Chapter 25: The Distant Tremors

The golden wheatfields swayed gently under the mid-afternoon sun, a deceptive calm resting over the farmlands. The only sound was the occasional rustling of crops in the wind—until the ground began to tremble.

At first, it was faint, almost imperceptible. Then, like an oncoming storm, the rhythmic pounding of galloping hooves grew louder. Dust clouds rose in the distance, signaling an approaching force.

Hidden within the wheatfield, Henry, Bjorn, Espada, Elric, Mariposa, and Kaiser—the Grimknights—waited in tense silence. Their hands hovered over their weapons, ready, watching.

A group of horsemen emerged, their numbers in the dozens. They carried crude weapons—maces, sabers, and bows slung across their backs. Their leader rode at the front. He was taller than the rest, dressed in black and gold armor. A long cloak of tattered crimson billowed behind him. A masked man.

The Stallion had arrived.

The Bandits of Ghea Mountains

For years, these bandits had terrorized the Ghea Mountains, descending like locusts upon defenseless villages and trade routes. Their leader, known only as Stallion, was a ghost of a man—no one had ever seen his real face, nor knew his true name. Even among his own men, he was a figure shrouded in secrecy. But his reputation needed no face. Wherever his name was spoken, fear followed.

They were not selective in their cruelty. Rich or poor, strong or weak—it didn't matter. They took whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

And today, they had set their sights on this farmland.

Chaos at the Farmland

The farmers could do nothing as the bandits stormed in, kicking over barrels, ransacking carts, and forcing terrified villagers into the dirt.

One of the men grabbed a young boy by the collar, lifting him off the ground."You little rats been hiding food from us?" the bandit growled.

An elderly woman, frail but defiant, stepped forward. She had been the same one who earlier asked Bjorn for help carrying wheat. "Please, we have barely enough to feed our own!" she pleaded.

The bandit sneered. Then, without warning—his hand lashed out, striking her across the face.

A sharp gasp echoed through the air. The woman staggered, falling to the ground.

Bjorn saw red.

His pulse roared in his ears. The iron weight of his war axe felt like an extension of his fury as he lunged forward.

The Grimknights Engage

Bjorn's attack shattered the moment of stillness like a crack of thunder.

With one powerful swing, his axe caught the offending bandit square in the chest, sending him crashing into the dirt with a choked gasp. Blood seeped from the wound, and the air exploded into chaos.

There was no going back now.

Henry surged forward, slamming his shield into an oncoming attacker, sending the man sprawling. Espada, her blades a blur, sprinted toward the mounted archers, cutting them down before they could even nock their arrows. Elric raised a hand, preparing to summon his entity—Nessie—its massive form looming to strike fear into their enemies.

Through it all, Kaiser remained beside Mariposa, his blade drawn but his focus entirely on her safety.

The bandits retaliated in force, but for all their numbers, they had not anticipated the sheer might of the Grimknights.

Yet, through the whirlwind of violence, Stallion did not move.

The Stallion's Power

The battlefield slowly fell into silence as the remaining bandits pulled back, forming a tense line behind their leader. The farmers, trembling, watched as the Grimknights stood in front of them, their weapons stained with fresh blood.

Then, Stallion finally dismounted.

The weight of his presence alone sent a shiver through the air. His boots crunched against the dirt as he stepped forward, his masked face unreadable.

"You made a wrong decision," he said softly.

Then—power erupted from him.

A devastating aura surged outward, an invisible force crashing over the field like an unforgiving tidal wave. The farmers collapsed where they stood, their bodies unable to withstand the sheer pressure of it. A young man, the only one who resisted, fell to his knees, trembling violently.

Even Mariposa let out a weak breath before falling unconscious.

It was King's Presence—a Hand of God ability.

Slowly, Stallion drew his scimitar. Its long, curved blade glowed with dark, jagged markings, as though it had been scorched by an unholy fire.

"If only I didn't have other matters to attend to," he mused, leveling the blade toward them. "You would all be kissing the dirt right now."

But just as quickly as he had revealed his power, he sheathed his weapon and turned away, walking back toward his horse. The bandits quickly gathered their fallen comrades, mounting up without another word.

In mere moments, they were gone.

Aftermath

As the dust settled, the Grimknights were left standing in the wreckage of the farmland.

Kaiser turned to Henry, his face grim. "What was that power?"

Henry sighed, shaking his head. "That was King's Presence. A Hand of God ability." His grip on his sword tightened. "Now that we know he has it, we cannot take this lightly."

There was no time to waste. They moved quickly to help the farmers.

Bjorn ran to the old woman, his breath unsteady. He looked the eyes of the old woman. She gave him a weak nod, and relief flooded his chest.

Kaiser lifted Mariposa gently into his arms, her unconscious form limp against him.

This was no ordinary enemy. They had faced danger before, but this… this was different.

The Bandits' Departure

The convoy of bandits rode in near silence. The night stretched before them, their torches flickering against the darkened plains.

A bandit rode closer to Stallion, his voice edged with frustration."We should've just killed them," he grumbled.

Stallion stopped his horse.

Slowly, he turned to look at the man.

The bandit barely had time to react before he caught sight of Stallion's eyes beneath the mask—cold, sharp, utterly devoid of mercy.

A chill ran down his spine. He swallowed hard and immediately backed away, not daring to speak another word.

Just then, a rider approached, his armor marked with the insignia of a messenger. He bowed deeply.

"Sire, your presence has been requested… by your siblings."

The Truth Behind Stallion

The truth about Stallion was far more terrifying than simple banditry.

He was one of the Four Horsemen.

He represented Famine, a harbinger of suffering and ruin.

And he was not alone.

Three others walked this world—Plague, Death, and Abyss—each waiting for their time to strike.

The Grimknights had just faced one Horseman.

But the real battle… had yet to begin.