Chapter 14 - Whispering Valley

The night passed quickly and as soon as the day dawned, the two were already up and with their backpacks on their backs while the fire was already low, almost going out. 

Still in silence, the two continued and Sief raised the map, closing his eyes and then transmitting his mana to the map that indicated their location, already approaching the end of the territory. 

After a few hours of walking, Sief and Edgar climbed a hill and when they reached the top, they could see the same valley and a wooden bridge similar to the one they crossed the previous day. 

As soon as he saw her, Edgar sighed, breaking the silence and looking at the bridge with an atypical seriousness, until he said. 

"This is where we part ways." He looked east as he continued. "In half a day I will take the other exit that will lead to a city that is on the way to Filian. I think that's where I'll join up with the adventurers." 

Looking back at Sief, Edgar saw that the boy remained serious and deep in thought as he faced the bridge, however, he hit the killer's back with a light slap, which made the boy slip and go towards the ground. 

Sief widened his eyes and jumped, stopping a little further down the hill, turning an enraged gaze upward as he said. 

"What the hell was that?" He flapped his clothes, still irritated. "If I had hit my face on the ground, I might have died before I even reached the bridge." 

"I trusted you wouldn't." 

Edgar looked with a small smile and Sief frowned slightly, but soon the swordsman turned around and said. 

"It's not goodbye yet, so hurry up, this melancholy is ruining the taste of the meat in my mouth." He sighed, turning his face to the bridge as he said. "You're still young, you don't know how to fight like an assassin I once saw, you only know how to strike, and you still do that poorly, you practically only know how to cut and thrust." 

"Do you want to get your complaints off your chest before you let me go? If that were the case, I would do it at night." Sief lowered his eyebrows slightly as he rambled. 'Why is this all of a sudden?' 

"But I know you should be able to get to Dokkel alone." Edgar lowered his eyes, turning to Sief and crossing his arms, saying. "Don't face a beast, just take your sister and go, protect her with the little you know, it will be enough to protect her back, as it was enough to protect mine." 

Edgar concluded with a slight smile as he looked at Sief who gradually calmed his expression. 

The swordsman shrugged and waved goodbye as he turned his back to Sief, slowly disappearing from the hill. 

"Hey, Edgar." Sief spoke louder and Edgar stopped, turning his face down and seeing the killer still with his brow furrowed, seeming to find the strength to speak. "Good luck, survive and get where you want to be... and thank you..." 

Sief lowered his head, hiding his face while scratching his cheek awkwardly, but Edgar returned to smiling and walking, saying. 

"I say the same, Sifritt. Find your sister." 

His steps gradually became more distant and Sief turned towards the bridge, following with long steps, starting a light run that gradually became fast. 

He quickly moved away from the hill and stepped on the brittle bridge that shook with his little weight, but still Sief continued and when he reached the middle of it, he jumped, taking both feet off the ground and landing on top of a pile of green grass. 

Lifting his head, Sief breathed deeply and felt the fresh air fill his lungs as he felt that he was close, that sensation made him feel comfortable out of tune with the lifeless environment before, but still Sief looked back. 

And there was the same mountain, but empty while the brownish dust blew around the place and made him feel the warm air of that environment, but he continued to observe the mountain for a few moments, until he turned back to the field, drawing his dagger and taking a long sigh. 

"Whispering Valley... the last territory before Dokkel..." He inhaled and sighed again, following with hurried steps, forcing a slight smile with his brow furrowed as he mumbled. "It's not the end, that's for sure. But what a terrible feeling." 

The dust began to blow and passed over Edgar who was lying on the ground under the same hill, still with a smile as he looked at the morning sky and also giving a bitter sigh that made him mumble. 

"Did he give me this habit of sighing too?" Edgar stood up, hearing footsteps approaching, realizing that a small group of skeletons were advancing and reaching for his sword, he said. "I better leave soon..." 

The swordsman advanced against the monsters and only the sound of shattering was heard. 

Sief continued to run heading north where he saw a much denser forest, as he ran he jumped under bushes and passed under fallen logs as he followed his path quickly, focusing his eyes on the surroundings and noticing the clear differences that no matter how much If there were monsters hiding, it would be more difficult to find hordes. 

But the forest also allowed him to be attacked by surprise and with his dagger raised he remained alert so as not to be ambushed. 

Unlike the area affected by the beast, the place was invigorating and cool as sounds of birds and the sound of their footsteps crunching leaves filled the atmosphere. 

Something moved between the branches and screamed, catching Sief's attention as he saw a small, robust beast covered in white fur jump towards him from the tree. 

The monster opened its mouth full of sharp teeth as Sief prepared to strike, but noticing something, he opened his eyes wide and jumped back, dodging a club blow that hit the ground and raised the leaves. 

'Another club?' 

Stopping away from the monster, Sief saw that it was similar to an animal that had stood upright, but was carrying a club similar to roots that held a stone, making the boy frown, but position himself, closing his eyes briefly and saying to yes. 

'Make the mana path.' 

Sief saw the trace of mana form on his arm and surround the dagger, which was instantly ignited by a greenish aura that revealed itself when the boy opened his eyes. 

However, Sief's eyes widened when he saw the monster's yellow eyes already close to his face as he struck with the club aimed at his head, forcing the boy to quickly block with the dagger while he thought. 

'It's quick.' The blow hit Russian's dagger who felt his torso being pushed and again the assassin frowned, concluding. 'It is strong!' 

The greenish aura of the blade dissolved and Sief was thrown back, stopping on his feet, but retreating when he saw that the monster was once again advancing, screaming. 

Sief repositioned himself, forcing both feet on the ground and again the monster jumped, striking to hit the head of the advancing boy. 

Quickly tilting his body, Sief dodged and slashed, opening a gash in the side of the screaming monster's body and landing away from the killer as Sief repositioned himself, shaking his hand and clicking his tongue lightly. 

'It's not an alpha, but it's strong and fast, but not enough...' He raised his dagger again and saw the monster growl with an irritated expression. 'If I close my eyes it moves forward, it's different from the slow undead from before...' 

Gaining strength, once again the animal ran forward and didn't jump, just raising the club while Sief frowned, but positioned himself looking at his arm trying to see the mana path appear. 

However, it was much more difficult with his eyes open and then the blow arrived, but this time Sief dodged it by jumping to the side and with a quick advance he stuck it in the neck of the monster that grunted hanging to the side, surprising Sief, he attacked again, removing his dagger. quickly and hitting the creature's head, which stopped moving, and fell to the ground lifeless. 

Sief clicked his tongue and shook his dagger, looking at the weapon that had blood stains only halfway up the blade. 

'He's tough and the blade didn't go in as far as it could...' Sief saw the monster's body in front of him and clenched his teeth, forcing a slight smile as he rambled on. 'From what little I've seen, there are weak monsters like goblins and strong ones like the hobgoblin in each territory, this must be one of the strong ones... that angry primate that Edgar spoke about... at least I hope...' 

Turning to the surrounding forest, Sief heard more branches moving and concluded that the monster's screams had attracted more, causing him to frown, still smiling, as he raised his weapon in thought. 

'I think having someone protecting my back made me unaccustomed...' Sief closed his eyes and opened them quickly in a greenish tone while the same tone surrounded his dagger in the form of an aura. 'I still can't activate the skill during combat, do I still have a long way to go? I thought it was going well...' 

From the trees, a monster similar to the one that was dead on the ground, alongside other thinner ones with daggers, jumped and landed in front of Sief, roaring furiously, making the boy continue to stare, until one of the smaller ones advanced. 

Sief also advanced against the monster that jumped, striking, surprising Sief who saw the small animal, a little faster, attacking his eyes, forcing him to dodge. 

The stone blade passed through his cheek, cutting him slightly, but Sief moved his torso and struck with the dagger, making a cut in the belly of the little monster who retreated, stopping under a tree with a pained expression as he held the cut, starting to shake. 

Sief stared in surprise, however, the two remaining monsters advanced with the more robust one moving in front. 

He moved his club and turned, aiming the blow at Sief's legs, who jumped forward to avoid it, but saw the smaller one appear jumping towards him, surprising the assassin who clenched his teeth as he saw a blade approaching his face. 

With a quick movement, Sief struck, thrusting into the monster's belly before his short arms reached him, making the monster scream and be thrown back, retreating even under a tree while he watched the boy stop behind the bigger one who turned around and struck. 

However, before he did so, Sief stuck the dagger into the head of the roaring monster, Sief noticed the green aura disappear from his blade, but he still struck quickly, again and again, until the club left the monster's hands, when the creature fall in the ground lifeless. 

Sief sighed with relief, looking around as he saw the first one he had hit already trembling and lying on the ground, gradually ceasing its movements. 

However, Sief heard a scream behind his back and when he saw it, the other smaller one jumped on his head, grabbing his hair and raising the blade, however, with a quick cut, Sief decapitated the monster as it fell to the ground lifeless. 

Wiping the blood from his face, Sief stared at the two monsters with a frown. 

'Has the skill become weaker among the targets? I thought it only needed mana to maintain power...' He looked from side to side and raised an eyebrow as he looked at his hand. 'But I feel good… so… wasn't it sis?' 

Still frowning, Sief wondered what the problem was, however, he soon turned his eyes to the two, thinking. 

'It was just before I visualized the poison, so… did I miss it during the confrontation?' He stared and raised his eyebrows saying. 'I lost the effect completely when I was hit, so… do I have to keep this visualization in mind even during combat?' 

Sief frowned even more and raised his eyebrows remembering how Edgar had fought at all times, keeping his ability active, which made Sief sigh and grumble with a smile. 

"Being an adventurer… what a ungrateful job…"