Fray's footsteps echoed through the winding corridors of the maze, navigating the twisting passages until he reached the final turn.
There, he found Aslan standing before a scene that held her rapt attention, her expression pale and troubled.
As Fray approached, his eyes were drawn to the wall, and a shock of recognition washed over him.
The scene depicted a battle, a clash of forces that seemed all too familiar. He watched, his heart heavy, as the memory unfolded before them.
Amidst the tension, Aslan's tear-streaked face was obvious. Her backhair danced in the wind as she stood before Joshep, who was standing in front a group of more than ten knights, her voice a plea tinged with desperation. "Joshep, please! You can't do this. There's no honor in attacking innocent villagers. Please stop."
"..." Fray looked at the scene, with a shocked confused expression, as he wondered what was happening.
In the scene Joshep's expression remained stern and unyielding, his eyes fixed on the parchment in his hand. "Aslan, we've been given our orders. We must complete the mission assigned to us. Our master's will is absolute."
Fray's shock deepened as the memory played out. He watched the exchange between Aslan and Joshep.
Aslan reached out to grasp Joshep's arm, her fingers trembling as she pleaded with him, her voice strained with emotion. "Please, Joshep, we will talk to Fray."
Joshep's gaze flickered, torn between duty and empathy, but ultimately, he pulled away from Aslan's touch. "I'm sorry, Aslan. The master has already explained to you the reason for this mission, you chose not to believe him. We've passed the talking stage."
"Those bastards can't be talked to, Luke. We should get rid of them," Evelyn, standing beside Luke behind Aslan, said in an angry voice.
"Sigh, you're right," Luke stepped forward. His authoritative voice carried over the field as he gave the fateful command. "Attack!"
The battle erupted, swords clashed, and the sound of metal hitting metal rang through the air. The opposing knights fought valiantly, their weapons glinting in the sunlight. But the Shield Union members, driven by their resolve, gradually gained the upper hand.
Fray's heart sank as he saw Joseph and his knights, their defenses weakening. Amid the chaos, Aslan's voice rose above the din, her cries lost in the tumult. She desperately tried to intervene, to stop the violence, but her efforts were in vain.
Fray's eyes opened in disbelief as Joseph's lifeless body tumbled to the ground. A maelstrom of emotions twisted across Fray's face—
Shock, confusion, rage, and profound sadness—as he bore witness to each member of his knightly team succumbing to their wounds, lying motionless in pools of their own blood.
Fray's red eyes remained fixed on Aslan, a mixture of confusion and rage swirling within them.
As Lisa and Lysander approached, their steps hesitant, they too observed the intense atmosphere that surrounded their two friends.
The air was thick with unspoken emotions, and they couldn't help but feel an uneasy tension in the air.
Before anyone could utter a word, Fray's expression turned cold, his determination resolute. He strode forward, passing through the wall without hesitation.
The others exchanged puzzled glances but followed suit, Aslan, Lisa, and Lysander moving through the wall after him.
On the other side of the wall, the scene had changed entirely. The twisting corridors of the maze had given way to a spacious chamber, its centerpiece a sturdy wooden table that stood ominously in the center. Fray's gaze swept over the room, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight before them.
Lisa and Lysander joined him, their confusion deepening as they realized they were no longer in the maze. Aslan followed suit, her expression a mix of curiosity and disbelief.
It was then that their attention was drawn to the figure that directly walked into the room. It was the innkeeper. Beside him stood the burly man turned skinny and pale, the man with one arm, the scarred man, and the jovial fat man.
"It seems that you have won this game, dear guests," the innkeeper's voice echoed through the chamber. "Congratulations."
The room was a blend of tension and curiosity as the group faced the innkeeper, awaiting his next move.
Fray's gaze was unwavering as he addressed the innkeeper. "I want to use my questions," he stated, his voice steady and resolute.
"What!? Fray, we didn't discuss our questions yet?" Lisa, shirt out, confused.
"..." Fray without caring about Lisa's concern, kept his eyes fixed on their support is evident in their expressions.
The innkeeper.
The innkeeper's enigmatic smile remained intact as he nodded. "Of course, Fray. You've earned the right to ask."
Fray's eyes remained fixed on the innkeeper as he contemplated his question. He turned to his companions, Lisa, Aslan, and Lysander, their support is evident in their expressions.
(Nahl, do you have an idea about what I should ask?) Fray's thoughts echoed within the confines of his mind.
A deep voice, almost like an echo, reverberated in Fray's thoughts. (Well, sir, you told me that you need to know three pieces of information to pass through this village. First, you need to understand the kind of law responsible for the deformation of the space around the village. Second, you need to determine if the magic is activated by someone or by a formation. Finally, you have to find out and eliminate the reason behind it )
Fray's eyes narrowed, his mind absorbing the information. He turned his attention back to the innkeeper, his resolve unshaken.
"I have my question," Fray declared, his voice clear and unwavering. "Tell me about the nature of the law distorting the space around this village – is it a formation or a skill?"
(How does he know it's a law?) Lysander pondered, imagining various reasons for the phenomenon. While laws were among his considerations, it seemed wasteful to expend a question on uncertainty.
The innkeeper's smile grew, acknowledging Fray's choice. "An astute question," he replied. "The law you seek is known as the 'Eclipse Veil.' It stands as a potent reality law, manifested in the form of a village-encompassing formation." .
Two days later...
Fray stood before a massive oak tree on the village outskirts. A crowd of villagers, even the innkeeper, looked on in surprise.
Lisa, Aslan, and Lysander regarded Fray with concern. Since the maze incident, he had not engaged with them.
He decided to halt his charade with the innkeeper, using his questions to identify the four formation bases around the village. Diligently searching for their central point, he now faced the last one.
"How does he find them on his own? He should be using his questions to locate them," the one-handed man murmured.
"Could he somehow sense their energy? But that's implausible, given how feeble the energy in the centers is," the thin man wondered aloud.
"He's even figured out how to deactivate them – using his spirit, no less," the innkeeper observed with a smile.
Fray's expression remained stern as he focused on a small bee fluttering nearby. Unexpectedly, a hushed voice emanated from the bee. "I've pinpointed its vulnerability, sir. Would you like me to eliminate it?"
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