Rise of The Holy-Realm Rebel

We gathered up wood and set up a simple camp, except situated around us were pointy logs of wood capable of impaling the average person.

Sighing in relief I sat on the pack of leaves that would be my bed for the night. By this point it was sundown already and the moonlight was starting to rule the night sky, accompanied by the stars.

Allowing my gaze to sweep the camp we had built only to be abandoned tomorrow I shook my head. We had spent that much time simply due to the threat of the Roamers, or Shadebeasts, to be specific.

According to those sisters, 'Roamers' was the common name given to the strange dark creatures that haunted places mostly devoid of human activity, and the sunlight. Shadebeasts, however, were their specific name thanks to the abilities they carried.

When I asked for a full explanation, Eiko responded with a long narration, which I could tell was something that had been hammered into her from childhood.

"The Shadebeasts are ancient creatures, born from the very shadows that cling to the heart of the forest. These creatures, neither fully of the light nor of the dark, are bound to the unseen depths of the world—where the light of day seldom reaches, and the moonlight only whispers through the dense canopy. In this eternal twilight, they have thrived, their forms shifting like tendrils of darkness, their eyes glowing faintly with a predatory gleam."

"While formidable in their strength, their power is not limitless. The Shadebeasts are cunning and quick, able to melt into the shadows, ambushing those who wander too far from the safety of the sun."

"Their bodies are composed of a dark, ethereal substance, making them difficult to wound with traditional weapons. But despite their tenacity, they are not invincible. Their connection to the forest's shadows makes them vulnerable to the light—the harsh, purifying nature of fire. Fire, the embodiment of light and destruction, sears their shadowed forms, breaking their bond with the forest's embrace and forcing them to retreat into the depths."

"It is said that fire is the only true enemy the Shadebeasts fear, for it burns away the darkness they are so closely tied to. In its presence, they become frenzied and disoriented, their power weakening with each flicker of flame. Without the forest's shadows to cloak them, they are mere beasts—fleeing into the night until they can find refuge once more in the darkened corners of their home."

Whilst she said all this, Nura obviously enjoyed the narration, gasping in childish excitement as her sister narrated with intentional eeriness, meanwhile, I only grew confused as she spoke.

'What in Solarin's name has this generation been up to? And just how long have I been asleep?' I really began to wonder.

Sure, I knew of the existence of magical creatures that had taken on the power of Solarin to grow in strength, but never had I heard, nor encountered dark creatures that had a description straight out of a moonlight tale. Therefore I knew those creatures weren't as ancient as their tale said they were.

The world had moved on, and developments had surfaced. I could only wonder what other new things this current era possessed.

The wood we had sharpened more or less served as preventive measures. They were arranged in such a way that if one were destroyed the others would fall apart, alerting us if needed.

Apparently, 'Roamers' weren't as intelligent as the tale implied, and only attacked anything that made erratic sounds or moved.

Thankfully, the average specimen was only at the Plain-Stage and in rare cases Plateau. Eiko had also been sure to explain that the region did not have enough to sustain more powerful creatures which was why they had not encountered any trouble since they set out.

"I found something," Eiko's voice rang out, shattering my thought process. She had gone hunting, and been gone for only half an hour.

I felt bad for having to let her hunt alone, but she had insisted since she was the strongest. Not only could she move much quicker, but she didn't need help as she was accustomed to hunting in the wild.

"Four!" Nura exclaimed nearly jumping up to meet her sister. I gave a soft chuckle, the young lady had come alive even more now.

Giggling at the giddy atmosphere, Eiko cast her gaze on my figure momentarily. "These bastards gave me a lot of trouble. I ended up dirtying myself," she clicked her tongue, raising the four rabbits she had caught by their ears. She had already removed their innards.

I merely nodded, even if I felt unsure why I chose a cold response.

"These should be just enough for us," Nura declared, already setting up the wood that she would roast them with.

The campfire crackled now and then; its radiance seemingly getting brighter as time passed, even if it was only getting darker around us. By the time our meal was ready, it was very much nighttime.

Both sisters sat together, on the other side of the campfire, eating and chatting. The air between us was no longer awkward from the incident that occurred earlier today.

Recalling how she had pointed her blade at me I marveled in silence. Somehow her sword could act as an axe. One that cut through wood like it was flesh at that.

I wondered why anyone would point that at someone. She very much could have killed me or seriously harmed me.

Feeling a strange knot twist in my chest, I sighed. Looking at the sky for a bit I closed my eyes to rest, digesting what I just ingested.

During this time, I noticed that the chatter between the two sisters stopped, forcing me to open my eyes to see.

I did not know how to feel when I found that both their attentions were on me.

"What is it?" I asked sensing the air turn awkward.

"I did not notice before, but your red hair is interesting. It looks healthy even if you had been in a slave camp for half a year." It was Eiko speaking. Unfortunately, I wasn't equipped with enough words to reply to her.