St Chaos Healer

Ch 96 - Enter Heirya

The wagon stood parked on the winding mountain road leading to the Heirya Kingdom, precariously perched on the steep cliffs. The biting wind howled through the peaks, but Luc lounged lazily in the wagon, arms folded behind his head, gazing up at the sky. It was the first time I had seen him truly relax, without his usual air of caution. It felt strange.

Meanwhile, I kept watch, tending to the campfire with idle hands. The flickering flames cast dancing shadows against the rocky terrain as I stole occasional glances at Luc, who seemed unusually at ease.

"How much longer are we going to wait here?" I finally asked, unable to hide my impatience.

Without so much as a glance in my direction, Luc exhaled a slow breath. "Not much longer now."

I frowned, poking at the fire with a stick. "We're running low on supplies. Unless you have a plan, we need to start rationing."

A smirk tugged at the corner of Luc's lips.
"Relax, kid. We'll be restocking soon enough, and for free."

I shot him a skeptical look. "Uh-huh. And if this brilliant plan of yours doesn't work out, I'll be forced to use your stash of sweets as emergency rations."

That got his attention. Luc immediately sat up, his usual bored expression replaced with mock alarm. "Okay, now let's not be hasty. Some things are sacred, kid."

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the fire. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the sky transformed into a breathtaking blend of deep purples and fiery oranges. Despite my unease, I had to admit—this place had its moments.

I moved over to the bulls, stroking their thick woolly hides as I fed them. The beasts grunted in contentment, their warm breath misting in the cold air.

Then, I heard it.

A distant rumble. Faint at first, but growing louder by the second. The rhythmic pounding of hooves against stone sent a shiver down my spine. Dust clouds rose from the upper path, signalling the approach of something or someone—fast.

"Something's coming!" I called out, instantly reaching for my daggers. My body tensed as I scanned the road ahead, my heartbeat quickening.

Luc sat up, his smirk widening into something almost... wicked. He stretched his arms, as if shaking off drowsiness, then hopped off the wagon with an eerie calmness.

"About time they showed up," he muttered, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or even more worried.

The dust cloud rose got closer, and soon, a group of monstrous Three-Tusked Boars came charging toward us, their riders clad in gleaming armor. At the head of the group, I recognized the same dwarven warrior from before—the fierce, braided woman who had confronted us at the border. Only this time, she looked even less thrilled to see us.

Luc idly poked the fire with a stick, utterly ignoring the impending arrival. I, on the other hand, reached for my daggers, unsure whether we were about to be welcomed or attacked.

The boars came to an abrupt stop before our camp, kicking up a small storm of dust and snow. The leader swung off her mount, her armored boots hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Her piercing eyes locked onto Luc with a glare sharp enough to cut steel.

"You're still here," she spat, glaring at Luc. "Humans. Always scheming."

Luc didn't even look up. "Oh, were we supposed to vanish into thin air? My bad. We were just about to leave. Didn't mean to trouble you."