SENTINEL LICHEN'S TRIAL (3)

The skeletal branches of the trees loomed overhead, the musty scent of rotting leaves leading the way.

Marshall hurriedly moved through the woods, trying to avoid the earthy smell. Why was the scent of caves following him around? And each time he was running away. How long was he going to keep running?

A numb feeling took over him, and it felt as if his legs had disconnected from his body. He saw himself from the side. This separate person was tripping over roots that hid under fallen leaves, pushing through undergrowth with Sun Hayden on his back. It didn't feel real. His life ever since demons invaded didn't feel real.

When Marshall had stumbled through half of the forest, he noticed a distant sound of steps coming from behind. He came to a stop, turning around with a threatening gaze. His fear had died on the way, leaving pure resentment for fuel.

Marshall channeled demonic energy into his fist, ready to swing it.

"Wait, I don't mean any harm!" a distraught voice cracked through the silence. It was the woman who had knelt in Decorum Hall before the platform with the sculpture.

"Why are you following me?" he demanded in a stern voice.

"I escaped during the chaos you created, but I have nowhere to go," the woman hurriedly explained. "Please allow me to come along!"

The disciple scrunched his brows, trying to recall her name, but all he had heard was her title.

"Sentinel Lichen, following me will only put you in more danger. Return to the tower and carry out any punishment you get. Being on the run is not safe."

Sentinel Lichen shook her head, tears of disbelief welling up in her widened eyes. "How can you say that to someone who was just sentenced to death?"

Marshall's mouth opened and closed a few times, his expression flattening. He hadn't heard the sentencing since he was fully focused on controlling Rime Herald. Another layer of guilt poured over him like sticky rain.

But he was in no place to comfort someone at the moment. He had to carry Sun Hayden to the Tainia stronghold as soon as possible, before his demonic energy ran out. Marshall turned around, resuming his journey without a word.

The woman ran along, close behind, "I will cause no trouble, I promise!" 

Why were people insisting on following him during times he had no energy to spare for arguing? First it was Muyang begging to come along to Chara Town, now this strange woman tried to come with.

At least Sentinel Lichen was already sentenced to death, so being around Marshall wouldn't have made her situation any worse.

"Then make sure you keep up. I can't slow down until we're far away from the city," he warned, continuing at full speed.

"No problem at all!" Sentinel Lichen beamed. "Thank you! Thank you! You won't regret this decision!"

After about thirty seconds of running through the endless woods, the footsteps behind Marshall's back vanished. He thought Sentinel Lichen had fallen behind, but as he turned his head to check, a strong wind slammed Marshall's hair into his face.

She was following with ease, not breaking a sweat. As Marshall looked down, his eyes widened. Leaves and dried pine needles rolled under her heels, getting caught in airy current that carried her forward.

His eyebrows almost rolled off his face. Sentinel Lichen was controlling the wind! But weren't all spiritual gale users residing in Lou Sect? Not only that, but they were incredibly rare. Even Lou Yumei didn't have the flow type to practice spiritual gale.

Marshall pushed these thoughts aside, focusing on keeping his speed. But one last forest away from the Tainia stronghold, his demonic energy slipped. He slowed, forced to rely purely on his physical strength. But halfway though the woods, that had reached its limit as well, and he came to a stop.

"We'll take a short break here," he informed Sentinel Lichen, setting Sun Hayden down on a bed of moss.

Out of his breath, Marshall sank into the grass next to the moss, wiping sweat from his face. 

Sentinel Lichen knelt beside him, her hands glowing faintly as she wordlessly channeled a gentle breeze to cool them off.

Curiously watching the wind rolling around her fingers, he couldn't help but ask, "Are you from Lou?" 

She hesitated, her gaze flickering unsurely. "No, I've never stepped a foot outside Sky Oriels. Maybe my parents were from Lou, but I don't know. I was abandoned as an infant. Fortunately, I was found by General Gi. He took me in."

Marshall tilted his head, "Then how come you're using spiritual gale? They don't teach it in Sky Oriels. No one can use it here."

"Ah, it's a long story!" Sentinel Lichen forced a laugh, waving her hand.

The disciple gave her an unassuming nod and left it alone. If she didn't want to say, he wasn't going to push it. He didn't have the mind to get into anyone's business, not when he could barely deal with his own.

However, after a moment of silence, the woman impatiently sighed, shifting around. "Ugh, fine, I'll tell you!"

"You don't have to," Marshall remarked, but Sentinel Lichen didn't seem to hear that, already starting.

"Growing up, I was taught spiritual terra, but my spiritual flow had no connection to it, unlike Gi family. As you can imagine, it was like teaching a cat how to bark," she chuckled at her own comparison. "Ahem. The point is—I couldn't do it."

Marshall nodded along, suppressing a yawn. The amount of demonic energy he had expended left him feeling drowsy.

"Am I boring you?" she questioned, scowling faintly.

"No, no, it's not that," Marshall shook his head, straightening to sharpen his focus. "I'm listening, keep going."

Sentinel Lichen sighed, playing with the breeze in her hand. "Right... Well, long story short, I was appointed as a guard. And one year I was stationed by the Eastern Mountains, where I met a friend."

A nostalgic smile crossed her face, "This friend was the one who recognized that my spiritual flow was most favorable for spiritual gale use. She told me about a scroll with teachings of spiritual gale hidden deep within the archive in the Chastity Tower. Since wind mastery is only taught in Lou, that scroll was my only chance."

Marshall couldn't help but ask, "So you stole it?"