Shirley as his sword enveloped with fire. The three of them standing back to back and increased their vigilance. There are 20 Dark Hound surrounded them.

The Dark Hound is a demonic beast with the appearance of the overgrown dog, be it a wild dog or normal dog would turn if the dark miasma entered their body. Body with 2 meters tall packed with hard muscle, strong fang and claw that can rip apart the human armor, and a flame enveloped its neck like a lion mane. Its growled while sometimes also breathed a fire. Yes, a fire.

“Roly, oh the great Roly. I don’t know if you’re fan of the flaming sword. But you cannot hurt Dark Hound with your flame stick, you would only tickle them. Its affinity is Dark and Fire you see~” Seeing that they are surrounded, Harold glanced at Roland behind him and smirked.

Hearing Harold word that somehow translated as ‘You dumbass, what can you do attacking enemy with their affinity.’ In his ears. Roland silently changed the red fire on his sword into the cold aura of freezing blue. Harold only snorted and turned to Shirley.

With serious yet nervous expression, Shirley glared at the Dark Hounds nearby while gripping her mace. Not wasting any time, she hit the ground with the end of the mace handle and shouted.

“Banish the corruption of malice, Lightwave!” following Shirley shout, a white shockwave spread to the surrounding with her as the center. When it hit the Dark Hounds, its body suddenly stiffened and started to shake their head as if rejecting something.

When the wave of light disappeared, two shadows dashed from beside Shirley and rushed at their own target.

Harold body that enveloped in black is looked like a black bolt rushed at its target. However, when it looked like a bolt about to stuck on the tree, Harold with ease jumped to the next target and he ended like a ricocheting everywhere. However, contrary to its ricochet show, Harold manage to deal a huge amount of damage to 5 Dark Hounds in flash and ended to kill one. Pulling out his long sword from the dead Dark Hound, Harold dashed again.

Roland in the meantime also showed his power. With his freezing sword he aiming at each Dark Hound legs, with one dash, 6 Dark Hounds fall to the ground with its leg frozen. Turning his body before his dash ended, Roland swings his sword and unleashed a sword wave. The crescent sword wave hit 3 Dark Hound, turn it into ice sculptures.

When the effect of Lightwave ended, the rest of the Dark Hounds rushed toward Shirley with bloodlust on its eye. They opened their mouth and the sharp fangs shining with the sunset light, make it look more sharp and dangerous.

Facing the incoming danger of 2-meter tall monster, Shirley smashed the ground with her mace. “Moonlight Barrier!”

A half round light expanded and covered Shirley with a diameter of 5 meters and blocked the Dark Hound mad rush, producing an unpleasant sound as its head collided with the hard barrier. With resolution eyes, Shirley makes an eye contact with one of them. “It’s not ended yet. Moonlight Spike!”

The barrier suddenly trembled before a spike of light pushed out and pierced 8 Dark Hounds who are unable to retreat in time. “Light of forgiveness, cure this dark emotion within. Purification!” With her right palm open and hit the barrier, it's blue light suddenly turned into gold and the Dark Hound who trapped screamed in pain before turned to dust.

Sighed in relief on his heart, Harold smiled at Shirley ‘Nice combo! And I won’t lose!’ and increased his speed. Roland who is also staring at Shirley increased his willpower and unleashed a barrage of freezing sword wave.

As the Sun slowly fell to slumber beyond the horizon, a dog pained wail can be heard for a moment.