Black Forest

As the morning sun peeked over the horizon, Valencia got out of bed and walked to change into her clothes. She slid one hand into the sleeve—

“You can just rest in the carriage,” Kael said, slipping a hand around her waist.

She chuckled and turned to him.

“It’ll be a long journey…” she added with worry. Kael smiled, pressing his head against hers. “We will have to be wary in case… any danger lingers.”

“My wife, if anything, no one will get past me. I won’t let anyone touch the carriage. So, don’t worry and rest well in the carriage during the ride,” he whispered calmly. His kisses traced down her neck to her shoulder. Valencia exhaled as his lips touched her collarbone. She grabbed his hair and pulled him close slowly. Kael’s warm breath lingered on her collarbone, his gaze fixed on hers. “Maybe I can help you with that…”

Valencia flinched, flushing. What am I doing?! She tightened her grip on his hair.

“Ah!” Kael cried.

“Go get dressed!” she demanded. She pushed him away and covered herself completely. She glanced back at him. “I’ll see you downstairs!”

She hurriedly ran down the stairs and headed to the dining room.

Kael froze. He touched his hair where she pulled silently. Then he burst into laughter.

“She could have just said no… I wouldn’t touch her recklessly,” he smiled.

Kael turned to the closet and changed into his clothes before walking down the stairs. Once he entered the dining room, he saw Valencia sitting next to Nuredus. He quickly glared at Nuredus, who sliced a piece of meat for Valencia.

“Sit…” Nuredus demanded. Kael growled, squinting his eyes. “And don’t look at me like that, Son!”

Nuredus’s eyes gleamed dangerously as she glanced at him. Kael slammed his hands down and pouted.

“I just want to dine with my wife alone…” he muttered.

Ezrael grabbed the napkin and wiped his lips.

“Hun, maybe our son can eat in his room…”

“Father—!”

“For our incompetent son to bring home a wife and take her to the most dangerous place in this world…” Nuredus claimed.

Kael frowned and glared at them both.

“You two… are unbelievable. It’s not like I’m going to keep her there for long,” he muttered.

Nuredus slammed her hand on the table, startling everyone.

“You’re basically taking her to war! You idiot!”

Kael kept eating with a frown, hoping to leave soon. Valencia chuckled and finished her plate. She walked over to Kael and held his shoulder.

“Mother, Father… we will return safely,” she chimed.

Nuredus and Ezrael blushed and nodded.

“Yes, my daughter… get home safely,” Ezrael replied. He coughed. “You too, incompetent son.”

Kael and Valencia headed to the front door and saw one carriage with many other knights. Opheli, Gusto, Adon, Jun, William, and Detri stood by their horses. They bowed with their hands on their bellies.

“Your Grace…” Detri welcomed.

Kael smiled and patted his shoulder.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Kael pulled out an emblem from his pocket and stared at it.

“From now on, call me Commander,” Kael instructed.

All of them knelt before him.

“Commander, we are at your service!” they said in unison.

Kael slapped the emblem on and looked at them.

“Let’s go slay some monsters!” he smirked.

Kael and his team strode out of the kingdom with the people celebrating their departure. Valencia closed the windows, fearing to see and hear the crowd. She looked at her hands and tightened her jaw.

“No one will know…” she whispered, reminding herself. The gloves that she wore every day… she clenched her fists. “I’ll train harder before I face the Demon King…”

“Didn’t you hear me…? I said I’ll be facing him,” Vrastos appeared before her.

She squinted her eyes.

“So… you’ll only be able to face him if I’m there. So technically, it’s me—”

“You could barely stabilize your spear. You’ll need more weapons and explosive items before you defeat that Demon King,” he argued.

She grunted and raised her shoulders.

“So…”

“Just saying… the camp will be harder for us to train. So make sure to use the time you’re able to spend and train.”

Vrastos disappeared, leaving Valencia pouting. She crossed her arms and turned her head to the windows.

“Whatever…” she mumbled.

They rode through the path that led them to the darkness of their world… a never-ending shadow at every step despite the dead trees.