Attack on the Beach

"What is it?" Sefenfor immediately approached Ashnard, who shouted.

"I don't know," Ashnard said breathlessly. "How's Liliya?"

Liliya was still in her deep sleep position, which made Ashnard worried. Ashnard tried to put his ear to Liliya's chest to hear her heartbeat, but the girl woke up.

"What are you doing?" asked Liliya, still half awake.

"Eh, nothing. By the way, how was your dream?"

"Dream?" said the girl softly while rubbing her eyes. "Oh, yes, my dream! I had a dream in a world full of flowers, and there was you too, Ash. Then, you saved me from my father, who was shaped like black smoke. Then ... I can't remember clearly."

Sefenfor sighed, "So, you managed to enter Liliya's dream and protect her, huh? Good job. Now, you should understand how to protect someone's mind."

"Yes. It's not much different from protecting directly. It's just that there are more unexpected possibilities," Ashnard replied.

"Unexpected possibility? So, you in my dream is the real you then entering my dream?" Liliya asked Ashnard.

Ashnard agreed with a nod.

"Oh. Too bad I can't move my body freely in my dream. It's like I'm just watching."

"Wait, didn't you see the figure of a flying woman?" Ashnard's turn to ask Liliya.

Liliya tried to recall her dream, but it was in vain. "I'm not sure if there are women like you or not. All my dream memories have faded."

"What woman?" Sefenfor asked curiously.

"When I was in Liliya's dream, there was a woman who appeared from a crack in the sky. She could float and shoot a yellow energy ball. And she was also the one who threw me out of Liliya's dream."

"Are you sure she wasn't part of Liliya's dream?" asked Reibo, who joined in after tidying up his forging equipment.

"Queen Liliya, I mean the dream version of Liliya doesn't know her. Wait a minute. If she's a goddess or something, shouldn't you guys know something?"

"We're not really gods, kid. Besides, we don't really know them," said the bearded man. "We'd better put the goddess matter aside. The important thing is that you return safely."

As they were talking, a trumpet sounded in the distance. Everyone immediately ran out of the cave. The voice resonated from a vast ocean west of Winfor. The sea breeze carried the sound and conveyed it to them.

Ashnard and Liliya did hear the voice, but they couldn't understand the meaning. They were curious when they saw the worried faces of Sefenfor and Reibo.

"That's Zefiria. She's asking for help," said Sefenfor.

"What happened to her?" Lily asked.

"The message is not clear, but it's something serious. Zefiria is in danger. I will go there."

Sefenfor immediately ran towards his eagle, but before that, Ashnard held him back. From the boy's gaze, he showed that he was ready to face what was in front of him, without saying it directly.

His training so far had produced results that Ashnard could feel it. He had also completed the practice of protecting the mind, although something unexpected happened. Ashnard still does not want to disappoint his struggle. He also did not want to stay here, just waiting. Ashnard felt that he must act immediately too.

Sefenfor thought about Reibo's earlier words. The thing about bringing a kid into a dangerous situation, made him hesitate. Nobody wants to harm kids like Ashnard and Liliya.

However, he will choose to believe. Just as Liliya believed in Ashnard, he also wanted to believe in Ashnard. For the sake of his trust, he will try to protect Ashnard to reach the mission goals.

Sefenfor allowed Ashnard to come along, as well as Liliya and Reibo. Under these conditions, their position is no longer important. They are headed for the same goal which is to save their land.

"This is for you." Reibo handed him a coat covered in dragon scales. "Perhaps this won't be able to protect you from the darkness. Dragon scales are not as strong as Orelum, nor are they as beautiful as silver or diamond. Their sides are very rough and not as elegant as Sefenfor's armor. However, dragon scales will make you light as wind. Prevents you from being scratched by Raivolka and resistant to fire. This is the result of your own hard work. You deserve it."

The dragon suit fit perfectly on Ashnard's body. The scales on his collar didn't rub much against Ashnard's skin. And the arms were made not too tight so Ashnard could stretch his arms freely when attacking. Wearing those white scales shirt, made him look like a dragon on a snowy mountain.

They all got ready, carrying each other's weapons. Liliya carried a bag filled with supplies. She also wanted to carry a weapon that would fit her well, but there wasn't one in the workshop. And the only thing she could find was the hilt of Ashnard's sword which was quite light, even though it had no blade.

With Ashnard's permission, Liliya was allowed to take him. However, Ashnard was confused at Liliya choosing an unusable weapon, and Liliya replied casually, "I use it as a bat."

Riding Ekarios, the eagle king carried the four of them flying across the city. The fog always accompanied him wherever he went, covering its existence so that no one can see it.

They then land on a rocky beach. They walked along the cliff and found a wooden house just below the cliff.

This was Ashnard's first time visiting a beach, but unfortunately, his visit wasn't a form of vacation.

Liliya was so excited and wanted to meet Zefiria immediately, but Sefenfor pulled her away. His face suddenly became serious as he began to draw his Silver Sword. With Reibo's signal, Ashnard readied his weapon and walked in front of Liliya.

They walked into the quiet house. There is no smoke coming out of the chimney. The squeaky wooden floor and the roar of the waves filled the silence.

The wooden door is unlocked. It was opened easily by Sefenfor. Their eyes swept across the darkroom, looking for anyone or anything.

A pair of red eyes glowed in the darkness. Sharp eyes stared at them, filled with savage lust. The creature growled, and a foul smell wafted from it. The smell made Ashnard and Liliya feel the throbbing in their stomachs that rises to their necks. Unbearable nausea.

"Stay away!" shouted a woman in a white dress with holding a spear.

But, too late. The creature lunged forward, sending Sefenfor into the ocean. Reibo immediately embraced Ashnard and Liliya, then jumped to the side.

"What is that creature?" asked Ashnard, who even struggled to speak because of the creature's existence.

The aura around the creature carried a pressure that seemed to pierce Ashnard's soul. Not to mention the stench that could make him faint if he inhaled it continuously.

"That's the creature you have to fight. Raivolka," replied Reibo.

Stand like a pillar in the face of intense pressure. Her hair and dress fluttered in the wind, indicating that she not afraid. The woman spun her spear in the air. Slowly, the wind was created from the tip of the spear. When the woman spun her spear, she looks like to be dancing, looking graceful and elegant.

The wind swirled harder and harder at the tip of the spear. The woman immediately ran with her bare feet on the soft beach sand. Dodged Raivolka's claws, then stabbed the tip of the spear into the creature's right abdomen.

Liliya, who sat down, watched in admiration a sea breeze dance that brought coolness and tenderness. Her eyes didn't move from the woman.

The wind on the spearhead gave the creature such a strong thrust that it blew away through the air. Came from the calm waves, Sefenfor leaped up and swung his Silver Sword, splitting the creature's body in half in midair.

Ashnard and Liliya cheered for Sefenfor's success. But, not with the 3 Guardians of the Wind. They still gripped their weapons tightly as if they didn't want to let go of them for a moment.

"It's not over yet. Get ready!" the woman insisted, gazing up at the cliff where Raivolka's mob was savagely glaring at them.