Chapter 4:The Grand Barrier

Squads of knights lined up in the city center, forming their groups. It was the day of the expedition. Lelloid, armed with his spear, stood ready. A bright day for a drastic decision.

"Squadron 4. Demand report," Lelloid called out.

"Squadron 4's Captain Ethan reporting. Viceman Oscar and ten members present," Ethan replied, stepping to his side.

"Squadron 3?" Lelloid asked.

"Same here. Captain Sandro reporting. Viceman Ivan and nine members are going," Sandro confirmed.

"Squadron 2?"

"Their members are all thirteen total, including the captains. They are still loading in that…request of yours. And at last…"

The sound of two horses hissing and stamping their hooves in the center of the city drew everyone's attention.

From behind the enormous fountain, they emerged.

"Finished tidying up the princess. Are we moving?" Alex asked.

Lelloid noticed that behind Keith stood the girl, Diana, now armed with armored gauntlets.

"She wasn't supposed to be armed, right?" Lelloid questioned.

"Man, Keith, we need to cut those hands off," Alex said sarcastically.

"I suppose she'll be in our squad's care?" Keith implied.

"More like in you two's care," Lelloid corrected. "Now, line up."

"Why did you take me in?" Diana asked, her voice clear and direct.

"…Do you want to be executed instead?" Lelloid retorted, his tone sharp.

The girl fell silent, offering no further response.

The expedition squad was fully assembled. The townspeople, a mix of apprehension and hope, watched their children and relatives depart.

Lelloid, the center of attention, cleared his throat. All eyes were on him, particularly those of his wife, Armeria, who stood flanked by two guards and a woman.

"People of Azuria," Lelloid began, his voice resonating across the square. "I know you are filled with doubt, fear of the unknown. And unwilling to let go of your beloved ones. We share those feelings. But the ones standing here are those who seek to protect you all. We do not know if this could be our last encounter. So, as we step foot onto 'The Other Side,' give us your best prayers."

The expedition squad departed the fortress, waving farewell to the crowd. They spurred their steeds, sprinting across the field, the soil still damp from a recent rain. Splashes of water marked the horses' passage.

Forty members of the expedition squad began their journey, penetrating the shimmering, pink expanse of the Grand Barrier.

Every horse came to a halt on the field beyond the barrier. For the first time, the people of Azuria stood outside their kingdom. Never had they imagined they could stand on the land they had gazed upon throughout their lives. The view of nature, a hidden part of their world, was breathtaking.

They rode further and further, until the kingdom was just a distant speck on the horizon. They reached a large lake.

"Never thought we could reach this place," Ethan said, stopping his horse at the rear of the group. "It's always been just…in our eyes. It's beautiful."

"You can savor the beauty," Keith said, riding forward, "yet this is not our destination. After we enter the forest beyond, the real deal starts, and we will be unreachable by our people."

"Brace yourselves," Lelloid said, leading the group into the forest. "We know nothing of this part of the land." They disappeared from view, beginning two journeys into the world they had long avoided.

Back in the kingdom, Armeria Gwenevere, standing in a high tower, realized she could no longer see the expedition from her window.

"Truly departed, my lady?" the woman escorting her asked. She wore a braided purple hairstyle and several tied bracelets, her physique quite heroic.

"Uh-huh," Armeria nodded, continuing to read a book titled "The Full Embrace by Rose Risemann."

"In my view, I am not aligned with the Lord's decision to leave his wife to rule the kingdom," the woman shared her opinion. "It should not be him leading the line."

"Yes, Lydia, yes, you're right…" Armeria murmured, her eyes still fixed on the book. "Shut the door, please. And check if there's a third party present."

Lydia followed her orders, closing the door and scanning the room before returning to her position, leaning against the wall.

"A brief history check," Armeria said, flipping through the pages of the book. "What do you know of this…thing surrounding us?"

"A blessing protecting our kind from the unknown dangers of the outside world," Lydia replied. "'The Grand Barrier.'"

"It's not a barrier," Armeria stated, her tone flat.

"…Pardon?" Lydia asked, her brow furrowed.

"Keep this information between us, Lydia," Armeria said, closing the book and placing it on the table beside her. "That thing…" she paused, her expression serious, "was not made to protect."

-To be Continued-