The Amber Sword

Chapter 180 – Through the valley

While Andesha was distracted with the gemstone, there was a sudden roar that shook the valley. The fog parted and a huge dragon head with open jaws rushed towards her.

“A dragon!?” The Mistress of Wither Decay jumped in fright, but she immediately chanted loudly: “Northern Wind, I command you to conjure a bitter winter!”

She flung out her palm; a blizzard formed on top of her head and blew out a wild storm of frost and hail. Shards of ice were fired like projectiles, striking the surroundings in front of her. The strong wind tossed her hair about and made it dance, but she did not move at all.

It was as though she was a queen who controlled the weather. Snow covered the half the valley in the blink of an eye, turning the ground into a carpet of hard ice. The Lernaia Hydra’s dragon head was forced back as the sharp ice fragments pierced through its body, riddling it with holes.

“What?”

Andesha felt there was something wrong with the strength of the ‘Dragon’. She pointed at the head with her thumb, chanting:

“Time flows; nature withers. Your scales shall fall from off your body, your muscles will slack and rot, your blood turns dry, your bones be brittle, today is the day when your end is nigh!”

But it was just lore.

Facing the situation in reality was completely different. Hati was known as the source of the Calamity of Wolves, the White Spectre that hated all humans instinctively. Any child who lived in Kirrlutz would grow up with the story of a white wolf the size of a titan gobbling up humans under the moonlight. Faena was no exception, and her mind shut down a little when she saw the legendary monster with her own eyes.

Brendel had already started to walk again, and she had to follow him even though she was afraid. Explosions rang out above them, indicating that Andesha and the Lernaia Hydra were still fighting, though the sounds were a little muted in the pit.

The half-god was even more majestic up close. The silver fur looked like they were meticulously groomed and shone in the darkness. The wolf’s outline was like a mountain range that went up and down, and Brendel and Faena could not help but feel like a speck of dust when they looked at it.

They were in awe of the power presented before them.

Hati’s breaths were long and unchanging, its back rising up and down without fail. An immense soul resided in this body and seemed to fill it with endless strength. The wind that constantly blew in the Loop of Trade Winds were stilled in its presence, as if the world revolved around it.

[I remember now…… The game introduced Hati as a ‘she’. Many are mistaken about her gender when they read the lore because she fought to be the ‘king’ of all wolves. Indeed, she is beautiful.]

Despite the youth believing that it would not wake up, he still held his breath and carefully took his steps while he admired the elegant shape.

“I-i-it won’t wake up right?” Faena squeaked.

“…… Do you see it waking up from all the commotion around us?” Brendel turned his head slowly.

“Hati is the enemy of all sentient beings, right? Maybe it’s able to sense us?”

“And it will send out a group of Winter Wolves that will break your throat—” Brendel suddenly growled and his hand clawed towards her throat, frightening the girl into shrinking back her neck.

“W-w-what are you doing?”

“Trying to get you to stop talking nonsense.”

“You stupid evil country bumpkin!” Faena complained unhappily.

When the two of them passed Hati, its slow breath blew on them and caused their hearts to race.

But Brendel was right; Hati did not wake up.

Faena suddenly asked the youth whether they should take the chance and kill it while it was asleep. Brendel blinked several times and stared at the girl like she was the biggest fool in the world. He then passed Veronica’s sword to her and said with the most innocent expression, but his sarcasm was obvious:

“Form a contract with me and save the world by becoming a Magical Girl!”

Faena snatched the sword and tried to cut a single strand of the wolf’s fur, wanting to see the youth panicking as revenge for mocking her. But before the blade even went close to within three feet of the wolf, an invisible barrier suddenly repelled Faena’s attack.

Brendel’s lips were spasming as he tried to hold back his laughter. He had the last laugh regardless of the girl was going to do.

Faena stopped speaking to Brendel and glared at him all the way as they quietly made their way past Hati.

The end of the pit led to another narrow valley with obsidian walls. Its surroundings did not really look out of place in the canyon, but there was one thing that stood out.

There was a huge stone gate standing in the center of the valley.