Chapter 43

  After landing, Rillian Adore set Drakkel down and stood up.

  Drakkel gazed at him in shock. He appeared perfectly fine.

  How was that possible?

  “We can't stay here,” Rillian Adore said. “Let’s go.”

  He turned around and began to walk. However, the second he took his first step, he winced in pain. Because his foot was covered by shoes and a robe, Drakkel couldn't see it, but he knew something was wrong.

  Many assumed he had no medical training because he had rarely used it in public. But in truth, his senior brother has taught him some things.

  His master was much stricter in medical training compared to sword training. He would say, “One mistake can cost someone their life.”

  So mistakes were at best frowned upon and at worse, cause for castigation. Luckily for his Senior Brother, he was a medical genius. It never got to the point of severe punishment. But Drakkel would not be the same and his senior brother knew it, so if his master took any interest in teaching Drakkel anything, he would purposely block it.

  Still, medical knowledge was important to know. So on some days, his Senior Brother would bring some sweets and medical books and go over the material with him when he was a child. When Drakkel grew older, he only reviewed some of the more important aspects that they had gone over before. Drakkel was now grateful for those teachings.

  “We won't make it if we try to run away.” Drakkel said. “It's better if we find some place to hide until the demons leave.”

  Rillian Adore nodded and stood in place, seeming distracted.

  Drakkel tilted his head to get a better look at the wound.

  “Something is wrong with your leg. When we find a place to rest, I will examine it. I think I remember that we passed a small cave at the base of the mountain while looking for Grand Master Taliyah’s dwelling. It should be an okay place to stay for now.”

  Rillian Adore nodded.

  He was being unusually quiet. The pain was probably worse than he was letting on.

  Drakkel walked over to him and took his sheathed greatsword, carrying the heavy thing on his back.

  Drakkel could feel it hum in disagreement, but it must have understood that its owner was hurt as it settled down soon after.

  Under normal circumstances, weapons were quiet. However, once one made it to Sword Master, their weapon could gain a soul. When not being used for battle, the weapon would act like any other. But if placed in a dangerous situation, the weapon might start to act up, especially if it sensed that its master was in danger.

  Drakkel swung Rillian Adore's arm over his shoulder and had him lean into him so he could support his weight. The two then quietly made their way to the nearby cave.

  Because they were moving slowly and trying to avoid hidden dangers, it took a couple of hours to reach it.

  When they finally did, Drakkel set Rillian Adore down, placed his sword next to him, and started a fire.

  However, too much time had passed. Rillian Adore was sweating and panting now. Drakkel went over to check his forehead and found that he had a fever.

  Worried, he began to undress Rillian Adore, but Rillian Adore stopped him by weakly holding one of his wrists.

  ”I’m only trying to examine your wounds,” he said soothingly. “Don't worry.”

  Rillian Adore slowly nodded and let his hand fall.

  As Rillian Adore’s eyes gazed blankly into the distance, Drakkel had stripped him to his undergarments, which included only a pair of long silk trousers. He checked all over his body and found that his worst wound was on his right leg which he most likely used to cushion their fall. It was covered in purple bruises which meant muscle tears and perhaps bone fractures.

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  He wanted to check his sword energy, but he still could not manipulate his own.

  He sat down in a lotus position next to Rillian Adore and quickly focused on his energy. Like a blood clot, it had stalled due a buildup of the flow once his channels were cleared from the poison.

  He worked on unclogging the flow until a small amount trickled through. It wasn't everything but he had no time. It was at least enough to check on Rillian Adore. He sent his sword energy into Rillian Adore and found that Rillian Adore's energy was erratic which was probably causing his weakened and delirious state.

  Because it could lead to an energy deviation, it was the first thing he decided to deal with. He turned Rillian Adore around, sat him up, and placed a hand on his back. Then, he steadily sent a stream of sword energy in to calm Rillian Adore’s. After a while, Rillian Adore's sword energy began to stabilize.

  Drakkel let out a breath and went to rekindle the dying fire with some branches that were laying at the front of the cave.

  Upon looking outside, he found that the sky was an array of red and purple hues. The sun no longer sat high above the horizon, but was instead hiding behind a wall of trees.

  It was getting dark.

  Drakkel hurried back in and looked over Rillian Adore's wounds. He knew that Rillian Adore would need a splint so he had to go out and collect some suitable branches to make one.

  He traveled outside while the sky was still tinted an orange red with purple undertones into the eerie darkness of the surrounding Forest.

  The Forest was large but full of resources. After walking around for a bit, he easily discovered what he was looking for.

  He kneeled down to grab the branches, but soon felt a threatening presence.

  Branches in hand, he looked to the side to see where it was coming from.

  From the darkness of the trees, came a low growling sound. With it, Drakkel's muscles twitched.

  Like Densai Forest, the Forest surrounding Earthly Mountain was home to sacred beasts. But unlike Densai Forest, normal animals also lived here. If what was after him was a wolf or tiger, he might stand a chance, but if it was something else…

  Slowly standing up, he prepared to face whatever creature was going to come out.

  The bushes rustled and the heavy steps of a large figure accompanied the low growling. Upon catching sight of the figure, Drakkel’s heart dropped.

  What stepped out was exactly as he had feared.

  The thing had two large white ears, a round stomach and large paws. It appeared like a bunny, but its eyes were red and threatening and its figure was massive, being a little taller than him.

  The beast stopped for a moment. But after sniffing the air, it dashed at Drakkel, its teeth bared.

  Unlike a normal bunny, this one had a full row of pointy teeth in its mouth, with the two front ones being as large as a hand.

  Drakkel held the branches in his arms tightly and made a run for it.

  He used all the sword energy he could to utilize his sword step in an attempt to get away, but Sacred Beasts weren't ordinary. They were given their name because they could use sword energy.

  It was because of this that it wouldn't be easy to escape. Looking back, he saw that the creature was following right on his tail.

  As Drakkel ran, he searched for a way out. He had already run for a mile when he was struck with an idea. It came in the form of a loud roar which originated from a short distance away.

  Under the darkness of the dark blue sky and now nearly drained of sword energy, he made one last attempt.

  He led the Sacred Beast towards the sound of the roar and was met with another Sacred Beast. This one was enjoying a pile of smaller animals from squirrels to birds.

  When Drakkel and the bunny arrived in front of it, all it took was one look. The fox-like Sacred Beast immediately rushed over to them, drooling from the mouth.

  Drakkel got out of the way and the thing barreled right into the bunny-like Sacred Beast.

  As they rolled around, it was clear who the winner was going to be. Once the fox took a bite out of the bunny’s neck, the bunny’s body went limp.

  Not wanting to be the Fox’s next meal, Drakkel immediately left.

  When he finally reached the caves, he was tired and out of breath.

  But, he was still concerned about Rillian Adore's condition. Although he was exhausted, he cleaned up the branches he collected and fashioned a splint for him.

  The splint would keep his bones straightened and the salve and medical herbs would heal the internal wounds.

  Luckily, they had enough salve to last a few days and enough herbs to last a few days longer. But after that, Drakkel would need to look around the mountains for herbs.

  Because of this and what just happened, he would need to cultivate.

  He could only hope that by then, the demons would have given up on them and that they wouldn't be met with any dangers they couldn't handle.

  Drakkel applied the salve on Rillian Adore's leg, placed the splint, and wrapped it up with a bandage. After putting on his clothes and checking that he was fine, he drank some water from the water flask and used some of it to make a herbal concoction that he then fed Rillian Adore.

  After a while, Rillian Adore had fallen asleep.

  With the amount of pain he was in, Drakkel only saw it as a good thing. They were surrounded by dangers on all sides and they were vulnerable. Their chances of survival would be better as long as Rillian Adore made a speedy recovery.