Quest with Laura and Seraphina: Starlight Blossom (2/4)

The carriage rolled to a stop at the edge of Darkwood Forest. Kael stepped out first, gazing up at the towering trees that formed an almost impenetrable canopy above. The air was cool and damp, carrying the earthy scent of moss and wood.

Ahead of them, a narrow root bridge stretched across a chasm, sturdy as ever. It was suspended two hundred meters above a gentle river stream, where aquatic goblins inhabited the shores. Their greenish-blue bodies glistened as they fished and fought among themselves, oblivious to the newcomers.

"This is it?" Laura said, stepping out after him and clutching her cloak tighter around her. She stared at the bridge with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. After all, root bridges are a very rare sight.

"We'll have to cross on foot," one of the adventurers said, dismounting her horse. "It's sturdy and safe as long as you don't look down too much and lose your balance."

Kael glanced back at Laura and Seraphina. "Let's go," he said.

Laura nodded and immediately locked her arm tightly with Kael's as they started across. Laura pressed herself closer to Kael as if she was worried about falling.

"I didn't think it would be this high," she murmured, her voice slightly started to tremble. "I'm not… great with heights."

Kael turned his head slightly, concern flashing in his eyes. "Are you alright? We can take it slow."

"Just don't let go of me," Laura said, clutching his arm even tighter. Her theatrics earned a subtle glance from Seraphina, who followed close behind. "This brat…" The healer sighed, clearly unbothered by the height or the absence of a handrail for support but visibly annoyed by her sister's clingy behavior.

"Must you do this here?" Seraphina finally asked, pulling Laura aside when they reached the other side. "It's indecent to cling to him like that in front of others. Moreover, you are a Tier-6 mage. Stop acting like a coward."

Laura raised an eyebrow, her lips turning into a smirk. "Oh? Are you jealous, Third Sister?"

"What? No, of course not," Seraphina replied, her voice crisp and her expression calm. "I simply think you should show some decorum of an imperial princess."

Laura's smirk widened. "Then if you're not jealous, don't worry about what I do with my husband."

Seraphina frowned but said nothing more. She brushed past Laura and resumed walking, her head held high.

"Tch… Always so proper," Laura muttered under her breath, turning to Kael with a sweet smile. "Shall we?"

She latched onto his arm again, her earlier fear seemingly forgotten, and acted as if they were on a vacation. "Yeah." Kael let out a soft sigh but didn't object. They continued along the path, surrounded by towering trees and the distant hum of insects.

Kael's expression suddenly shifted as they walked. His eyes narrowed slightly, and his steps became slower, more deliberate. His ears perked up, straining to catch a sound just beyond the natural noises of the forest.

"Something's not right," he said suddenly, his voice low.

The adventurers halted, exchanging glances. "What is it?" one of them asked.

"I don't know yet, but I sense danger," Kael replied, his tone serious. He scanned the area, his hand hovering near the hilt of a small dagger at his side.

One of the women chuckled softly. "You don't need to worry so much, Lord Kael. We're here to handle any trouble. You just focus on staying safe."

Another added with a teasing grin, "It's natural for you to feel nervous out here, but we've got this."

Laura tightened her grip on Kael's arm, leaning her head against his shoulder. "They're right, love. I'm here too. I'll protect you."

Kael frowned, his unease deepening. Before he could respond, the air around them grew colder. A thick fog rolled in, enveloping the group in a matter of seconds. Visibility dropped to mere feet, the surrounding forest disappearing into a swirling gray haze.

"Stay alert!" one of the adventurers called, her voice sounded tense.

Laura released Kael and stepped forward, pulling a thick tome from her satchel. She flipped it open, muttering an incantation under her breath. The book floated out of her hands, its pages glowing faintly. Words began to lift off the parchment, twisting into glowing ribbons that wrapped around Kael in a protective spiral. The barrier shimmered around him, shielding him from harm.

At the same time, words from another page gathered in Laura's palm, merging into a sleek, glowing sword. She gripped the weapon tightly, her expression suddenly serious.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you, my love. Don't leave my side." Laura stuck closer to Kael.

Seraphina also moved closer to Kael, her staff was out to shield her husband too. The adventurers formed a defensive circle around them, weapons drawn and eyes scanning the fog for any sign of movement.

Soon, a figure emerged from the mist. His face was concealed by an ugly clown mask; the painted smile looked quite creepy in the dim light. He wore a tall, pointed cone hat, and his black robes spread as though caught in an invisible breeze. His voice echoed unnaturally as he spoke through the mask.

"Hand him over," the masked stranger said, pointing a gloved finger at Kael. "And no one gets hurt."

Kael narrowed his eyes, mumbling, "It's a Rank-2 of the Clowns of Ark."

The adventurers were surprised while the two princesses nodded in a knowing manner.

His conical hat marked him as a Rank-2 member of the Clowns of Ark—a group infamous for its cruelty and chaos. Though dangerous, he was not an unbeatable threat. Rank-2 members typically possessed strength between Tier-5 and Tier-7, far below the might of the group's Rank-1 elders, who bore crowns and commanded Tier-8 power or greater.

With six women, all in Tier-6, protecting Kael, none in the team felt that they would lose the battle.

Laura and Seraphina exchanged a glance, their expressions hardened. The adventurers tightened their formation, weapons drawn, as the stranger chuckled darkly.

"You don't stand a chance against me," the mage said again, his voice carrying a mocking edge. "Give up."

Before anyone could reply, the mage slammed his staff against the ground. Frost erupted outward, sending razor-sharp icy spikes through the root bridge. The adventurers cried out as the spikes pierced their defenses, knocking them down and incapacitating them one by one.

"It's not just a simple Tier-7 mage," Kael's frown deepened.

Laura's barrier absorbed the brunt of the attack, but cracks began to form in the protective spiral around Kael. Laura acted instantly, grabbing Kael's arm and leaping high into the air just as the spikes reached them. They landed gracefully on a stable section of the bridge.

"Are you alright?" Laura asked.

"Yeah," Kael nodded. As her grip tightened around her glowing sword, he said, "Don't worry about me. Seraphina needs help. Go."

Meanwhile, Seraphina was seen injured by the spikes as she tried to block the ice spikes aimed at Kael. Her staff glowed, healing her injuries in the very next couple of seconds.

Laura landed beside her. "Sis, you alright?" She asked.

Seraphina nodded grimly. "Not an easy enemy," she replied, staring at the adventures who were attacked one more time, losing their consciousness.

"Let's go."

The two women sprang into action, moving with precision honed from years of training. Laura charged at the mage, her sword enveloped with the energy of her incantations. Seraphina followed closely, her staff emitting a golden glow as she chanted a protective spell over her sister.

The mage countered with a wave of his hand, summoning a wall of ice that blocked Laura's strike. Seraphina circled around, sending a beam of light speeding toward him. The mage deflected the attacks with surprising agility, his laughter echoing through the fog.

"You're better than I thought," he sneered, throwing shards of ice toward Seraphina. She dodged deftly, retaliating with a searing blast of holy light that forced him to retreat.

Meanwhile, Laura pressed forward, her blade slicing through the ice with ease. She landed a solid blow to the mage's side, making him stagger. But before she could follow up, the mage spun his staff and unleashed a powerful burst of frost magic.

All of a sudden, Kael, who was supposed to be at a safe distance, was caught in the blast. The blast knocked him unconscious. His body slumped to the ground.

"Kael!" Laura shouted, her eyes wide with panic.

The mage took advantage of the distraction, scooping Kael up and leaping off the side of the bridge. His black robes fluttered like wings as he descended.

"Damn it!" Laura cursed, running to the edge of the bridge.

"Wait for me." Seraphina aimed her staff at the unconscious adventurers who were free of the icy spikes. "Holy Salvation."

An advanced healing technique was unleashed upon him, healing their injuries and saving their lives, but she didn't wait for the effects of the spell to come to fruit and rushed after her sister.

In no time, she caught up to Laura, who halted her movements. Not far away from the stream, Kael lay slumped against the trunk of a massive tree, unconscious but unharmed. Around him, the ground was littered with goblin corpses, their green blood staining the soil.

"Kael!" Laura ran to his side, dropping to her knees. She cradled his face, relief washing over her when she felt his pulse. "He's alive."

Seraphina remained alert, her gaze fixed on the shadows ahead. "Laura," she said sharply, nudging her sister with her elbow.

Laura looked up, following Seraphina's gaze. In the open space ahead, the mage was suspended in midair, his limbs twisted unnaturally. Thick, black strings bound his body, tightening with each passing second. He let out a strangled cry but no sound could be emitted from his mouth as if he lost his voice, although a clear sign of struggling against the bindings was witnessed.

From the shadows, a cloaked figure emerged—a black silhouette or a shadow moving with deadly grace. The figure hurled a small object toward the mage, and the bindings tightened further, crushing him in an instant. The mage let out one final silent scream before his limbs were cut off from his body, and the corpse plopped to the ground.

"Who…"

Before the sisters could react, the figure disappeared, vanishing into the trees in a blur of motion. The only trace of their presence was a faint rustle of leaves.

Seraphina approached the mage's corpse cautiously, her staff glowing faintly. She knelt down and plucked a small blade from the mage's back—a metallic object in the shape of "K".

Her eyes narrowed as she turned the blade over in her hands. "It's the Enemy of the throne," she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Laura looked up from tending to Kael. "Enemy of the throne?"

"Assassin K," Seraphina said, her gaze fixed on the metallic object. "I don't understand what was the imperial city's assassin doing in these woods though. Was he after this man?" She momentarily shifted her gaze to the limbless corpse before glancing at her unconscious husband, "Or is it…"