Vol 1 Chapter 31 (2/2)
The knights slowed down and pulled their horses to a stop just in front of Parn Slayn and Eto respectfully lowered their heads before the knights, but Parn did not
“Where did you lot come from?”
One of the knights stepped forward to interrogate them
“We’re travelers who cae here” Slayn spoke with his head still bowed
“Yes, that’s right,” Wood immediately seconded him
“Hht, unconvinced, and scrutinized the group “I understand, but we can’t afford to trust you so easily Pardon me”
With these words, the knight started chanting in a low voice Slayn recognized it as a prayer to Pharis
As expected frohts were skilled not only with swords, but with thethat no ic of Pharis was harave a cry of surprise and lifted his head, giving the knight an affronted glare
“How very rude of you, using ic My name is Eto I have been formally ordained as a priest in the temple of Pharis in Alan I don’t care what your ic because of baseless suspicion!”
“Ah, I apologize for my rudeness I had no idea you were a priest of Pharis But because we er, we have turned to Pharis’ power We have no further questions for you, and you are free to go on your way Please forgive our impoliteness Farewell”
The knight kicked his horse to start ain
“Would the reason for your hurry be a group guarding a carriage, by any chance?” Lifting his head, Slayn called out to the knight
“What!” The knight reined in his horse The horse reared up, neighing in protest
“Oh, we just passed a strange group with a carriage, and we thought it suspicious Who were they?”
“Don’t ask too many questions It’s a matter of state, so I ask that you not speak of it to others”
This ti to Slayn’s pleas to wait The other riders took off after hie floated in the summer breeze
“What in the world was that about?” Parn had watched the riders off, but as they vanished in the distance, he turned to Slayn, who had pulled up his dark blue hood again
“I’hts’ actions and the strange appearance of the group with the carriage”
“I wonder if we should go have a look”
“I can’t decide that on my own, but if you want my advice, we’d do best to stay out of it” Slayn said vehemently Not that he felt like his words wouldParn, he would reject them
“I wonder That knight said it was an affair of state If that has soht, his arms crossed
“Well, if Parn’s thinking, thatto have to retrace our steps under this blazing sun” Hoisting his luggage onto his back, Ghi
“Ugh, what aback at Parn “What are you doing? You know you’ll go even if we try to stop you Don’t waste your ti”
“They’re right, you know,” said Deedlit, breaking into a half jog and stretching her hand out to Parn “Let’s go It’s not like you to worry”
“Stop teasing,” Parn coht face, but his body auto “I think and worry just as uy!”
“That’s the first I’ve heard of it!” Wood laughed loudly
“We’d better hurry if we don’t want to lose sight of the to look like a forced march
“If only we had horses too” Deedlit, at the head of the group, looked back as she said this Her hair caught the sunlight, gloith a rainbow of colors as it drifted gently through the air
“What’s that sound?” Deedlit suddenly stopped and put both hands to her pointed ears
“What’s wrong, Deed?” Parn looked around and checked that nothing had changed before asking
“Shh! Quiet I can hear a noise co from over there So don’t let your armor make any sound”
Parn quickly ca tobehind the on, doing their best not to distract Deedlit
Elves were famous for their sharp ears It was said that they could even hear the sounds tiny creatures made as they scurried over the leaves in the forest
“Looks like I was right They’re fighting I can hear people screa metal”
“Those knights are fighting! We’ve got to hurry!” Hearing Deedlit’s words, Parn broke into a panicked run “They e Even if they’re outnuainst mercenaries”
“You can’t say that for sure We’re still going to rush to their aid, right?”
“Of course”
“Let’s hope we don’t get in their way” Deedlit let out a sarcastic laugh and easily ran on ahead of Parn Not only was she naturally quick on her feet, she earing lighter armor than Parn’s, so she could more than keep up with him
Even though Parn was encumbered by his heavy armor, there was no way Wood or Slayn could overtake hiave him a serious handicap
“Don’t just take off running like that!” cried Eto, out of breath
“The Holy Knights are fighting!”
“I think we should go find out what’s going on,” said Slayn, panting
Deedlit felt like she could run for hours, but the lead she had on the others had grown, so she waited for thes She had run quite a distance, and she could hear the sounds of the fight much more clearly than before If she squinted, she could just barely see several shadows hway
“That must be it” Deedlit stared at the shadows
Just then, a red light flared up with a boom The sound was as loud as an avalanche Deedlit shrieked and covered her ears, her acute sense of hearing rendering the noise all the more painful
“What’s this noise? And I saw a red light over there!” yelled Parn He had caught up at last He put his hand on Deedlit’s shoulder as she cowered and covered her ears All the while, he gazed down the road, as though not wanting to
“I heard it too” Slayn approached at last “And I saw the light Though it would be more accurate to call it a fire - ical flames”
“Magic? But who cast it? The fighters escorting that carriage, or the knights of Valis?” asked Deedlit in Slayn’s direction, casually covering Parn’s hand on her shoulder with her own
“There’s no way to know All we know is that we didn’t cast it ourselves That fire es The e ready I didn’t see any faces I knew froh it’s possible they were using a disguise And h I don’t knohether that goes for Wagnard of Marmo as well”
“Was it hie?” said Parn, excited
“There were just tonard a woed
“Wait, it see any Parn’s hand
“What? Then on?”
“Don’t ask stupid questions There’s no way to know just from the sound But if you hold on a second, I’ll ask the wind”
“Wind? Sylph, youspell That’s the surest method”
“If you know that kind of useful , instead of trying to ood now,” said Wood with annoyance
“You said it,” Ghireement with Wood’s complaints
“I can’t afford to useand began to chant in the ancient tongue