SWNOVELXO Chapter 24: Ambush
Lucien slid open the carriage curtains to observe the passing landscape. The air was heavy and cool as he watched the sun slowly dip below the horizon. The land before him was a sight to behold, entirely unfamiliar to him from his past life, where he spent most of his time working indoors.
He couldn't help but take in the view for a while, then took a deep breath, feeling the cool air pass by him. His eyes then shifted to the front, where two individuals on horseback rode ahead, ready for any sudden attacks. They also carried a banner, symbolizing their royal status.
Beyond them lay the route they were currently traversing to enter the Barony of Blackmere. The path was already ravaged, a clear sign of a recent battle. Lucien felt terrified, seeing how damaged and disfigured the forest appeared, like a scene from a horror movie. The Gravhorns were clearly not to be trifled with.
As they entered the route, he felt an unsettling discomfort, as if something ominous was about to happen. He was unsure if it was simply the fear of seeing such a devastated forest or a genuine premonition in his heart.
But the feeling persisted, no matter how much he tried to shrug it off. Even Darius began to notice Lucien's discomfort, making him want to offer reassurance.
"Your Highness, you are sweating unusually hard. Are you afraid things might go unwell?" Darius asked solemnly.
"Yes, that's right," Lucien answered honestly; he was truly fearful. What if the Gravhorn leaders had already replaced the Brutefang that had died, and someone else was now guarding the route? He knew Darius was strong, but the world was unpredictable.
Darius's face was blank for a moment as Lucien spoke those words. Then, he smiled brightly, patting Lucien's back like a drinking buddy. "It seems you are underestimating me too much, Your Highness. I know you haven't seen me in action, but I want you to put your trust in me."
Lucien felt as if he were about to vomit, feeling Darius's large hand slapping him as if he were a mere stick.
It was true that he didn't fully trust Darius, simply because he was unsure of his true formidable strength. While he fully trusted him as a companion, he couldn't simply rely on anyone's protection without witnessing their power firsthand.
In Lucien's memories, there were a few instances where he saw Darius practicing and dueling, showcasing a glimpse of his capabilities, and those moments were enough for him to conclude that Darius was one-of-a-kind. Seeing how calm and confident Darius was, despite knowing the danger of their journey, seemed to calm Lucien's nerves.
The reason his father had urged him to sit beside Darius was probably because he knew how formidable Darius truly was. Lucien was, after all, an important person; he was supposed to be in the middle, guarded by the leading carriages and the carriages from the back.
As he analyzed more about Darius and his true strength, he began to trust him more and more. His initial doubts weren't unreasonable, though; as an ordinary man who had once simply awaited death in his past life, he was naturally unsuited for this kind of field. Yet, here he was, trying to clear his name by participating in such a major issue.
By now, they were finally closing in on Blackmere. They could now see the full view of its land: wooden walls used for defense against the Gravhorns and a gate also made of wood. It seemed these were the only available resources they had, leaving them no other choice but to use wood as their fences.
Despite knowing that wood was simply not enough to defend against those large, monstrous creatures, it made Lucien think deeply about their current situation. It seemed they were in a much dire situation than he had initially thought.
As they drew closer, the ground suddenly shook violently, startling Lucien and everyone else. Suddenly, a loud, terrifying roar erupted close to them. Darius's eyes widened, as did Lucien's.
It was the Gravhorns. It seemed they really had provided backup for the main route. Lucien had heard there were only a few of them left, and Blackmere had seven routes, meaning those seven routes were guarded by seven Brutefangs, along with their troops. If one left the route they were guarding, that would create an open path for people to enter, so Lucien highly doubted they would immediately provide backup on this route.
But at the same time, he was unsure how many Brutefangs were left. There could still be over 10 Brutefangs, with three simply staying idle along with the Warchief. However, based on the information he had received from Sage, there were 10 Brutefangs before, and three were killed, meaning only seven remained, guarding all routes.
This information, too, was written by none other than Draven's father himself, and sent to the royal palace. It was supposed to be secret information, but Sage managed to get his hands on it anyway.
As Lucien was thinking deeply about this, Darius suddenly grabbed him and the carriage driver, leaping a considerable distance away. Lucien felt Darius's hard grip as they flew through the air. There, he saw it, for the first time—even for the original Lucien—a Brutefang. He had never even seen a normal Gravhorn before, and his first sight was a leader? This world truly was hell.
The Brutefang was extremely tall, with pale gray skin, scarred from countless battles. Thick bone spikes protruded from its shoulders, and leather wrappings clung to its massive arms. Its eyes glowed a deep red beneath a crude horned crown, and a rusted cleaver rested heavily on its back.
It seemed the creature had jumped from a far distance, targeting where Lucien was sitting. The carriage was now sliced in half, reduced to pieces. It was obvious that this was a leader, simply because many more Gravhorns surrounded it, towering in size but less domineering than the one that attacked them.