The ashes before Strife

Episode 21 ; timeskip ; 1

"Captain Arthur. Do you want a refreshment?"

A knight sounding a few years older than me came up to my side. It wasn't possible to see his face through his helmet so i couldn't distinguish anything special about him. I looked at the canteen he was offering and pushed his arm away.

"I'm fine. Just focus on the march." I replied coldly

The knight stood still as we moved forward getting laughed at by the knights behind me being shoved to the side of the long march.

"Thats what you get for trying to lick his arse kid!"

"Oi kid! You want some water?"

The mocking continued from the rest of the knights but feeling something was off my grip tightened on my swords handle.

"Captain Moonleaf."

Looking up i saw commander Beurun atop his horse, holding a piece of bread in his gauntlet

"Yes, commander?"

"You should try being nicer to the troops. Its good that you want them focused but morale is an important factor a well."

Nodding at his words i pretended to take in his advice. The captains in line with me all held judging looks on their faces showing their clear disregard for my safety. Ignoring them though i looked forward seeing our destination in sight.

going beyond the trees a dreadful aura seeped out of the stone archway covered in moss standing alone on an island in the middle of a cyan glowing lake.

"Someone else is already here." Captain Acken's furrowed his brows as the necks on his neck looked to be standing on end.

I looked at the captain surprised. There was no presence i could sense even with my heightened mana sense.

"Be on guard everyone."

The 3 other captains and commander dismounted leaving their mounts for the foot soldiers to handle as we went forward to root out whoever had appeared before us.

"Acken. Are you sure someone is here? I cant sense anything. This place is dead."

"I'm certain." Crouching down he picked up a piece of dirt "whoever they are, they're good at hiding. Even my aspect cant directly locate them. Its as if they're walking on a different dimension to us."

Walking to the lakes edge i tapped the water surface with my blade 'is the god still able to see us? It should be breathing its final breaths by now.'

"Its about time you all showed up."

Facing where the voice came from we all pointed our swords at a man in a white coat with a silver scintilla slung along his waist covering his face with a black hood. He was leaning against the mossy archway in the lakes centre watching judgtngly as he played with a coin in his hand.

"I was starting to get bored. I thought that my friend was lying when he said a gods grave was here and someone needed my help."

The captains stared skeptically at the strange man opposite them. he had been standing there this whole time yet none of us saw him until he spoke.

Sheathing my sword i seethed "Windrega. You were supposed to meet me at the city."

The commander and captains eyes turned to me questioning my relationship with the strange individual.

"Was i? The story merchant never mentioned anything like that." With a flash of lightning he stood opposite me looking up at me from the darkness under his hood. "I guess its too late to be sad about that though isn't it?"