(Elianna’s POV)

SLASH—!

The sound of my blade cutting through the air was followed immediately by the wet thud of a carcass hitting the forest floor. The creature was a grotesque thing, a weird looking monkey-monster with elongated limbs and eyes that glowed with a sickly, unnatural light. I

t didn’t even have time to scream before its life was extinguished.

"More monsters are appearing, stick close and keep formation!"

I ordered after cutting down the creature. Around me, the clatter of armor and the shifting of feet told me that my squad was responding. We couldn’t afford to let our guard down for even a second in a place like this.

Three days ago, we finally arrived outside the [Cursed Forest] after travelling for weeks non-stop. It had been a grueling journey, one that tested the limits of everyone involved. The most rest we took is a day, whenever we arrive in a city. We refill our resources after all.

Those brief stops were the only moments of peace we had, spent loading wagons with dried meat, water, and medicinal herbs before heading back into the wild.

For a large group, we arrived faster than I had expected, especially that we have a lot of young nobles with us that all they do throughout the journey was to complain and be a pain for everyone. They complained about the dust, the food, the lack of soft beds, and the speed of our march.

A lot of mercenaries almost left because of them. I could see the frustration in the eyes of the veteran warriors every time a young master demanded we stop because his boots were slightly uncomfortable.

Anyway, when we arrived here; the sun was setting, so we held off entering the forest. The [Cursed Forest] looked like a wall of darkness against the orange sky, a place that seemed to swallow the light itself. We camped outside, setting up a perimeter and keeping a double watch.

And as soon as the sun started to show itself the next day—we wasted no time and started the main goal of our expedition; to conquer the [Cursed Forest].

... ... ...

As soon as we entered—we were immediately attacked by harpies and weird monkeys... there were a lot of them. The harpies dived from the canopy with shrieking cries, their talons reaching for our eyes, while the monkeys threw jagged rocks and leaped from branch to branch with terrifying speed.

But in numbers and individual strength—we were superior, so we were able to handle them pretty easily.

Our front lines were composed of seasoned knights who knew how to hold a shield wall, and our archers were quick to pluck the winged pests out of the sky.

Though, we still encountered some problem.

With our group having so many people, and the forest being crowded because of the gigantic trees and weird plants—we have no choice but to make smaller groups and move a bit away from each other. The paths were too narrow for a massive army to move as one. If we had stayed in a single giant block, we would have been stuck for hours every time we hit a thick patch of thorns or a massive root.

I grouped up with Kael and the others, of course. We had fought together many times, and there was a level of trust between us that couldn’t be easily replaced. Then some members of the [Radiant Church] came with us as well. They were dressed in their white and gold robes, looking somewhat out of place in the muddy, dark forest, but their presence was necessary.

The other members of the church joined the other groups to serve as healers. It was the only way to ensure that every squad had a chance of survival if things went wrong.

The young masters grouped up with their family knights and the mercenaries they hired.

They looked like they were on a hunting trip rather than a dangerous expedition, their polished armor shining a bit too brightly. Proof that they did nothing and let their subordinates handle the hard tasks.

Anyway, the subjugation squad sent by the emperor grouped with the royal knight of the Kingdom of Halveron. They were the most professional among us, moving with a disciplined silence that commanded respect.

We also have mages with us who just rested all the time throughout the journey on the way here, they’re prideful and didn’t want to be troubled until we arrived here in our destination, and they aren’t really good physically so we couldn’t force them to walk for hours. They had spent the entire trip sitting in carriages, reading their scrolls and looking down on everyone else.

They’re as troublesome as the young nobles.

But now that we entered the forest; they started putting up works. They’re taking the lead, we have 10 mages, and we created 10 small groups as well from splitting up.

Each mage joined a different group. It was a tactical necessity. Magic was the only thing that could counter some of the more supernatural threats of this forest.

Because of them, we weren’t ambushed behind with their detection magic. They would close their eyes, pulse their mana outward, and call out the positions of hidden monsters before the creatures could even twitch. We didn’t have any trouble with the harpies and other flying monsters with their ranged attacks. The mages would simply point their staves and unleash bolts of fire or ice, turning the monsters into falling debris.

They can also put up strong mana shields. When a swarm of monkeys tried to rain rocks down on us, a shimmering dome of blue energy would appear above our heads, and the stones would simply bounce off harmlessly.

So with them—we took less damage, and we were able to progress much farther and faster than we had expected. The efficiency of magic was undeniable, even if their personalities were grating.

"They were annoying with their superior attitude all the time; but mages are really dependable."

Kael whispered to me. He was wiping some monster blood off his sword, his eyes fixed on the mage in our group who had just felled a flock of harpies that were trying to attack us.

The mage didn’t even look back at us, he just kept walking as if he hadn’t just saved a dozen people from being shredded.

"..."

Me and the squad members didn’t say anything. But we agree on his words. Results mattered more than manners in a place where your life was on the line.

"Hmm, by the pace we’re going—we’re going to reach the heart of the forest tomorrow."

I then stated that.

"That’s true... we’re moving faster that planned, huh."

Kael mumbled beside me. He looked at the surrounding trees, which were getting thicker and more twisted the deeper we went.

We thought it would take another week to reach the center of this massive forest, but with the ridiculous firepower of our group—we swept the place easily. It felt almost too easy, like we were cutting through tall grass rather than a legendary cursed land.

*****

Elianna and the others continued their journey as the day pressed on. The deeper they went, the more the atmosphere changed.

The light that filtered through the canopy became dim and green, and the air grew heavy with the scent of damp earth and rotting vegetation. As they went deeper in the forest, the monsters attacking them grew in numbers, and their strength increased by a lot as well.

Instead of just monkeys and harpies, they began to encounter larger, more mutated beasts. Massive boars with tusks like scimitars charged through the underbrush, and vines that seemed to move on their own tried to trip the soldiers. But it was nothing the expedition group could handle. The mages continued their relentless bombardment, and the knights finished off anything that managed to get through the magical barrages.

And seeing that they were near the center—everyone’s morale was high.

The fatigue of the journey seemed to vanish as the goal came within reach. The soldiers joked with one another, and even the mercenaries seemed to be in a better mood.

They thought that they will succeed already.

The forest that had been a source of terror for generations was being dismantled before their very eyes. It felt like a glorious victory march rather than a struggle for survival.

The young nobles were especially delighted, they already imagined the new achievements they will attach in their names. They would return to the capital as heroes, their chests puffed out and their stories embellished with every drink they took. They will be called conqueror of the [Cursed Forest]. It will bring them fame and power.

’I can already see the look on my father’s face when I present him with a trophy from the heart of this place.’

One young noble thought, his hand resting on the hilt of his expensive, untouched rapier.

’The ladies at the next gala will be falling over themselves to hear about my bravery.’

Another mused, a smug grin plastered on his face. They didn’t see the blood on the ground or the exhaustion in the eyes of the common soldiers. They only saw the glory that awaited them.

Anyway, the sun set and they decided to camp for the night.

As strong as they have as a group—it’s disadvantageous for them, to travel at night where the visibility is low. The [Cursed Forest] at night was a different beast altogether. The shadows seemed to stretch and move, and the sounds of the nocturnal predators were enough to chill the blood of even the bravest man. And also; they need to rest in case they encounter an emergency and it requires a lot of their strength.

The camp was a bustle of activity. Tents were erected, and small, controlled fires were lit for cooking. The mages worked together to set up a massive alarm ward around the entire camp, ensuring that nothing could sneak in while they slept.

Elianna, Kael, and the other squad members ate together. They sat around a small fire, the heat a welcome comfort against the damp chill of the forest. They talked about their progress, and that how everything is going smoothly.

"I didn’t think we’d make it this far without losing a single man."

Kael said, taking a bite of some salted meat.

"The mages really are the stars of this show."

"Don’t let them hear you say that, or their heads will get even bigger."

Gibson joked, causing a few quiet laughs.

They mentioned how it wasn’t so bad that they were caught up by this mission. After all, this achievement will be attached to their names, especially to Elianna’s; solidifying her status as a Saintess once more.

This was the reason why they were travelling everywhere and closing down dungeons, after all.

"You’re doing great, Elianna."

Kael said, looking at her with genuine respect.

"This will go down in history."

Elianna nodded slowly, her eyes reflecting the flickering flames of the campfire.

"I just want it to be over. This forest... it feels strange. Like it’s watching us."

"That’s just the curse playing with your head."

Kael reassured her.

"Tomorrow, we reach the center, we kill whatever is there, and continue cleaning this forest."

He said with a casual shrug of his shoulders.

Elianna just smiled a little at him before nodding her head.

Anyway, after they all finished eating... the expedition group rested for the night. The snores of tired men filled the camp, and the only other sound was the crackling of the dying fires and the occasional rustle of the leaves.

... ... ...

... ... ...

... ... ...

*****

Then by the morning, they continued their progress.

The mist was thick as they set off, clinging to their cloaks and making the ground slippery. Just like yesterday, they plowed through everything and kept their pace fast.

The monsters that tried to stop them were crushed under the weight of their advance.

The trees began to change. They were no longer just large; they were colossal. Their trunks were as wide as houses, and their roots created massive walls that the expedition had to climb over or cut through. The air felt charged with a different kind of energy, one that was older and more potent than anything they had felt on the outskirts.

And finally... after two and a half days of travelling—they reached the heart of the [Cursed Forest]!

TAP-

The lead group stopped dead in their tracks. The following squads piled up behind them, everyone trying to see what had caused the sudden halt.

"...?"

"...?"

"...?"

"Huh...?"

And all of them couldn’t believe what they were seeing. The images of a dark ritual site, a massive monster’s nest, or a blighted clearing were what they had expected. Instead of a monster or more trees—

WHOOOOOSH~!!!

They saw towering wooden walls that was blocking their way!

The wood was dark and polished, fitted together with a precision that was impossible for nature to create. It was a fortification, a massive defensive barrier built in the middle of a place where nothing was supposed to live.

And that wasn’t all... they can see a huge castle inside the walls peeking through them!

It was so huge and tall that it pierced through the canopy of the trees!

"What the hell are we looking at...?"

Kael asked in disbelief. His sword was drawn, but he didn’t know where to point it. The sight was so surreal that it felt like a hallucination brought on by the forest’s miasma.

"..."

Elianna didn’t say anything, every single one of them was just as confused as he is.

Who could have built this? And how could they have done it in the middle of the most dangerous forest in [Arcanis] without anyone knowing?

"W-We’ll use detection magic! Everyone stay back!"

The mages were scrambling, their detection spells going wild. They could feel the sheer amount of mana radiating from the structure, a concentration of power that was almost blinding to their magical senses.

And then, as they were just standing still, surprised by what greeted them here in the heart of the forest—

"DON’T STEP ANY CLOSER!"

They heard a loud, manly voice on top of the walls. The sound boomed through the clearing, echoing off the trees and making the soldiers jump.

"?!!!"

FWIP--

Everyone’s eyes quickly shifted to there.

And there; they saw a handsome muscular man, looking down on them. He stood on the battlements with his legs shoulder-width apart, his posture radiating a quiet but intense threat.

He has a scar on his right eye, a jagged mark that spoke of a life of combat. He wasn’t wearing the robes of a mage or the tattered rags of a forest dweller; he looked like a soldier.

"STATE YOUR IDENTITIES AND YOUR INTENTIONS OF COMING HERE!"

The man shouted again, demanding that. He didn’t seem intimidated by the sight of armed men and mages standing before the gates. If anything, he looked annoyed.

Oh, and by the way--It was Pwyll.