Mage Legend

This might be because whenever Wislin is alone, there's always a hint of sadness in his eyes.

After settling the horses, leaving two knights to watch over the stable, everyone else crowded into the village's council hall. Sandyman had been observing this group of young people, noting their every move. It was easy to see that the young man named Wislin was their leader, whom everyone adored, respected, and was willing to follow every command. In addition, there was an older traveler in a soft robe. Each knight carefully attended to him, treating him as a "person of importance." However, if both Wislin and the robed man were in danger, Sandyman believed all the knights would help Wislin first.

Moreover, the person who kept their face hidden in the shadow of a cloak seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the delay in the village. His low murmurs floated into Sandyman's ears with the breeze. Bless the God of Health, the old village chief was still quite robust.

"Sir, what kind of trouble do you need us to resolve?" Wislin stood in the center of the room, his armor intact, looking imposing.

"Isn't the northern Pate Plain very fertile? Isn't the sunlight there excellent, ideal for growing crops?" Before Sandyman could speak, Sithock stood up first, directing the question at the knight.

"Yes, I think what you're saying is correct." Wislin nodded: "Under the Light God's blessing, that land is very fertile." But he then added: "However, it's not suitable for growing crops. That holy land is now slowly being ruined by monsters..."

"Monsters? Monsters?" The villagers looked at each other, confused by the term. To them, the old bear in the mountains was the most terrifying monster around. Sandyman coughed twice to silence everyone and then turned to Wislin: "Young man, please explain in detail."

"I actually understand your concerns because I've encountered many villages similar to this one along the way." Wislin looked at the villagers, directly into their eyes, and slowly said: "The harvest is poor, and many places are starving; I know what that feels like. For three years, the holy land of Pate has benefited from favorable weather, producing pumpkins bigger than carts. But, all those good harvests have been taken by the despicable snake-men! They've snatched the best lands and its produce to feed those giant beasts."

Pointing to his companions, Wislin said: "This young man, my good brother, can single-handedly tackle Hill Giants three meters tall; this one, without armor, can tear apart a Fierce Tiger bare-handed. Our group can proudly claim to be glorious warriors, yet there's a constant shame accompanying us, which is failing to reclaim the holy land of Pate. The snake-men are extremely powerful, wielding weapons we've never seen before. Moreover, they raise many beasts, like Medusa, whose gaze can turn living beings to stone!"

A gasp spread among the villagers, and they all cast their eyes on Sithock, making him wish he could find a hole to hide in.

"Sorry, I can't help you with anything," Wislin said softly, lowering his head.

"No, child, at least you've helped us dispel hesitation and anxiety." Sandyman patted his back, his face now free of worry, showing only firm resolve: "Although we may live in poverty in the coming years, we will be peaceful. Everyone, from now on, must carefully preserve our food, not to waste any more. We must plan for the future!"

As the villagers discussed ways of conserving food, Wislin's eyes grew moist. Perhaps other paladins wouldn't easily show such a vulnerable expression, but he felt that tears weren't always bad. His fingers trembled on the hilt of his sword, full of remorse, questioning why his strength was so insignificant, unable to drive away those snake-men?

However, he always remembered the words of the Mage Lynch, "Do not hate your enemies, understand them." For three years, he carefully protected his subordinates, never letting anger cloud his judgment, nor was he rigid in knightly tactics. Though some high-level priests were dissatisfied with his "free and unrestrained" actions, his warriors loved him, and his enemies hated him. Step by step, more and more elites gathered around Wislin. They established a fortress in the Five Realms Mountain Range, staunchly blocking the snake-men from moving south. However, this time he had a more important task, compelling him to leave the front lines. The Elf Queen Hernfurry's council was about to convene, and he was tasked with escorting the temple's Archbishop Kuboert to the Elf Sacred Land.

The villagers gradually dispersed, leaving only Sandyman and a few elders accompanying these knights. They brought food to entertain the guests, but the paladins politely declined, as Wislin couldn't make the villagers' lives more difficult. Nevertheless, the people of River Village cut the lushest grasses nearby to feed the paladins' horses well.

Wislin sat alone in the yard, quietly gazing at the moon in the sky. Although it wasn't the fullest moment of "Slumber," it still emitted a bright glow, soothing Wislin's mood and clarifying his mind. For some reason, Wislin now felt the moon was more comforting, despising the weak sun. For a paladin of the Light God Pate, that was a very blasphemous thought.

"What are you going to do in the Elf Kingdom?" Sandyman, smoking behind the knight, took a puff, letting the strong fragrance drift: "Those long-lived neighbors aren't very hospitable."

"As long as you don't cut down their trees, the elves are quite friendly." Wislin stood up, looking at the old village chief and said: "But regarding this mission, I can't talk about it for now."

"Then don't say anything, as I definitely can't be of help." Sandyman took a deep drag, then slowly exhaled the smoke: "But there's one thing I know, child, I believe everything will get better—whether it's your snake-man issue or our village's harvest. Besides, there are a few girls in the village interested in you. Why not consider staying? I mean, after you complete that task."

"We face death at all times, and although we do not fear it, we are not foolish enough to ignore the problem." Wislin said: "At this current moment, we can't commit to anything, so we can only thank them for their kindness."

The old man nodded, saying nothing, only the light in the pipe flickered.

Suddenly, the moonlight was enveloped by a cloud, plunging the earth into darkness. The two looked up, and the entire sky seemed to have a corner bitten off, with stars and the moon disappearing in that darkness.

Wislin squinted his eyes, striving to discern the shadow in the sky amidst the dark. He noticed that thing slowly moving, gliding across from one side of the sky to the other.

When the moon reappeared, Wislin and Sandyman finally saw the outline of the thing clearly. The old village chief uttered: "Oh my God, a city is flying!"