"Hah" Grenald let out a hollow laughter as he stared blankly.
His body was lying on its back in a very awkward position, and he was too exhausted to even move, much less getting up.
Two gaping holes of considerable size were in his thigh and through his chest, both caused by the sharp edge of Kurt's spear.
His body was drenched in both his and Kurt's blood, and it wouldn't be drying anytime soon because of the incessant bleeding from accumulated injuries all over his body.
"Hmm" he muttered as his mind wandered off.
But the sound of running feet broke him from his reverie.
A man came running with haste while holding a beaker containing a bright yellow liquid.
Quickly, the man made himself known.
"Sir Grenald, Master Cavarl has sent me to give you this, please hold still"
The man immediately knelt and moved his arm to position Grenald's head before administering the healing potion.
But as his hands reached for Grenald's neck, it was suddenly held back.
"Sir, I'm trying to help you!" the man protested.
But Grenald, who seemed to find energy to move from somewhere unknown, held his hand with more strength as he spoke.
"Don't do something pointless. While I appreciate the help, that potion can't help me"
"Sir don't-"
The man moved to insist, but was immediately cut off.
"I have lost too much blood, used up whatever mana I had left, and my internals are a complete mess. There is no scenario in which I survive this"
Hearing it from Grenald himself, the man could only keep quiet. He felt he should run to get help, but Grenald's grip was unflinching, holding him tighter.
Grenald added one last thing.
"Don't rush to go back. Stay with me for a bit"
Only then did the man calm down and take a sitting posture while holding Grenald's hand.
The meaning of his request was clear.
The atmosphere became solemn and somber as no one spoke.
The man left Grenald to his thoughts.
And like most others, Grenald was going through flashbacks that lead him here.
When Kurt was beheaded, he had already been gravely wounded, but there was still a large possibility of survival.
What hit the nail in the coffin was the ultrasound wave.
As the one closest to Kurt, he had felt the greatest impact.
It had blown him far further than Cavarl, and most importantly, it had done lasting damage to his internal organs, which were already in a bad shape.
He wouldn't start crying over spilled milk. He was never that sort of person.
After all, he had known this day would come.
Rather, his thoughts were focused on something else.
A lady of short stature with blue coiled hair, white skin and lovely brown eyes.
Roselyn was her name. A very beautiful name indeed.
She was the one Grenald planned to marry after retiring once he had done a few more missions for the guild.
Alas…
'To think I'd die here'
Tears swelled within his eyes and threatened to drop, but Grenald didn't let them.
After a few minutes of reminiscing about his life choices, he resigned himself to his end.
Then he looked to the one who came to heal him and spoke.
"You seem like a young lad"
The man awoke from his reverie. Grenald was officially an enemy by guild affiliation, but these were the words of a dying man, so he replied…
"Thirty three, the name is Westin Koop"
"Well, Westin, while priceless things tempt the heart of any man, especially youths, I implore that you don't forget what is really priceless"
"Which is?"
"Family, Westin. Get a lovely wife and kids. Don't be like this dying oldie"
"Hmm…I'll make sure to keep that in mind, Sir"
"Good, good. You can have this old man's space ring to accompany you on future journeys once I'm gone"
Without stopping, he continued.
"Well then, I guess it's time for this man to rest his old aching bones…"
By the end of his sentence, Grenald's voice had gone extremely low, before fading away like dust in the wind.
His arm went limps and his pulse went quiet.
On this day, Grenald Hofferman passed away.
—-------------------------
At the foot of the mountain, Winston had just finished briefing a sickly and pale Cavarl who sat on stone while his subordinates supported him at the side.
Cavarls frown was extremely deep as he was in a state of utmost anxiety.
They had chased the Experts back to Avilla, but that was not at all a good thing.
'They will inform the king about it, and when he hears of a mana stone surfacing…'
Cavarl knew the inevitable conclusion.
'We will all be killed'
To prevent such an outcome, a message was to be sent.
Only, the item that would be used was in a bag strapped to his horse, which had been swept during their battle.
But because of his current condition, he could only send his men and the missionaries to find it as fast as possible.
The information from Winston also gave him a far clearer picture of what had happened.
It was at this moment that a shout rang out.
"Sire, Sire! We have found it!"
One of his men came running towards them like a madman while holding up a dusty bag made of brown leather, which he quickly handed over to Cavarl.
"The horse?" Cavarl asked.
"Dead, with its neck and leg broken"
Cavarl nodded as it was to be expected.
He quickly took out a circular item akin to a locket, but five times bigger, with its body being made of silver and having different lines carved into it.
"Put mana in this" he said to his subordinate as he didn't have any to spare.
Without delay, the subordinate did as he was told and, instantly, the lines lit up with a dazzling blue light.
Cavarl took it and said only two words, because the fewer words, the faster the message got across.
But they were two words that would definitely achieve their aim.
At the same time, he sighed.
"Guild master, you'll have to forgive me for this one"
—---------------------------
-Avilla-
"Huff…Huff…Huff"
A man, sporting minor cuts and bruises along his body, sprinted towards a gate built with blocks of stone, located in between two mountains.
The archers at the top of the gate would have shot him down immediately, but they quickly recognised that he was one of their own. He was an Avillian, and fairly high ranking one.
Quickly, they opened the gate for the bleeding man to pass.
Without waiting, the man shouted as fast as he could muster.
"I NEED TO SEE THE KING!"
It was so loud that those around stepped back in apprehension.
Quickly, other Avillians approached him to understand the situation as the man held a very grave expression.
But before anyone could get near-
*BAM*
-something fell from the sky and landed right in front of the man who just screamed, causing the ground to shake and the concrete to instantly cave in.
Such reverberations had everyone tumbling to the ground.
They stood back up very quickly to see the owner of such power-
"You wanted to see me"
-and knelt down immediately after.
The man falling from the sky was their king, Valin Arbana, and he was speaking with the wounded man.
The wounded man lowered his head and spoke.
"It is a matter of utmost urgency"
