Chapter 48: The Journey Begins
Armored Dragon Calendar Year 418 – Rudeus, Age 11
[Rudeus POV]
The morning before departure arrived with an unexpected challenge.
Minitona stood in the training clearing, her young face twisted with determination. Eris faced her from ten paces away.
"I won't let you leave," Minitona declared. Her voice cracked on the last word.
"If you go, I'll... I'll never forgive you."
"That's stupid." Eris crossed her arms.
"I have to find my family."
"Then fight me! If I win, you stay!"
I watched from the sidelines, unsure whether to intervene. Ruijerd stood beside me, his expression unreadable.
"She cannot win," he observed quietly.
"I know."
The gap between them was insurmountable. Minitona had trained since childhood.
She was talented by beast-tribe standards. Her speed and instincts were genuinely impressive.
But Eris had spent two months under Ruijerd's direct instruction. Before that, years of training with Ghislaine.
She existed on an entirely different level.
Minitona charged. Her movements were quick, blurring to my untrained eye.
Eris deflected the first strike. Then the second.
The third.
She wasn't attacking. Just blocking.
Redirecting. Letting Minitona's momentum carry her harmlessly past.
"Fight back!" Minitona shouted.
Frustration was breaking her form. "Stop playing with me!"
Eris's expression shifted. A flash of genuine conflict.
The former Eris would have ended this immediately. Would have shown no restraint regardless of her opponent's age.
Would have treated the challenge as an insult to be crushed.
Instead, she continued defending. Waiting.
Minitona overextended on her next attack. Eris stepped inside her guard, placed a hand on her chest, and pushed.
The beast-girl stumbled backward and fell.
"Stay down," Eris said.
Minitona launched herself up immediately. Rushed again, faster this time, angrier.
The pattern repeated. Block. Redirect. Push. Fall.
Again. And again.
By the fifth repetition, Minitona was crying. Tears streamed down her face even as she kept attacking.
Her movements grew sloppy. Desperate.
Eris caught her next strike by the wrist. Pulled her close.
Wrapped both arms around the smaller girl.
"Stop," Eris said. Her voice was rough.
"Just... stop."
Minitona struggled for a moment. Then collapsed against Eris's chest, sobbing.
"She's my friend, after all," Eris mumbled when I later asked about her restraint.
I looked at her—this girl who had once solved every problem with violence. Who had screamed at tutors and struck anyone who annoyed her.
Perhaps she had matured during these past two months. In moments beyond my observation, she was genuinely growing up.
"It would be best if you reconciled with her before we leave tomorrow," I suggested.
"No way," Eris replied immediately.
Still a child, then. But a child who was learning.
[Claude POV]
The apprentices had completely lost their minds.
"Master! Please let me in!"
"I brought my daughter!"
I huddled at the center of my room. A five-meter barrier of compressed air surrounding me.
Outside, a mob of beast-tribe smiths pounded against the invisible wall.
"Step aside, old man! Your daughter is underage!"
"Yours is too old!"
"Mine is perfect! She just turned sixteen!"
"Liar! She's fourteen at best!"
I pressed my hands against my face. This was absurd.
These were grown men with families. Spouses who were probably wondering where they had gone.
Children who were already married themselves.
And they were fighting over who got to offer their offspring to a thirteen-year-old boy.
"Look at yourselves," I called out. "Don't you feel embarrassed... you're my apprentices."
"I'm half your age!"
"Then marry my daughter!" The lead apprentice pressed his face against the barrier.
"It wouldn't be bad to have Master as a son-in-law! You can inherit my forge!"
"No way, my daughter is better suited! She has wider hips, good for children!"
"Wider hips... Your daughter is built like a plank! Mine has the figure of a—"
"ENOUGH."
They fell silent. The barrier hummed.
"I am leaving tomorrow," I said slowly. "I have family to find. Responsibilities to fulfill. I cannot stay here and marry anyone's daughter."
Silence stretched.
Then the lead apprentice burst into tears.
"Why..."
He was weeping openly now. A grown man, covered in forge-scars and muscle, crying like a child.
"Just when you finally stopped calling us slaves! Just when we started to understand your teachings!"
"Why do you have to leave..."
It wasn't guilt exactly, but not indifference either.
These men had been failures by their tribe's standards. Warriors who couldn't fight, craftsmen who couldn't create.
I had given them purpose. Direction. Skills that would matter.
And now I was abandoning them.
"I left instructions," I said, softer than before. "Arbalest will send a representative in six months."
"Continue practicing what I taught you. The techniques will remain even if I don't."
"But—"
"The barrier stays up until morning. Get some sleep."
"All of you."
They didn't leave. They settled around my room like faithful hounds.
Sharing a vigil I had never asked for.
I spent the night meditating. Preparing for the escape I would need to make before dawn.
[Narrator]
Two months had passed since their arrival in the Dedoldia village.
While Claude had wrestled with his apprentices and Rudeus had agonized over Ruijerd's disappointment, a different kind of bond had been forming in the elder's house.
Ruijerd and Gustav had developed an unexpected camaraderie. One forged through battle tales and cups of potent beast tribe liquor.
The Superd warrior visited the Dedoldia house regularly, where the two veterans would exchange stories of their bloody pasts,tales that made even hardened warriors wince.
As members of self-proclaimed "rampaging" races, both men carried their violent histories with a mix of regret and pride.
Their stories, though embellished with each retelling, contained enough truth to provide valuable insights about the beast races.
The term "Beast Race," they explained one evening to their captive audience, encompassed all the diverse peoples who called the Great Forest home. Some had migrated to the Demon Continent, adopting the moniker of Demon Races.
What unified them was a single trait: each possessed one non-human, mammalian characteristic. Beyond this, each race boasted unique extrasensory abilities.
In the broadest sense, even beings like Nokopara with his horse-like head from the Demon Continent and the bull-headed Blaze fell under this classification,a taxonomy far more complex than anyone had realized.
Among these varied peoples, the Dedoldia tribe held a distinct position. They were the hereditary guardians of the Holy Beast.
Stewards of the forest's delicate harmony. The cat-like Dedoldia and dog-like Adoldia formed the main branches, with dozens of smaller tribes scattered throughout the Great Forest.
They were, in essence, the uncrowned royalty of this vast woodland domain.
Though they exercised little formal authority in present times, they would naturally assume leadership when circumstances demanded it,a dormant sovereignty awaiting its moment.
The Great Forest also hosted other races. The long-eared folk and halflings primarily inhabited the southern regions.
Though their interactions with the beast races were limited for most of the year, all peoples gathered annually at the Great Sage Tree for festivals and clan meetings,temporary unity amid their natural separation.
According to Gustav, though different in nature and custom, all were allies united by their connection to the Great Forest.
The dwarven race, Gustav explained between drinks, did not dwell within the forest boundaries but instead made their homes farther south at the base of the Blue Dragon Mountain Range. The majestic blue dragons themselves roamed the world's skies but always returned to those mountains for nesting and rearing their young,similar to migratory birds, though on a vastly different timescale, returning perhaps once every decade.
The history between beast races and humans had always been tumultuous,a cyclical pattern of war and tentative peace, repeated through the centuries. The most recent skirmish had occurred roughly fifty years prior.
Gustav had participated in that conflict, serving in a combat unit that had "mowed down" human intruders who strayed into forest territory,or so his increasingly dramatic retelling suggested. Though obviously exaggerated.
Hearing the conflict from the beast race perspective provided a fascinating counterpoint to human historical accounts.
Not to be outdone, Ruijerd eventually drew forth his heirloom spear, launching into tales of the Superd race during Laplace's war,stories so ancient they had passed into legend for most races.
"Warriors these days lack the fortitude we had," Gustav lamented, shaking his head.
Ruijerd nodded solemnly. "I understand well, Master Gustav."
"The weak have multiplied."
"Indeed. In my youth, not a single man stood who wasn't splendid in battle."
They were completely synchronized in their nostalgic complaints.
Rudeus, observing their interaction from across the room, thought wryly: Old warriors always glorify the past. Some things transcend worlds.
"Gyes has risen to lead our warriors," Gustav continued, "but his judgment remains inadequate. He excels at rallying fighters, but with better situational awareness, that unfortunate incident with Rudeus-dono would never have occurred."
"No," Ruijerd countered firmly. "Rudeus is a warrior."
"If he lowered his guard in hostile territory and was captured, he should have anticipated such an outcome. Even with his guard down, someone of Gyes's caliber should have been easily overcome had Rudeus fought seriously." He paused. "The fault lies with Rudeus."
Gods, this is painful to hear, Rudeus thought, wincing inwardly. Ruijerd trusted me enough to let me venture alone, and I was captured with embarrassing ease. I've betrayed his confidence.
Claude nodded from where he sat nearby, adding that Gyes was significantly weaker than the Northern Saint they had previously faced together.
"Yet, Master Ruijerd," Gustav pressed, "isn't that perspective heartless? Your ally was oppressed."
"A warrior bears responsibility for the consequences of their battles," Ruijerd stated, the alcohol loosening his typically taciturn nature. "Rudeus possesses more than enough power to have escaped easily!"
"I appreciate his trust in his comrades, but he is no child. A true warrior doesn't passively await rescue!"
You're quite drunk, Ruijerd, Rudeus thought unhappily. I'm sure you'd have escaped effortlessly in my position. I wish you wouldn't place such lofty expectations on me. My capabilities have definite limits.
Lost in these self-recriminations, Rudeus didn't notice Claude's approach until a sharp smack landed on the back of his head.
"I know what you're thinking," Claude said, his voice carrying that familiar mixture of exasperation and insight. "But you're more capable than you believe."
"I constantly wonder how someone with such crippling self-doubt can simultaneously possess such extraordinary abilities. Glaring blind spots." He sighed, eyes momentarily distant. "What a waste of talent..."
"Hey! That hurts!"
Rudeus protested, rubbing his head.
"Geez, go flirt with your girl over there," Claude replied with a dismissive wave. "You'll accomplish nothing worthwhile eavesdropping on old men's war stories."
Rudeus walked away grumbling, the words striking uncomfortably close to home.
[Claude POV]
Three hours before dawn, I dropped the barrier.
The apprentices had finally fallen asleep. They lay scattered around my doorway like devotees before a shrine.
Snoring in peaceful exhaustion.
I stepped over them carefully, one foot at a time, moving with all the stealth I had learned during those frustrating weeks with the elves.
My escape route was pre-planned. Through a window I had secretly loosened.
Down a path I had memorized during late-night walks.
I left a note with instructions for continued training, and contact information for the Arbalest representative who would arrive in six months.
It felt insufficient, inadequate.
But I had nothing else to give.
The meeting point was a small clearing at the village edge. Rudeus was already there when I arrived.
Eris too. Ruijerd stood apart, watching the treeline.
And leaning against a tree with that perpetual smirk was Geese, the monkey-faced adventurer who had been lingering around the village for the past weeks.
"Decided to tag along..." I asked him.
"The roads are dangerous," Geese said with a shrug.
"Safety in numbers, yeah... Besides, I'm heading to the Central Continent anyway. Might as well travel with people who can actually fight."
"What a popular boy you are," Rudeus teased when he saw me.
"Shut up."
He grinned. The expression looked strange on him,lighter than I was used to seeing.
"Eris and Minitona reconciled," he reported. "Tears and everything."
"It was touching."
I glanced at Eris. She was looking away, her ears slightly red.
"Good." I meant it.
"That's good."
[Narrator]
Dawn came slowly to the Great Forest.
Light filtered through the canopy in golden shafts. Birds began their morning songs.
The endless rain that had defined the season was finally, truly gone.
Gustav met them at the village edge. The elder's face was solemn but peaceful.
"The guides will take you safely through the forest paths," he said. "Approximately one week to the northern ports. From there, ships to the Central Continent."
The beast-tribe guides were young warriors,skilled enough to navigate the forest, eager enough to prove themselves.
Gyes stood behind Gustav. He offered Ruijerd a warrior's salute,fist to chest, head bowed.
A gesture of respect between equals.
Ruijerd returned it.
"The Superd tribe has not been forgotten here," Gyes said. "Whatever others may say."
Ruijerd's expression didn't change. But Claude noticed the slight tension leave his shoulders.
An acknowledgment of words that had been needed.
Minitona and Terusena stood nearby, holding hands. Both were crying,but the tears were clean.
Good tears. The kind that came from connections that would survive distance.
Eris went to them. Hugged them both fiercely.
"I'll come back," she promised. "Someday. When everything is done."
Claude's apprentices had finally woken. They clustered at the edge of the clearing, faces twisted with grief.
But they didn't approach. They understood, finally, that some departures couldn't be stopped.
"Two months," Rudeus said quietly. He stood beside Claude, watching the farewells.
"It feels longer somehow."
"It was productive." Claude's voice was calm.
Measured. The harsh edge that had defined his teaching was still present, but tempered now. Controlled.
"We learned and grew. We survived."
"We did more than survive."
"Yes." Claude looked up at the clearing sky.
Light was spreading, morning was coming.
"We did."
[Claude POV]
We stepped into the forest paths as the sun crested the canopy.
The guides moved ahead, finding routes through vegetation that seemed impenetrable to my eyes. Ruijerd followed close behind them, his spear ready despite the apparent safety.
Eris walked beside Rudeus. They were talking quietly,about the journey ahead, about the family members scattered across the world, about possibilities and plans.
Geese kept pace in the middle of our formation. His eyes constantly scanning the treeline.
For all his casual demeanor, the adventurer moved with practiced caution. He had survived this long for a reason.
I brought up the rear.
Other timelines, other departures, other versions of this moment that had ended differently.
In some of those timelines, we had died here. In the Great Forest, in the Dedoldia village, in the endless rain that had defined our arrival.
But not this time.
This time, we moved forward. Toward the northern ports.
Toward the Central Continent. Toward home.
The village disappeared behind us. Swallowed by trees and distance.
But the connections we had made remained—threads that would endure beyond geography.
I thought about Sylphy, I wonder, had the future where she became princess Ariel's attendant changed?
Then about Philip, Nadia, Zenith and Lilia were they somewhere unknown or as in canon location?
Paul and Ghislaine hunting for the missings whereabout...
All of us scattered, surviving, moving toward eventual reunion.
The journey ahead would be difficult. I had seen enough alternate futures to know that.
We would face monsters and slavers and human cruelty in all its forms.
But we were ready.
Rudeus had his magic. Eris had her sword. Ruijerd had his experience. Geese had his cunning and connections.
And I had my memories. My borrowed knowledge, my convergent selves waiting to contribute when needed.
We were not the party of heroes that stories told. Not yet. Just children and warriors stumbling through a world that wanted to kill us.
But we were alive.
And that would have to be enough.
The forest stretched endlessly ahead.
Somewhere beyond it lay ports and ships and continents unexplored. Somewhere beyond it lay answers to questions I hadn't yet thought to ask.
The sun rose higher. Light filtered through leaves in dappled patterns that shifted as we walked.
I was ready to see how it would unfold.
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