Outside the fortress, scorched patches of earth marked the remnants of battle. The signs of fireball spells and magical explosions indicated that the knights had successfully repelled the attacking monsters.
Frenn surveyed the scene, her gaze sharp.
“There’s no trace of Older’s presence.”
Elias nodded but offered a different perspective.
“With its exceptional mobility, Older can enter and exit human detection ranges at will. Just because we can’t see it now doesn’t mean it’s truly gone. Letting our guard down would be a mistake.”
Frenn frowned in thought.
“What was its purpose in coming here, then?”
“A reconnaissance raid, most likely. But the real question is why it chose to engage humans at all… Unless—”
Elias turned his gaze toward the mountains.
“Unless Older is following someone’s orders.”
Frenn stiffened.
“You mean… there’s a Rogis-like entity behind this?”
“I don’t want to believe that, but… we can’t rule it out.”
Elias let out a sigh. The immediate threat had passed.
“Let’s return to our fortress.”
With a nod, Frenn fell in step beside him.
The journey back led them through dense woodland, forcing them to move cautiously. Descending the mountain required care—rushing could lead to unnecessary risk.
Just as they were settling into a steady pace, Elias abruptly halted.
Frenn, walking behind him, immediately noticed.
“Elias?”
He didn’t respond. Instead, his eyes shifted to the side, scanning the trees.
At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary—just the dense foliage of the forest. But as Frenn followed his gaze, a prickling sensation ran down her spine.
“Elias… that’s—”
He unsheathed his sword.
“We were the only ones who left the fortress just now.”
Frenn inhaled sharply.
“Do you think—”
“Seems like my guess was right. It was a reconnaissance mission.”
The words barely left his lips before a blur of motion streaked through the trees, heading straight for them.
Elias’s sharp eyes tracked its approach. There was no mistaking it—Older had returned.
There was no time to hesitate.
Elias struck first, his sword slicing through the air just as Older lunged at him.
The impact of their clash sent a jolt up his arms, a testament to the sheer force behind the monster’s charge. Though he managed to halt its attack, Older‘s body bore no visible wounds. The beast quickly withdrew, leaping backward at impossible speed.
It remained at a distance, its posture tense with wariness.
“It expected to blow through us effortlessly.”
Frenn, having swiftly analyzed the exchange, added,
“Perhaps it was sent to test your strength. If there’s something—or someone—controlling it, they may be assessing whether you’re a threat.”
Elias scoffed.
“So, my fight against the Red Wolves put me on someone’s radar.”
Older still hadn’t moved. It was gauging him—perhaps deciding whether to continue attacking or retreat.
“We should end this here. If we let it escape, it could lead to future casualties.”
Frenn’s voice was calm, but she held a hint of concern.
“But can we even kill it right now?”
The question barely had time to linger before Older lunged again.
Its speed was absurd—faster than a blink.
But Elias reacted.
He met Older’s charge head-on, his sword clashing against its antlers with precision. Sparks flew, and for a brief moment, both combatants were locked in a fierce contest of strength.
Then, in an instant, Older disengaged.
Its retreat was as swift as its attack—so fast that a normal person’s eyes would have failed to follow it.
Elias exhaled sharply, lowering his sword.
“Damn. Even if I can fight it head-on, there’s no guarantee I can kill it outright.”
Frenn nodded.
“So, we need a way to trap it.”
Elias sighed, rubbing his neck.
“That was a valuable exchange, though. If nothing else, we’ve gained crucial intel.”
Frenn followed his gaze as he studied the spot where Older had stood moments ago.
“It moves using all four legs.”
Elias muttered.
“That means if we can restrict its leg movement—”
“—we can neutralize its speed advantage.”
Frenn completed his thought.
Elias smirked.
“Exactly. Now we just need the right trap.”
Frenn’s expression turned serious.
“Do you think it’ll target you again?”
Elias shrugged.
“If it does, we can use that to our advantage.”
Frenn nodded.
“Then we need to prepare thoroughly. No mistakes.”
Elias sheathed his sword and exhaled.
“Let’s get back and start planning.”