From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

The following two days were a tacit concerto of blood and steel.

Deep in the forest, the beasts that once lurked in the night and mist now roam in packs. Their eyes are bloodshot, their skin is charred and cracked, and their roars are filled with intense pain and chaotic demonic intent, as if their life force is being forcibly drained from their decaying state.

"They were catalyzed by a potion," Leah said in a low voice as she crouched down to examine the carcass of a wolf. "The magic scorched their nerves; it's a highly concentrated dark extract."

"In other words," Eric turned and slashed down the charging deer, blood splattering, "this was caused by human intervention."

"It's very likely the work of those dark mages," Elotian said coldly. "They provoked them and let them run rampant."

"Using the forest as a weapon, and then being irresponsible," an elf whispered angrily. "Even we are caught in the crossfire."

Eric gripped his sword hilt tightly, his brow furrowed. His teamwork with Elotian and the others was becoming increasingly adept, using close combat to defeat enemies, providing ranged support, and then having Leah clean up and heal them.

The elves were wary and indifferent to them at first, but after two days of fighting, Eric's courage and Leah's kindness had already won them their respect.

"You are unlike any human knight I have ever seen," a female elf named Issel once whispered to Eric. "You are neither arrogant, nor boastful, nor do you run away."

"Then you haven't met enough knights." Eric chuckled. "I ran away quite a few times when I was a kid."

"So why aren't you running away now? What's the reason?"

Eric looked at the bright sunlight in the distance and said slowly, "Because there are some people waiting for me."

The third day, at dusk.

They finally climbed the last mountain ridge.

On the horizon beyond the mountains, the ruins of Diarant were revealed in the afterglow of the setting sun.

Flames, scorched earth, broken arrow towers, and collapsed pavilions mingled with a thick stench of smoke and dust. The stream that once encircled the town had dried up, and debris and charcoal piled up along the streets. Some desiccated corpses were abandoned at street corners, unburied.

A suffocating silence filled the air.

"God!" Leah whispered, her face pale.

Eric simply gazed silently at the city, his lips tightly pressed together, yet a glint of sword light flickered in his eyes.

A soft, familiar bird song broke the silence of twilight.

Leah looked up abruptly, her heart jolting. She saw a dark shadow fluttering in from the edge of the setting sun—it was her Mirror-Feathered Raven. Those eyes, reflecting the dim light, were those of the familiar spirit bird. It circled for a moment, then landed steadily on her arm, its wings trembling slightly, carrying the dust of its journey.

Leah's hands trembled. She carefully removed the small scroll of parchment tied to the bird's foot, her heart pounding, and she nearly dropped it even when she was untying the ribbon.

She unfolded the scroll, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. It was familiar handwriting, messy and hurried, yet clear and strong.

"I have escaped and am now safe. I am hiding in a village in the south with the surviving codebreakers. I will not reveal the village name for now, for fear that the letter will be intercepted. Please tell me you are safe and sound, and I will then inform you of my whereabouts."

Eric stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the words on the paper, a sense of relief washing over him. He took a deep breath, a long-lost smile appearing on his lips.

"I knew she'd be alright," he said softly, his voice filled with barely suppressed joy and pride. "I told you, Leah, Eileen wouldn't be so easily defeated."

Elotian watched from the side, a hint of warmth in his eyes. He smiled slightly and said, "I'm truly happy for you, my friends. This is divine intervention. In that case, you should go find her and complete your reunion. As for the remnants of darkness in the city, leave them to us."

Eric listened, turned, and seemed genuinely prepared to turn south along the ridge. However, just as he took a step, he stopped.

An indescribable emotion surged within him. He gazed at the city, the scorched earth, the countless ravaged ruins, and the nameless people who had died in the flames without a grave. A voice whispered in his heart: How could you leave like this?

He lowered his head slightly, his fingers slowly tightening, the rough, cold touch of the sword hilt against his palm. A struggle raged within him: Eileen was safe; this was the greatest blessing of their journey. They could have left, gone to find her, and completed what should have been an easier journey home. However, as a knight, how could he watch the dark forces behind these ruins roam freely? How could he allow those shadows to wreak havoc elsewhere?

"Eric..." Leah whispered beside him, looking at his slightly trembling shoulders, she understood his heart.

"We'll stay," she said, her voice soft yet firm as a vow. "We'll stay, fight alongside them, and do our part."

Eric turned to look at her, and in that instant, a thousand words were condensed into a single glance. He knew she had long seen through his choice, and he knew she was already prepared to go with him.

Elotian was taken aback. He gazed at his human companions for a long time before whispering, "Are you really willing to take this risk? This operation is different from the ambush in the forest; it might be a one-way trip. If you leave, we will understand and wish you well."

But before he could finish speaking, the light in Eric's eyes grew even more resolute. It wasn't a momentary impulse, but a choice made after careful consideration.

“That’s why we can’t leave,” Eric said, his voice clear and resolute like a spring gushing from the rocks. “We can’t let those dark forces continue to wreak havoc. We can’t allow this city to become their evil lair.”

He turned to Leah and said, "Please write back to Eileen. Tell her we'll be late, but she must take care of herself and wait for us."

Leah nodded slightly, took out a quill and a small scroll of paper from her bosom, and wrote words under the still-warm feathers of the Mirrorwing Raven:

"We are well and will assist our friends in defeating the scourge of darkness. We urge you to remain still and take good care of yourselves. We await news of victory."

She wrote quickly, yet each stroke was clear and powerful. When she finished, she rolled up the letter, tied it to the crow's foot, stroked its feathers, and whispered, "Fly, don't let her worry."

The Mirror-feathered Crow seemed to understand human speech, let out a cry, flapped its wings and flew away, disappearing into the afterglow of the setting sun.

Eric turned his head and smiled: "Without you, if we were injured, we wouldn't even be able to stop the bleeding."

Lia rolled her eyes at him, but then smiled, a smile tinged with tears.

Elotian gazed at them for a long time, a feeling of emotion he had never experienced before welling up within him. He whispered, "I have seen many humans who call themselves knights, but you, Eric, are different from them. You have shown me true light."

After he finished speaking, he bowed slightly as a sign of respect to Eric and Leah.

Eric didn't mince words, but simply squeezed his hand tightly: "Tonight, we'll fight side by side."

The mountain wind rose again, scattering the embers and blood dust of the ruins. They straightened their armor and stepped into the shadows of that dead city, facing the impending bloody battle and trial.

As the last rays of the setting sun sank beneath the charred ruins of the tower, night finally descended upon the ruins of Diarant. Stars silently scattered across the scorched earth, adorning this once-thriving town like silent lamps lit for the dead.

Elotian led the group down the winding mountain path, their steps so light they barely stirred up a speck of dust. They wore cloaks woven from dense forest vines, their colors blending seamlessly with the night. Their footsteps were lighter than those of wolves in the forest, and even the wind dared not touch their shadows.

"This road used to be the old aqueduct of Diarant City," Elotian said in a low voice, his tone calm but revealing an undeniable confidence. "It was abandoned hundreds of years ago, and now probably very few people know that it ever existed."

Eric stared at the stone path, almost entirely covered in vines and moss. He asked softly, "Does it lead into the city?"

"It leads to the Rain Prayer Plaza on the southern edge of the lower city," the elven warrior Issel replied. "If the main force of the city is concentrated around the Palace Tower and the City Hall, this is the best route to bypass direct confrontation."

Leah listened intently, and occasionally a low roar could be heard from afar, as if the remnants of beasts driven by darkness were still roaming the city.

"What is the current strategy of the dark forces?" Eric asked.

Elotian raised his hand, spreading a parchment map on the ground in the night—a city defense map drawn by survivors and obtained from the codebreakers. He pointed to several key locations with his finger:

"The city hall was their stronghold, an old castle-like building with stone walls several feet thick. They cast spells there, suspending a strange black magical core in mid-air, seemingly controlling the frenzied beasts around them."

"The altar plaza has been transformed by them, and the rampage of many beasts originates from here."

Eric lowered his head and remained silent for a moment, then raised his eyes: "Who is their leader?"

Elotian shook her head: "We only know that there is a black witch in the city, known as the 'Weaver of Calamities,' who controls poisonous miasma and corruption magic, and is currently the most conspicuous commander. But whether she is the real mastermind behind it all, we cannot be sure."

Leah then spoke up: "So, how should we deal with this?"

"We need to distract the enemy," Elotian replied calmly. "Isel and I will lead a small team to create chaos in the southwest to distract the Black Witch. Eric, you and Lia can join another team to enter through the canal and head to the City Hall where the core magic circle is located. I suspect that once the core of the City Hall is destroyed, those beasts will no longer be under their control."

Eric pondered, "That will be the most dangerous place."

"That's why we need your cooperation." Elotian's gaze was solemn. "The defenses there are the most stringent. While the elves are skilled archers, they are not adept at siege warfare. But your battle yesterday proved that you are a sword capable of cleaving through the darkness."

Leah smiled calmly and said softly, "And I can weave an undying light for this sword."

Elotian gazed at them for a long time, then nodded: "Your courage and determination deserve all the praise."

Eric then asked, "If our operation fails, will there be a signal to notify you?"

"Yes." Isel pointed to the amber pendant around her neck. "Each of our three teams has one. If one of them breaks, the others will know that their companion is in trouble."

Leah nodded: "I will cast protective runes upon you. As long as your faith remains, the light will guide you."

Elotian put the map away again, her gaze sweeping over everyone: "We have one last moment left, for silence and prayer."

They sat quietly in the broken stone house. The wind gently caressed the crumbling walls, and starlight fell on the ruined ground, as if the spirits of the dead were still watching over these unyielding warriors.

Night had completely fallen on Diarant.

The moonlight was obscured by thick, dark clouds, with only occasional streaks of silver light filtering through the gaps, like flickering candlelight in the hands of a departed soul. The scorched city was bathed in this dim light, silent and desolate, yet brimming with an impending surge of murderous intent.

Behind the broken wall in the west of the city, several dark figures silently slipped into the opening of a half-collapsed drainage well. The stone slabs of the canal were covered with moss and dust, exuding the decaying smell of years of stagnant water.

Eric was the first to leap into the darkness.

His footsteps landed almost silently, surrounded by a winding, narrow waterway, its stone walls damp and covered in vines. He gripped his sword tightly, his eyes as wary as a night hawk's. Leah followed closely behind, her left hand clutching her staff, her right hand drawing a protective rune around her body with a faint glow.

Accompanying them were three elven warriors, all stealthy members of the Arrow of the Mist. Their breathing was barely audible, and their eyes gleamed with the sharp light characteristic of night hunters.

"According to the map, if we go another hundred steps, there will be a shaft leading to the back of the town hall," one of the elves whispered, his voice as soft as the wind rustling through withered leaves.

"Okay," Eric replied softly. "Everyone, listen to the smell; the fog is poisonous."

Lia nodded and cast the Purifying Waves spell, which emitted a faint light that enveloped everyone.

Meanwhile, in the southern part of Diarant, the sound of arrows cutting through the wind suddenly rang out in several narrow alleys.

"Quick, after them!"

"Enemies in the tower!"

Elotian leaped diagonally up the broken wall, her movements as nimble as a ghost. An arrow pierced the air, striking a sentry atop a distant tower squarely in the chest. The corpse tumbled and fell, causing a commotion.

Issel led his squad along the street, setting fire to several tar canisters and hurling them to the eastern edge of the city. Flames shot up, and thick smoke billowed into the sky, as if hell had opened its jaws.

"Very good, they've begun to mobilize." Elotian squinted at the approaching figures in the distance. "Draw their attention and make sure the city hall guards are separated."