1 Week Later
-----Narrator-----
As we began climbing the rise toward the entrance of the Red Dragon Mountains, two figures on horseback galloped toward the village of Montanus
The redhead lifted his gaze to the giant mountains dominating the horizon with quiet admiration.
"They are sooo big!"
The blue‑haired girl smiled at his excitement and began sharing her knowledge.
"These northern mountains are home to the tallest and biggest peaks in the central continent."
"Woooah!"
"Home of the Red Dragons long before the Great Demon–Human War. These mountains became the motherland's shield, a natural barrier, blocking the demon kin from pushing in through the northern lands."
"Natural barrier?"
"Yes, natural barriers are -"
REEEEIGH
The horse jolted, hooves skidding against the dirt as it stopped dead in its tracks. Its ears shot forward as a massive shape stepped into their path.
"What's wrong, Mankese?"
The blue mage leaned forward, one hand sliding up the horse's long neck stroking it gently. Her other hand tightened around the reins as she slowly lifted her gaze toward the figure blocking the road.
The creature stepped into the light. Matted black fur clung to its frame, broken by scars carved deep across its hide. Its shoulders rose and fell with each heavy breath, rolling with raw muscle as it advanced another step.
The blue mage's brows drew together as she tightening her grip around the small red‑haired child seated in front of her.
"C‑rank monster… Mountain Bear."
"W‑what should we do, Roxy?"
The creature's head snapped toward them, nostrils flaring as it caught their scent. Its eyes narrowed.
Roxy's hand darted behind her—only to realize her staff was just out of reach, tucked before Matheus's seat.
"Matheus…"
"Eh?"
Rourhmmm…
A deep, guttural snort rumbled from the bear's throat as its massive frame shifted toward them, muscles bunching beneath its scarred hide.
"Pass me my staff!"
"R‑right!"
ROOOOOAR!
The bear lunged forward, the ground trembling under its weight. The shock ran up through the horse's legs and into their bones.
Matheus threw himself forward, snatching the staff with both hands before hurling it toward Roxy.
Roxy pushed up from the saddle, rising into a half‑standing stance like a cavalry archer. She caught the staff mid‑air, spinning it into position.
The bear thundered closer, ferocity in every step.
Roxy pointed her staff, mana gathering at its tip—condensing into a massive, spear‑shaped cone of ice.
"Ice Lance— ngh!"
REEEEEEIGH!
The terrified horse reared, front hooves kicking skyward. Roxy's balance broke—her spell flickering as she was thrown backward.
Oh no! I can't hit the bear!
The bear lunged at the horse, swinging its massive maw with crushing force. Just before the blow connected, a sudden gust of wind slammed into the beast, knocking it sideways and hurling it across the trail.
Wind magic?
Roxy's curiosity sparked, but she refused to waste the opening.
She yanked the reins hard, steadying the panicked horse and forcing its front hooves back to the ground. Once it faced the fallen bear, she lifted her staff.
Again, Roxy gathered a surge of mana, channeling it to the tip as she aimed at the creature struggling to rise.
"Icicle Field!"
A storm of giant, cone‑shaped ice shards erupted forward, tearing through the air toward the Mountain Bear.
Despite its massive size, the bear moved with surprising agility—twisting, rolling, dodging most of the barrage. The shards that struck carved deep, bloody grooves across its hide.
ROOOOOAR!
The bear charged again, barreling straight toward the blue mage as she shifted into her next spell.
Sensing the danger radiating from the small mage, the beast began weaving side to side, its massive body zig‑zagging to throw off her aim.
Startled by the erratic movement, Roxy gritted her teeth, struggling to keep her staff aligned with the creature's frantic path.
Tch.
Realizing she wouldn't land a precise mid‑range spell like this, she cut off the chant and switched to a short‑range spell with a wide blast radius.
But the bear seemed to read her intent. It abruptly stopped its zig‑zag pattern and charged straight down the center line.
Roxy's eyes widened—the sudden shift caught her completely off guard.
The bear launched itself at the horse again, swinging its massive maw in a killing arc—
—and then a towering figure stepped between them.
A broad back, thick with muscle, filled Roxy's and Matheus's vision.
THUD!
The impact hit like two giant boulders colliding, a shockwave blasting outward and knocking Roxy's and Matheus's hats clean off as they nearly slipped from the saddle.
When the dust settled, a man stood before them—bracing himself, arms locked around a bear twice his size in a raw contest of strength.
The Mountain Bear thrashed wildly, claws tearing at the air as it tried to break free. But the man only tightened his grip, planting his feet and dragging the beast in a wide arc. The bear stumbled, then spun—faster and faster—as he swung it around him like a living, roaring whirlwind.
"MHHHHNNNNNHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
With a final heave, the man released his hold.
The bear blasted through the forest with brutal force, tearing everything in its path. Trees snapped as it slammed through them, branches cracking loud enough to echo through the woods.
By the time it disappeared into the deeper forest, a wide path of destruction was left behind.
Roxy and Matheus stared after it, mouths hanging open as their heads slowly turned towards the man.
He simply stood there, grinning, scratching beneath his nose with the side of his index finger as if he'd just finished a casual chore.
1 Week Later
Reinheardt hefted his traveling gear onto his back, the weight shifting heavily across his shoulders as he walked toward the two small figures gathering darkmor from the shattered ground.
"You boys alright?"
The dark‑haired kid wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"We're good… Just need to fill a fill more of these bottles."
He glanced at the red‑haired boy, who was bent over with his hands on his knees, catching his breath before pushing himself upright.
"Are you heading back, Reinheardt?"
Reinheardt tightened his grip on the strap of his pack.
"Yes… We need to collect as much darkmor as we can. Thanks for helping us out, Matheus."
He gave the redhead a brief smile and ruffled his hair.
Matheus awkwardly accepted the gesture, trying—and failing—to push the big hand away.
Sebastian stepped closer, worry tightening his expression.
"Is Alice… going to get better?"
Reinheardt's lips trembled for a moment, but he hid it behind a cheerful tone.
"We've got a Saint Mage looking after her. You don't see that often in these mountain villages!"
With that, Reinhardt turned and began the walk back towards the village.
"Remember what I've taught you boys! I'll be back soon to harvest another haul, so stay sharp!"
The towering giant disappeared into the fading snow, his silhouette swallowed by the white haze.
Matheus lifted his shovel and drove it back into the ground.
The metal blade struck the frozen surface with a solid crack. A thin sheet of frost split beneath it, revealing the dark soil below. He pressed his boot against the shovel and forced it deeper before tossing another clump onto the growing pile beside him.
Sebastian watched from the corner of his eye.
He had only met Matheus a week ago, yet the red haired boy had already forced himself into their daily routine. He ate at their table, complained about their chores, and argued with Sebastian as though they had known each other for years.
Sebastian lowered his gaze and resumed digging.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Their shovels struck the earth in turns. Metal cracked through frost. Loose soil scattered across the snow. Their boots crunched whenever they moved along the marked patch of ground.
Matheus broke the rhythm first.
His shovel stopped halfway into the soil. He kept both hands around the handle, but his eyes shifted toward Sebastian.
"What's wrong with Alice?"
Sebastian's shovel remained buried in the ground.
He looked up and found none of Matheus's usual challenge in his expression. The boy's brow had tightened, and his grip on the handle remained unusually still.
Sebastian pulled his shovel free.
"Alice has a chronic disease. It leaves her too weak to do any real work."
Matheus glanced toward the basket behind them. Several mushrooms lay inside, their pale caps speckled with dirt.
"So these mushrooms we've been gathering... will they cure her?"
"That's what the village has been using for the past two years." Sebastian scraped the soil from his shovel with his boot. "Ms. Eir has been taking care of her all this time, but Alice's symptoms suddenly became worse."
Matheus looked down at the mushrooms again.
"If it's a disease, can't Roxy cure her?"
Sebastian shook his head.
"Magic doesn't work on her."
Matheus frowned. Both hands closed around his shovel before he drove it into the earth. The blade broke through the frost, and he immediately pulled it free to strike again.
Sebastian lowered his own shovel but did not move.
Matheus continued digging beside him. His strikes came faster now. Each one scattered dirt across the white ground until several clumps rolled against Sebastian's boots.
Sebastian stared at them.
A sickness that resisted magic. A body growing weaker despite years of treatment. The details scraped against an old memory, but he could not yet pull it free.
Matheus stopped and wiped his sleeve across his forehead.
"What are you doing, standing there like an idiot?" He pointed his shovel toward the unfinished ground. "You gonna make me do all this myself?"
Sebastian blinked and tightened his grip.
"I was thinking. I've heard of something like this before."
"Have you ever heard of getting it together?" Matheus thrust his shovel into the soil again. "It's freezing out here. Let's finish this already."
The blade sank deeper than before. Matheus wrenched it sideways, tearing out a large chunk of frozen earth and flinging it onto the pile.
Sebastian planted his shovel beside it.
Matheus's shoulders rose with a long breath. A white cloud spilled from his mouth and drifted between them.
His eyes followed it.
"I saw you using magic the other day. Why don't you cast us some fire?"
Sebastian continued digging without looking at him.
"It's not that simple."
"How is it not that simple?" Matheus turned toward him, leaving his shovel wedged in the ground. "Roxy told me that's a beginner level spell. Even low ranking adventurers use it!"
Sebastian gave a quiet scoff.
"Heh... don't tell me..."
Sebastian planted his shovel into the loosened soil beside him.
Matheus watched a cloud of breath leave his mouth and vanish into the cold.
He cast Matheus a quick sidelong glance before releasing a tired sigh.
"Magic is complicated. At least it is for me."
Matheus stared at him for a moment. His eyebrows rose as he caught the meaning buried beneath those words. He turned back toward the unfinished ground, but a grin had already begun to creep across his face.
"To think you can't even cast a spell like that..."
"That's not what I said." Sebastian's fingers tightened around the wooden handle. "I can cast fireball. I just don't have enough mana to keep one burning all day."
Matheus's grin disappeared.
"Mana? Are you talking about that strange warmth that wraps around your body?"
Sebastian paused.
Matheus stepped closer, pointing at his own chest.
"Why didn't you say that sooner? I've got tons of mana!"
Sebastian shut his eyes and let out another long sigh.
"Mana doesn't work like that."
"It doesn't?"
Matheus tilted his head.
"Then how does it work? Explain it to me."
Sebastian returned his attention to the ground.
The memory he had nearly grasped was already slipping away. A disease untouched by healing magic. A warmth moving beneath the skin. He had been close to remembering something important before Matheus buried the thought beneath question after question.
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"..."
Sebastian expected the digging to resume, but the boy remained still. Matheus wiped the sweat from his forehead and glared at him from beneath his red bangs.
"You seemed eager enough to talk about magic with Roxy. Why won't you tell me?"
Sebastian scoffed.
"You wouldn't understand."
A vein swelled against Matheus's temple.
"Hah? What's that supposed to mean?"
Sebastian stopped and slowly turned his head.
Matheus stood with his shoulders drawn tight. His cheeks were red from the cold, but the glare in his eyes burned hotter than before.
"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" Sebastian asked. "Roxy is a Water Saint Magician. She isn't only powerful but she has spent years studying magic and mana theory."
His gaze drifted past Matheus toward the distant horizon.
Over the last few days, Sebastian had come to treasure his conversations with Roxy. Whenever they spoke about magic, she listened to his ideas and answered with insights that pushed his understanding further. Her knowledge and patience reminded him of the teacher he had lost. She could never replace his old master, but speaking with her eased a loneliness he had carried ever since. With every conversation, his respect and admiration for her grew.
Matheus lowered his eyes.
His hand closed around the shovel until his knuckles lost their color. He did not understand why hearing Sebastian speak about Roxy made his chest tighten. He tried to draw a full breath, but the cold air seemed to stop somewhere inside his lungs.
Sebastian still had his back half turned to him.
That made it worse.
Matheus drove the shovel into the ground with enough force to crack the frozen soil.
"So that's it?"
Sebastian glanced over.
"What?"
"I need some fancy title before you'll speak to me properly?"
"I never said that."
"You didn't have to." Matheus jerked the shovel free. "You always seem to take your sweet time explaining your magic to her but when I ask one question, you act like I'm wasting your time."
"You've been wasting my time all morning."
Matheus's jaw tightened.
"Maybe if you weren't so full of yourself, we'd be done already."
Sebastian turned to face him.
"I'm full of myself?"
"You heard me."
"I've been trying to remember something that might help Alice while you've been bothering me with pointless questions."
The anger in Matheus's face faltered at the mention of Alice. It returned a moment later, sharper than before.
"I was asking because I wanted to help her too!"
"Then stop talking and let me think!"
Matheus stepped closer.
"And what have you figured out?"
Sebastian said nothing.
Matheus spread his arms wide.
"That's what I thought, smartass."
A vein twitched across Sebastian's forehead.
"If only I didn't have an idiot asking me dumb questions!"
Matheus flared his touki.
A faint shimmer covered his arms and shoulders. His boots slighted slid apart in the snow, packing it beneath his soles as he slighted lowered his weight. His grip on the shovel's shaft tightened.
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
Sebastian reacted at once.
He drew a sharp breath and pulled mana through his body. Heat spread from his chest, raced down both arms, and gathered inside his hands.
A large enough spell would knock that red haired brat straight off his feet.
The heat continued moving through his arms, following the same path it had taken countless times before a time he could never possibly image doing so.
Then as if a mechanical switch has flipped.
"I remember now..."
The heat around his body faded, and the melted snow stopped hissing beneath his boots.
Matheus watched him closely for another moment before loosening his grip on the shovel.
Then he drove its blade into the frozen ground.
Thunk.
Matheus rested both hands on the end of the handle and leaned against it. His shoulders had relaxed, but his feet remained planted in the stance he had taken moments before. His eyes stayed fixed on Sebastian, waiting for him to explain.
"You see... I had the same disease as Alice."
Matheus frowned. His gaze moved from Sebastian's face to his arms, then down to the boy's steady legs.
"You look extremely healthy to me."
"I am now." Sebastian rubbed his thumb across his palm as the old memories returned. "Back then, I could barely leave my bed. No priest could cure me."
Matheus's expression changed at once.
"Cure? So you got better?"
"Yeah. My grandfather made a special tea for me. I had to drink it once every month."
Matheus stared at him for a heartbeat.
Then he swung the shovel onto his shoulder and marched toward the trail leading back to the village.
"Heh? Why didn't you tell us sooner? Come on. We have to tell Ms. Eir."
"Wait."
Sebastian caught the back of Matheus's collar.
The sudden pull stopped him midstep. Matheus rocked backward, boots scraping through the snow, then twisted around with an annoyed glare. The complaint died before leaving his mouth.
Sebastian had not released him. His brows were drawn together, and his eyes remained fixed on the ground between them.
"The tea needs special leaves," Sebastian said. "They don't grow anywhere in these mountains."
Matheus glanced toward the barren trees lining the slope.
"What do you mean? Didn't you bring some with you?"
"Uh... I did when I first arrived."
Sebastian's grip loosened from Matheus's collar.
"But I lost most of them."
Matheus shifted the shovel off his shoulder.
"Then we'll look for them. Do you remember where you lost your supplies?"
Sebastian did not answer.
His gaze slowly climbed beyond the snowy trail until it reached the mountain peak.
Several shadows circled above it.
Their enormous wings rose and fell against the pale sky, carrying them through the freezing wind. Red scales flashed whenever they passed beneath the sunlight. Even from this distance, their cries rolled down the mountainside like distant thunder.
Matheus followed Sebastian's stare.
His fingers tightened around the shovel.
Sebastian raised one hand and pointed toward the circling dragons.
"Deep inside their nest."
One of the Red Dragons folded its wings and vanished behind the summit.
"That's where I dropped most of my supplies."
//
== Roxy STATS (image attached) ==
[Class]
Water-Saint Magician
[Signature Skill]
Chanting Omission | Shorten the incantations up to 75% of it's cast time.
[World Ranking]
Rank <1024
== Matheus STATS (image attached) ==
[Class]
Sword-Begginer Swordsman
[Signature Skill]
??? | ???
[World Ranking]
N/a