Eclipsed

Chapter 70

Alric flew through the sky on Tiberon, the massive black dragon, his thoughts heavy with the weight of his mission. "There's only one way to stop Yoruzen..." Alric thought, sighing deeply. "I have to meet with that nutcase again..." He exhaled again, feeling the stress of the situation. "Will he even accept to work with me? I mean, what choice do I have?"

As Tiberon glided through the air, Alric glanced down, spotting the remote location he had been heading towards. In the distance, a modest farm rested in the embrace of a rugged countryside, far removed from any bustling cities or towns. The landscape stretched out in rolling hills, their peaks fading softly into the horizon. The air here was crisp and clean, carrying the earthy scent of the fertile fields and the faintest trace of wildflowers. The only sounds were the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind and the soft beat of Tiberon's wings.

The farm itself looked old but enduring, nestled at the base of a small hill. A weathered, single-story hut with wooden walls stood there, uneven and rough. The roof, made of straw, had started to brown with age, but it still stood strong, having weathered countless seasons. It looked like a place forgotten by time, surviving in quiet solitude. Surrounding the hut were fields of golden wheat, stretching in neat rows that swayed gently in the wind. The crops had a rippling effect, moving rhythmically like the breath of the earth itself. The soil was dark and rich, a testament to the hard work put into it year after year.

Further out from the fields, a grove of trees offered a rare shade to the land. Their thick trunks and leafy canopy created a sense of quiet protection, as if the trees themselves had stood there as silent witnesses to the passage of time. The entire place exuded a sense of peace and isolation, a corner of the world untouched by the chaos Alric had come to know. It was here, in this forgotten place, that he would find Magnus.

Tiberon landed softly, and Alric dismounted, approaching the man who was harvesting crops without even noticing his arrival. Magnus, a tall, muscular man in his early 30s, with wavy black hair and piercing green eyes, worked tirelessly in the fields. He wore a ragged shirt and a worn hat perched atop his head, the kind that shaded his face from the sun. The brim of the hat was wide, casting a shadow over his features, and he had a relaxed, almost casual stance in the way he moved through the crops. A strand of wheat hung loosely from his mouth as he worked, his hands strong but weathered from years of labor.

Alric called out, "Hey, uh, Magnus?"

Magnus barely looked up as he continued working, "Help me harvest these crops, will ya?"

Alric sighed, his frustration creeping in. He wasn't here for this, but he rolled up his sleeves and helped with the work for a while. After a time, he couldn't hold it in any longer. "I didn't come here to help you with your crops," Alric said.

Magnus didn't stop his work, his voice nonchalant as he responded, "Then why did you come here?"

Alric hesitated, then said, "There's a very big problem, and I need your help—"

Magnus, without skipping a beat, continued to work, wheat still hanging from his mouth. "Nope, I'm not helping you with any of your little schemes. Listen, kid, I taught you how to fight. Isn't that enough?"

"No, no, this is big," Alric insisted.

Magnus paused for the first time, then gestured for Alric to continue, still not taking the wheat out of his mouth. "Go on then..."

Alric took a deep breath. "Yoruzen Akuma—the tyrant from back then—he somehow broke out of his seal."

Magnus stopped, finally looking at Alric with an expression of mild disinterest. He chewed on the straw, clearly not surprised. "Well, knew that bastard was gonna get out one way or another."