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Chapter 716 Years Ago

\'\'Don\'t strain yourself. I didn\'t rescue you only for you to hurt yourself even more,\'\' Aeris responded as they came across a large abandoned building.

When the two got closer, Archer smelled the scent of death lingering in the air, prompting him to prepare a spell as they approached the building. He stepped into it and stopped a puddle of dried blood.

Upon entering, the interior bore the marks of a fierce battle, evident from the numerous bloodstains. Inside, Archer employed Mana Manipulation to conjure a ball of light, illuminating the expansive hall and revealing overturned tables and shattered furniture.

\'\'This was a Waystation used by the Avalon Empire and Oakheart Kingdom. The two realms protected it, but if this fell, it must be getting bad,\'\' Aeris spoke as she looked at the counter covered in a layer of blood.

Archer nodded before replying, \'\'Yes, it is. Sia keeps getting attacked by bandits in the Summerfield Duchy. I don\'t know how it is in the other Duchies, but I\'m guessing it\'s just as bad.\'\'

Just as he said that the two heard a creak nearby; Aeris instantly reacted as she transformed into her Wraith form and lunged at the noise. After a short struggle, a grunt was heard as she threw a dirt-covered man.

The man landed with a thud at his feet and tried to scramble back but was stopped when Aeris used her dark magic to pin him to the floor. When Archer saw this, he asked in a curious tone, \'\'Tell us what happened here?\'\'

With a trembling voice, he recounted the horrors he had witnessed. "It was days ago," he started, his voice strained with panic. "Creatures...they looked like humans, but twisted...unnatural. They descended upon the Waystation, slaughtering everyone in their path."

The human looked around with terror in his eyes before continuing. "I...I hid," the man continued, his voice barely above a whisper, "in a storage room. They...they were everywhere, tearing through the halls, their screams echoing in the night. I could hear...hear the sounds of...of death."

Archer reassured the man that nothing was there and that he would be safe if he headed south, causing him to finish telling his tale.

"After what felt like an eternity, they...they headed north," the man stammered, his voice filled with dread. "I don\'t know why or...or where they came from, but...but they left nothing but...but death in their wake."

He nodded when the man stopped speaking before ushering him out of the destroyed Waystation and told him to head south. After he was gone, Aeris commented, \'\'There are usually three hundred soldiers here, but the mutants must have taken their bodies somewhere.\'\'

\'\'Yes. Let\'s continue and try to reach the Nightmare Mountains in a reasonable time,\'\' Archer commented before leaving the horror-filled building behind.

As the two continued their journey, the weight of Archer\'s injuries began to take its toll. He winced with each step, his breaths coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to keep pace with Aeris.

Sweat beaded on his brow, his shirt sticking to his skin, and he knew he couldn\'t push himself further. "We need to stop," Archer finally gasped, his voice strained with pain as the poison ate at his skin.

\'It hurts so bad!\' He thought to himself.

He leaned against a nearby tree, his hand clutching his side where the mutant attacks had left deep, festering wounds. Aeris turned to him, her eyes widening with concern as she noticed the severity of his injuries.

"Arch, we can\'t stay out in the open like this," she urged, her voice tinged with panic. "We need to find shelter."

He nodded weakly, his vision swimming with dizziness as the Mana Poison overtook his body. With trembling hands, he lifted his shirt to inspect the damage. Horror filled Aeris\'s eyes as she saw the extent of the mutant attacks.

The flesh around the wounds was eaten away, revealing raw, bloody tissue beneath. "We need to hide," she said urgently, scanning their surroundings for any sign of shelter. "Quickly."

Before Archer could respond, Aeris grabbed his hand and pulled him into the shadows, her Wraith form enveloping them both in darkness. They pressed themselves against the tree trunk, holding their breath as they waited.

Moments later, a large group of mutants emerged from the nearby forest. Their twisted forms moved with unnatural speed and agility, and their creepy black eyes glowed with malice as they sniffed the air, searching for any sign of prey.

Aeris held her breath, her heart pounding as the mutants approached. She tightened her grip on Archer\'s hand and urged him to stay still. The mutants passed by, their guttural snarls fading into the distance.

Aeris waited until she was sure they were gone before releasing a shaky breath. "We need to keep moving," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper. "We can\'t stay here."

Archer nodded, his complexion drained of color as he fought the pain to rise to his feet. Despite his discomfort, they pressed on along the road until they reached a dilapidated fort on the riverbank.

As they approached, Aeris spoke, "It\'s a wood elf fort." She gestured towards the structure, "You can tell by the quality of the timber and its lack of decay. We should make camp here so you can recuperate."

When the duo reached the stronghold entrance, they stepped through the crumbling stone archway of the old wood elf fortress. A chill swept over them, sending shivers down their spines.

The air was thick with dust, and the silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves outside. The dimly lit interior, the dying sunlight filtering through gaps in the decaying walls.

Cobwebs decorated every corner, and the musty scent of decay hung heavy in the air. Walking deeper into the fort, their footsteps echoed off the ancient stone floors. Old weapons lay scattered across the ground, their metal tarnished and blades dulled with age.

Archer grimly picked up a rusted sword and turned it over in his hands. Aeris glanced around, scanning the eerie surroundings.

"There\'s no one here," she murmured, her voice barely audible above their footsteps. "It\'s as if the fort has been abandoned for decades."

Archer nodded in agreement, his gaze lingering on the empty battlements and crumbling towers. "It\'s unsettling," he admitted, his voice tinged with unease. "But it might provide us with shelter for the night."

Aeris nodded, her eyes narrowing as she spotted a guardhouse perched above the other gate. "There," she said, pointing towards the structure. "We should head there. It might offer a better vantage point and some protection."

With a nod of agreement, Archer followed Aeris as they approached the guardhouse. The worn and crumbling stairs were firm under their weight as they ascended to the top. They slowly walked up until entering the old room.

As they entered, Archer noticed bunk beds lining one wall and a kitchen on the other. Windows were spaced out across the walls, allowing anyone inside to look down. Surveying the room, he guessed it was the city guard\'s barracks.

Numerous tables and chairs lay overturned within the expansive room. Archer observed plates strewn across the floor. As he surveyed the chaotic scene, he realized they had been caught off guard.\'Looks like they rushed out,\' he mused silently.

Then, he hobbled over to one of the doors and heard something fall to the floor above. Archer opened the door to find dozens of bodies lying all over the walkway, some missing limbs while others were leaning up against the wall.

\'It looked like something attacked the soldiers years ago. But why would the Oakheart kingdom abandon them?\' Archer mused.

After searching the barracks, he decided to walk outside and look over the grassland. There, he saw a scene that made him feel sorry for the wood elf people. Skeletons littered the ground, but most were missing limbs as they tried to flee.

Archer felt sorry but heard footsteps approaching him before he walked back inside only to see Aeris, who spoke, \'\'Upstairs is secure. There is a stone room with no windows we can barricade for the night.\'\'

He nodded and followed Aeris, who led the way. Soon, they found themselves in the commander\'s office, where a large chair sat behind a desk. Archer searched the room only to find a small pouch of gold and silver that he had stored in his Item Box.

While doing that, Aeris cast a few spells that covered the door and outside that reminded him of camping alarms before she sat down and spoke, \'\'So me lying to you doesn\'t bother you?\'\'

Archer chuckled softly before casting Mana Manipulation to create a chair. Settling into it, he addressed her calmly.

"You had your reasons. I realize my reputation might unsettle you," he said, meeting her gaze, her red eyes reflecting his own. "If you don\'t feel that way about me, I won\'t pursue anything. Just let me know."

Aeris nodded appreciatively. "Okay. Thank you for respecting my decision. But we must cook something for you; it\'ll help your healing."

Archer smiled, acknowledging her change of subject. With a flick of his hand, he conjured a stone bowl that would be perfect for a fire. Meanwhile, he reached into his Item Box and retrieved a meat wrap. Handing one to Aeris, he noticed that she smiled while taking the offering.

[Please let me know if you spot any mistakes, and I will edit them. Thank you]