A Few Minutes Earlier – The Chief's House
Hestia had gone up to the walls to supervise and keep an eye on the movement of the dark beasts. With more than half of the initiates outside the village, vigilance was crucial to avoid any unexpected circumstances. Just as William's group was about to leave, Aria called out.
"Uncle William, wait a minute. I know a spell that could help you. I can cast an anti-smell charm. It will completely mask your scent. Aunty Hestia asked me to do it," Aria said as she pulled out the ingredients for the spell.
Aria was only nine years old but already a remarkably talented witch. Unfortunately, there weren't many opportunities for her to learn spellcasting. In her father's absence, her mother was the only person in the village capable of teaching her.
She quickly arranged the ingredients and began chanting. William, John, and Telo, the final member of their team, could immediately tell the spell was working. They could barely detect their own scent now.
"Thank you, Aria. Let's go. The others should have crossed the walls by now."
According to Hestia's plan, William's group was meant to reach the forest's edge once the commotion began and the dark forces were distracted by the four decoy teams.
The strategy seemed effective. Just five minutes after the teams had left the village, roars and growls echoed from ahead.
William waited patiently at the forest's edge, Isabella secured on his back. Her warmth reassured him, yet also filled him with anxiety. They had invested so much into this plan, what if it failed? He had put many comrades and subordinates at risk. But what other choice did he have? If they failed to reach Atari City and call for reinforcements, the entire village would perish. He tried to calm his pounding heart, though deep down he knew that any of the old guards could have made the run to Atari easily, if they didn't have to carry Isabella.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Now wasn't the time for doubt. He also knew the old guards would have stood by him, even if they'd known the full scope of the plan. They were like him, unwilling to give up in the face of this evil, damned Dark Lord anymore.
Time seemed to slow as William's group waited for the beasts ahead to move. The decoy teams had drawn them away, opening a path. Two three minutes later, William gave the signal to move. The group rose from their position in the tall grass and crept into the forest. Their steps were light, barely making a sound. John led, while Telo took the rear. Normally William would have covered the back, but with Isabella on his back, Telo had to cover them.
They moved for nearly five minutes without encountering any beasts or corrupted creatures. Just a few more minutes and they'd be out of danger. But their luck ran out. A dark beast suddenly appeared in front of them. It seemed startled, they had clearly bumped into it accidentally. It could smell like something was off.
"Shit!" John cursed as he cut it down with a single strike but it was too late to remain hidden. Before being cut in half, it let out a loud, high-pitched screech, instantly alerting the surrounding beasts.
The moment the beast cried out, they knew they had to run. The three of them broke into a sprint, no longer concerned with stealth. John and Telo moved to William's sides to protect him. They headed for the road to Atari. Traveling through the forest was far more difficult for them than for the beasts, it was their natural habitat, they had vast experience in moving through dense woods. It was like fighting a crocodile in water. In the forest, beasts' territorial advantage made them just as fast as the initiates.
More beasts joined the chase. Fortunately, the group reached the mud road before any could catch them. With a clear path ahead, they picked up speed. Though the beasts could also run faster on open ground, the advantage now belonged to the humans. Most of the beasts were smaller and better suited for dense woods. Thanks to their larger builds and powerful legs, the humans soon began to outpace them.
Chaos ensued behind them as their escape attempts was discovered. One of the wraiths nearby discovered it and quickly sent a demonic beast under its control in pursuit. It couldn't wait to call for reinforcements,it needed to catch them before they gained too much of a lead. Only demonic beasts could match their speed on roads, and the wraith knew this well. It dispatched the nearest one immediately—a wolf-like creature with sharp fangs and claws. Two more demonic beasts under its control were farther away and would take longer to reach the road.
William's group ran at full speed. But William, burdened with Isabella, was the slowest. In fact, without the burden, he would have been the fastest. Carrying someone—even someone light—hindered his movement and reduced his agility. No matter how strong or fast a warrior is, carrying extra weight slows them more than carrying their own bulk would.
The demonic wolf caught up within minutes.
"Damn, this one must've been nearby. I'll hold it off. You two keep going. If we all stop, we'll get swarmed. Go, I'll catch up if I can," Telo said, halting abruptly and drawing his sword.
William and John nodded but didn't stop. William's mission was clear: get Isabella to Atari City and save her. With a few minutes' head start, they could build enough distance to evade pursuit. Halting now would render all their planning meaningless. William knew Telo would be in danger, especially if he got surrounded, but there was no other choice. They had accepted this risk from the beginning. He just hoped Telo would make it out, and pushed forward with renewed determination.