GATE: Journey in the New World Vol I

Arc 1 Special Chapter: A Short Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own Gate or Nihonkoku Shoukan as it belongs to its rightful owners.

Arc 1 Special Chapter: A Short Aftermath

When a man ventures into the region itself, it would always give him the shivers.

A band of Imperial soldiers' simple journey felt like they were on a path to conquer a hundred kingdoms. A sense of exhaustion and discomfort weighed heavily on their shoulders, and despite being informed and properly prepared for this mission, they still questioned whether this was the right thing to do.

Silence had been reigning for days since they left the capital gates.

A long single file of horses traveled across the vast green fields surrounded by valleys, hills, and towering mountains. Despite the fact that the weather was calm that day, the strong wind persisted and a certain tension in the air remained.

Darius was still lost in his own thoughts. There was no reason to question why he was given a much larger group of soldiers for this small expedition. That's why, before leaving, he gave these men time to talk and say goodbye to their families, knowing that the inevitable could just be around the corner. Aside from the well-known lands, The Region of Alnus is no exception, with a good number of sacred and cursed lands, giving the group plenty of reason to be wary and cautious.

He already knew that they were the ones next in line for this simple expedition, and with the task of locating an important individual, who had sought refuge into one of these cursed lands, what could possibly go wrong?

The man had heard the tales ever since he was a young boy.

The Urban Legend of a certain land was infamous for shedding the innocent blood of those who dared to settle there. In an unexpected twist, the legend itself was well-documented, with accounts from travelers, merchants, and even soldiers who passed through or ventured into the area itself. These same people considered themselves fortunate to have survived even for a few minutes. They all claimed the same details, ranging from vengeful spirits attempting to take them away from the living world to demonic creatures emerging from the depths of the underworld to claim their blood.

For their case, the perspective on the subject at hand was very different. Apparently, the previous groups prior and that were tasked for the same expedition, had never returned. Not even a single survivor made a presence.

This kind of scenario prompted the young captain to request a guide. A Guide who is more knowledgeable about the region itself, and the type of person who could assist them in locating the cursed land's exact location.

The young captain wondered why most expeditions, be it small or a grand one often did not request Guides or even assigned one.

Was it because of Pride?

Was it recklessness or just pure blind confidence?

"Sir Darius, May I ask, who's this person that is going to act as our guide?"

A voice of a boy called him out.

The young Imperial Captain looked at a brown-haired adolescent boy riding his own horse. To keep the identity in check, he donned a simple traveler's outfit with a design semi-influenced by the Empire.

Aidan is his name, raised in a simple family from one of the Empire's conquered territories. When he found out he was going to be assigned and be part of an Imperial Expedition as an observer, he was overjoyed in both his heart and his eyes. How could a new recruit like him be a part of such a simple yet important mission? He wasn't going to accept the simple explanation of him being an exception since he was a trainee under his wing; he knew there were more reasons behind this. He felt a shiver run down his spine when he realized he was part of a group heading towards the cursed land of legend.