No matter how brave Beinlich and his men were at heart, confronting a natural disaster of this grand scale would bring any living sentient being to their knees. This wasn’t something as simple as facing off against the fiercest and deadliest of creatures, this was an untested power of nature itself, a force beyond reckoning by mere mortal standards.
“We’re staying here for the night only. Tomorrow morning we’re turning back!” This was the conclusion the leader of these mercenaries came to. Its far too dangerous with all these unknown variables around.
Then someone shouts: “But Leader, we went through so much and worked so hard to get here, to return without any harvest, isn’t this too lame?”
Beinlich remains firm: “No, I have already decided! Everything is just wrong along the way! Even in winter those magic beasts shouldn’t just disappear without a trace to be found! Furthermore, did none of you see that scene just now? Who knows what’s going on beyond these parts! For everyone’s safety, I would rather return empty handed than to lose one of you!”
He’s the head of their group, if he’s determined and set on the decision then the others won’t object to the idea. But things won’t go as smoothly as this great adventurer wishes it. Not long after their tents were reset and the bonfire up, Beinlich suddenly jerked up in horror at the north.
Beyond the Great Circle Lake, his ears had picked up the constant wave of animals howling out in the distant. Combining that with the trampling sound of hooves and claws against dirty, he’s certain a large number of creatures are nearby.
“Leader! Fast! Fast! Look!” One of the scouts suddenly cried out in panic, his fingers pointing up ahead with vigilance in his action.
Following his comrade’s direction, the man hurried to gain some height in order to see. That’s when he lost all senses of blood from his face. It was hundreds, if not thousands of magic beasts running along the opposite shores of the Great Circle Lake.
Whatever Giant Ice Bear, whatever Ice Demon Wolf, whatever Venomous Snow Rat, there’s even that Evil Faced Spider Queen among their ranks! Like a stampeding horde, these creatures were rushing over to their location with no signs of slowing down in their speed.
There’s just way too many of them. Thousands versus thirty brave souls, forget a couple, just a single middle-ranked magic beast would be enough to wipe their entire group out at this rate. Against this one-sided odd, only despair welcomed these mercenaries by this point as many had given up their will to run.
“Everyone… everyone…” Gritting his teeth, the man cries out in desperation: “Everyone get around me quickly! Find a place to hide… or climb up the tree at least!”
The mercenaries needed no urging after that order. The younglings in the group were the first to seek a hiding spot, followed closely by the more experienced who yelled at them to climb the trees instead. But it was Beinlich who noticed the subtle oddity within this stampede.
Yes, they are afraid of the magic beasts, but the creatures themselves are also in fear! For so many different species to be running together, and in such cramped formations, there must be something even more frightening in the background whom they couldn’t see yet. That’s experience telling him this, otherwise, none of this would make sense!
Howling roars of the predators, flapping wings of the flyers, jumping of the creepy crawlers, and the colliding impact of the sturdier brutes, none of the creatures paid these thirty or so humans any heed. They just kept rushing towards the south….
By the time Beinlich opened his eyes again after closing them earlier, a drench of cold sweat had filled the man’s back. He couldn’t believe this, he’s alive. Then looking around the area, he was shocked to find none of his men were dead either, only a few unlucky few who got away with some minor scratches after their trees were knocked from some impacting creature.
Peering over to the north, Beinlich inhales a deep breath, The North… There must be something big happening in the north!!
Exactly as everything was taking place elsewhere, Beinlich wondering what’s happening and Du Wei fretting over the confrontation between the Pope and Shaman King, another major event was currently taking place under the Holy Mountain of the far-off north.
Hundreds of dragons opened their wings and hovered above the sky. These large, high-level creatures are howling in anger and anguished pain.
And the mountain itself, corrected….
There’s no “Holy Mountain” here anymore!
