Chapter 206 Into the Valley (1/2)
A fearful look crossed Acantha's face Brightblade's forceful response to theshe clearly had not expected
”Yes, Adept Brightblade,” she said ”Hunters are coht tre to worry about They don't attack Shadowflae theh to do that in years”
Brightblade raised an eyebrow ”They don't target your Ninth Valley es? But they do attack others?”
Acantha nodded ”They hunt any es who aren't from the Shadowflame Society At least, that's what htblade asked, her brown furrowed as she looked at the novice
A puzzled expression appeared on Acantha's face In an uncertain tone, she asked, ”What we do?”
”In the borderlands Without other es around, what do you novices do here? Your Elders don't just send you out here to go ca dawned in Acantha's eyes ”We protect the region froerous creatures,” she answered, a proud look on her face
Suddenly, Arran understood why the Ninth Valley's borderlands were so safe for novices With only bandits and beasts as enees
”I see,” Brightblade said ”Very well, let's start ain”
She turned around without another word, though Arran could detect a hint of dissatisfaction in her gaze He suspected she didn't think such safety was good training for novices
As they went on their way again, Acantha was noticeably quieter than before, seehtblade's attention once more Yet Arran's brief respite lasted barely an hour, after which she began chattering once htblade both quiet as Acantha prattled to Arran about her year in the borderlands It didn't bother hiirls he'd known in Riverbend, with a type of innocence he hadn't seen in a long time
Then, to Arran's surprise, there was a sudden shi+ft in the landscape Where there had previously been wilderness all around theion full of farmlands Fields of wheat and pastures filled with livestock stretched out as far as he could see to the north, and all the way up to the mountains in the east
”We're close now!” Acantha said, sounding excited ”The path to the Valley is less than three days froes and far the outside the Valley's entrance?” He still vividly remembered the wasteland that lay at the entrance to the Sixth Valley, yet here, things looked to be completely different
”Of course,” Acantha replied ”This far out, there are only a few ses, but there more people live near the entrance And at the entrance itself, there's a city — Mountaingate” She glanced at Brightblade, and when she saw that the woate when your teacher isn't with you They have the best strawberry wine, and—”
Arran listened with half an ear as Acantha continued, his attention focused on the area around them It was like no part of the borderlands he had seen before Even in the Eions as peaceful and prosperous as this
As Acantha had said, the population grew denser as they drew closer to the Ninth Valley's entrance, encountering gest surprise caate
While Arran had expected to see a city, he hadn't expected to see one nearly as vast as this one At a glance, he could tell that it was at least twice the size of Hillfort if not larger, and the roads leading up to it were croithproduce to the city
”We're nearing Mountaingate,” Acantha said somewhat needlessly ”I have some people to meet in the city, but if you want, I can take you—”
”We'll be traveling straight to the Valley,” Brightblade interrupted her ”Thank you for your help” The tone of her voice made it clear that she expected Acantha to leave, and without delay