Chapter - 88

The cart rattled down the dark forest path, breaking the silence of the dead forest. The moon was hidden by heavy clouds and the forest was wrapped in a thick blanket of fog.

You could barely see ten feet in front of the horses but Leo did not mind. He was sitting comfortably in the back.

He lay against the black carved box that held the 'Black Sky' and he ate thin slices of the cold goat meat he had cut earlier.

He chewed loudly, as he watched the trees pass by.

Around the cart the four Temple Guardians marched with perfect rhythm and two were in the front while two were in the back.

They did not look around and they did not talk but their heavy boots hit the dirt at the same time.

'Aiva,' Leo spoke to his trusted Miss Know it All.

'Scan these meat shields and let's see what kind of guards Remus bought for me.'

[Right Away Master!]

And with that the blue interface flickered over the men and the data appeared in his mind instantly.

[Target: Temple Guardian (Rear-Left)] [Level: 28] [Class: Holy Sentinel]

[Target: Temple Guardian (Rear-Right)] [Level: 26] [Class: Holy Sentinel]

[Target: Temple Guardian (Front-Left)] [Level: 28] [Class: Holy Sentinel]

[Target: Guardian Captain (Front-Right)] [Level: 31] [Class: Fanatic Vindicator]

Leo whistled low and he thought that Level 31 was very high for this kingdom. He might be a General ranked soldier if he didn't remember wrong. He would at least be a Knight.

Now with his safety sorted, he relaxed against the vibrating wood and he felt safe with four high-level tanks around the cart.

He knew he would not be the first to die and anything that attacked would have to eat through these armoured assholes before they even looked at him.

"Hey, old man," Leo yelled to the front of the cart, "want to eat something?"

"Shut your fucking mouth, boiy!" Grendel snapped and he was gripping the reins so hard his knuckles were white.

He spoke through his teeth, "I am busy trying not to piss myself in this dark hole. These tin-can bastards are giving me the creeps."

"Eat some meat and stop crying," Leo muttered and he looked back at the dark path.

Leo tossed the bone into the bushes. He looked at the Guardian Captain, the Level 31 walking near the sexy Hilda.

"So," Leo called out, his voice cutting through the quiet night, "What's actually in the box?"

The Captain didn't turn his head. He kept marching, his eyes fixed on the darkness ahead.

Leo tapped the black wood of the palanquin with his knuckle.

Knock. Knock.

"I mean, really," Leo pressed, "Is it fragile? Do I need to worry about it hatching and eating my mule? It sounds like it has a heartbeat."

"Silence!" the Captain rasped. His voice was like grinding stones, "Your voice defiles the air."

Leo smirked, "Oh! So you are the poetic type. I hate your kind the most."

"But it's a long walk to Auravale, and I am kind of bored. So you will have to keep me entertained."

"Now, tell me, Mr Foul-Mouth_Tin-Can. What is the Temple planning to do with it?"

"Are we seriously going to take it to the High Priestess later?"

The Captain stopped walking. Just for a fraction of a second. The rhythm of the march faltered.

"It is the Will of the Gods," the Captain said, his voice dropping an octave, "It is not for the minds of the unclean to comprehend."

"And don't you dare the name of High Priestess with your filthy mouth again," The captain warned him.

"Unclean?" Leo sniffed his armpit. "I took a bath this morning. I smell like lavender and expensive soap of a LADY."

"You, on the other hand, smell like rusted iron and celibacy." Leo was dying to make a High Priestess joke, but these guys were not like that coward HIgh Priest. Any one of them can easily chop him into pieces.

Grendel, huddled in the driver's seat, let out a terrified squeak. "Leo... please..."

Leo ignored him. He leaned over the edge of the cart, getting closer to the Captain.

"Can I peek?" Leo asked, reaching for the heavy purple curtain, "Just a little look? I promise I won't touch it."

The Captain's head snapped around. His eyes burned with a terrifying, cold fanaticism.

"Touch the seal," the Captain hissed, "And I will remove your hand at the wrist."

He turned back to the road.

"You are a mule. Nothing more. Do your job, shut your mouth, and be grateful we allow you to breathe in the presence of the Sacred Black Sky."

Leo laughed. It was a loud, barking sound that made Hilda the mule twitch her ears.

"You know," Leo said, turning to Grendel but speaking loud enough for the guards to hear, "I think they are cranky because of the armour. They must be sweating all day, itching all over but poor guys can do nothing about it."

"Must be chafing. Silk underwear helps with that. I can recommend a tailor."

"Please," Grendel whispered, hunched over the reins like he was trying to disappear, "They have swords. I will make you my daddy! Just stop talking."

"Or maybe it's the lack of action," Leo mused, "Tell me, Captain. Does the 'Will of the Gods' forbid you from getting laid? Because you look like you haven't touched a woman in... well, ever."

The other three guards stiffened visibly. Their shoulders went rigid.

"I bet that's it," Leo continued, "All that pent up energy. No wonder you are so stiff. You need a release, Captain. There's a brothel in Auravale, very famous. This old man here can help you get introduced to this sweet girl, Lola. She handles hard cases."

The Captain's hand tightened on the hilt of his broadsword. The leather creaked under the pressure of his grip.

"Your insolence will be judged, heretic," the Captain said, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. "When the task is done... when the Sacred Black Sky is delivered... I will personally cleanse your tongue with hot iron."

"Kinky," Leo retorted instantly, "But you are not my type. I prefer women who don't look like walking corpses."

Grendel let out a moan of despair, "We're dead. We're so dead."

"Relax, old man," Leo patted Grendel's shoulder. "They won't kill us."

Then suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.

All four Temple Guardians stopped moving simultaneously.

SHING.

Four heavy broadswords were drawn in perfect unison. The sound of steel sliding against leather rang out in the clearing.

The Guardians turned outward. They put their backs to the cart, facing the dark forest on either side of the road. Their stances dropped low, ready for combat.

The Captain raised his blade, the steel gleaming dully in the non-existent light.

Leo sat up straight. His boredom evaporated instantly.

"I fucking knew it," Leo whispered, his hand drifting to the Iron Sword at his back.

He narrowed his eyes, staring into the dense wall of trees.

[Predator's Instincts Activated]

He pushed his senses outward, hunting for the threat. He looked for the red outlines, the killing intent, the sound of breathing.

But he saw... nothing.

The forest was pitch black. No red blips appeared in his vision. No sound of movement. No smell of blood or beast.

To his senses, the woods were empty.

'Aiva?' Leo thought, a frown creasing his forehead, 'What's out there?'

[Scanning...]

[Scan Negative.]

[No hostiles detected within sensory range.]

Leo's frown deepened. This was concerning.

These guards were Level 30 elites. If they were reacting, it meant something was there. Something dangerous.

But he couldn't see it.

His Level 3 stats, even boosted by his gear and skills, weren't enough. He was out-leveled.

'I am blind,' Leo realized. The thought was a cold splash of water. 'Relying on meat shields is fine, but being blind is how you get killed.'

"Formation!" the Guardian Captain barked. His voice was no longer arrogant; it was purely tactical. "Shadows in the weave! Perimeter!"

He glanced back at the cart. He looked at Leo, his eyes filled with utter contempt.

"You stay down," the Captain sneered, "Do not get in the way of our work. If you die, try to fall away from the cart. You are useless to us now."

Grendel whimpered, throwing his new cloak over his head and curling into a ball on the driver's bench, "I knew it! Ghosts! Monsters! We are dead!"

Leo didn't cower. He leaned back against the Black Sky palanquin, looking relaxed, though his muscles were coiled tight.

"You got it Captain," Leo called out, a mocking smirk plastered on his face. "Earn your keep. I will be back here grading your performance. Try not to trip."

The Captain's jaw clenched. He looked like he wanted to turn around and skewer Leo right there, but his duty overrode his rage. He turned back to the forest.

The silence stretched. It was heavy, suffocating. The only sound was Hilda the mule stamping her hoof nervously.

"THEY ARE HERE," the front-left guard announced. His voice was flat. Dead.

Leo squinted into the gloom.

From the pitch-black darkness of the tree line, there was no war cry. There was no sound of charging feet. There was no rustle of leaves.

Just eyes.

Dozens of them.

Suddenly, silently, glowing red eyes opened in the dark. They appeared in the bushes, in the branches of the trees.

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