Chapter 2 – Echoes of the Mountain
Xwant rose silently, the morning stillness broken only by the soft rustle of the wind against the tent. He wandered around the camp, lost in thought. The idea of gathering the remaining humans crossed his mind, but it seemed like an impossible task. He realized he needed to learn more—about the past, about the fall of the Human Empire. Perhaps the old allies of humanity could help.
He pulled out a weathered map and noticed the ancient library located in the city of Eras, deep within the Elf Empire. It seemed like the logical place to start. But doubt crept in. After the recent battle, going into elven territory might be too dangerous. He pondered this until his eyes grew heavy.
Sleep finally overtook him.
In his dream, a cloaked, wizard-like figure appeared and warned him: “Do not go to Eras. The truth you seek lies atop the mountain nearby, within a cave long forgotten.”
Confused but intrigued, Xwant woke up before dawn. He thought deeply about the vision. It could be meaningless—or a sign. He decided to check the mountain cave first. If it turned out to be nothing, then he would go to Eras.
Taking his sword, he set off toward the mountain. The air grew colder with every step, but he pressed on, unwavering. Near the summit, he found a cave. As he prepared to enter, a sharp scream pierced the silence.
Drawing his sword, he rushed inside.
Inside the cave, two guards—one a beastman, the other an elf—had captured a human girl. Xwant’s grip on his sword tightened in rage, the blade itself beginning to crack from the force. Without hesitation, he challenged them.
The guards laughed mockingly. “A human? Defeat us? Foolish.”
They shoved the girl aside.
The beastman charged first. Xwant clashed blades with him, and to everyone's shock, the beastman’s weapon shattered upon contact. The elf responded by firing an arrow, but Xwant deflected it and closed the distance, plunging his blade into the elf’s chest.
The beastman transformed into a massive bear, letting out a thunderous roar. Wasting no time, Xwant retrieved his sword, aligned it horizontally, and hurled it at the charging bear. The blade pierced its stomach and exited through its back. The beast collapsed.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Xwant calmly reclaimed his sword and noticed the elf was still alive. Without hesitation, he ended it.
The girl stared in horror, breathing heavily. Xwant approached her gently.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “You’re safe now. Come with me.”
She hesitated, but followed. They descended the mountain in silence.
Near the base, Xwant broke the silence. “Not going to say anything?”
The girl replied quietly, “I... don’t know what to say after everything I saw.”
“We can at least introduce ourselves,” he offered.
“I’m Lyra.”
“Xwant,” he replied. “Pleased to meet you.”
They returned to the camp, and Xwant began building another tent for Lyra. Once it was done, they sat by the fire under a darkening sky.
“What are you good at?” Xwant asked.
“Crafting. Design. Technology,” Lyra said.
Xwant smiled. “That’s exactly what we need.”
“For what?”
“A new kind of weapon.”
Lyra looked puzzled. “How do you know we need that?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Xwant muttered.
“Why are you so angry? So quiet?” she asked.
“Revenge.”
“For what?”
“For humanity.”
Xwant shared his story. Lyra listened, heart heavy. She told her own: how her village was raided, her mother giving her a chance to escape by staying behind and handing her supplies. Lyra had hidden in the cave since then.
They decided to begin designing the weapon tomorrow and headed to their tents.
What they didn’t know was that elven patrols were already combing the forest, searching for the two missing guards. That night, two elven soldiers approached their camp. Lyra, still traumatized, couldn’t sleep. Xwant, exhausted from the battle, slept deeply.
She heard footsteps. Panic surged through her. The guards moved toward Xwant’s tent. Lyra, remembering the blade he had given her, grabbed it. She knew she couldn’t win, but she owed him her life.
Screaming, she leapt from her tent and stabbed one of the guards from behind.
Xwant awoke to the noise, grabbed his sword, and sprang into action, killing the remaining guard. As silence returned, he saw Lyra trembling, holding a bloody sword. She collapsed.
He knelt beside her, hugged her, and whispered, “It’s over. You're safe.”
Lyra, shaking, began to cry. Xwant, inexperienced with comforting others, struggled. He lit a fire and spoke softly.
“If you hadn’t acted, I might not be alive. You saved me. And remember what they did to your family. We have to survive. We owe it to them.”
She lay in silence, gazing at the stars.
Xwant realized they needed to move. The elves would not stop. He told Lyra, “We have to leave before they find us.”
“Why?” she asked. “Why keep running? Maybe we should give up.”
“I felt the same once,” Xwant said. “But why give them what they want?”
Lyra nodded slowly and began packing. They set off.
Xwant chose a destination: Erasen, a city near the Beastmen territories, far from the Elf Empire. It had once belonged to humans. Now, it was a risk—but a necessary one.
They traveled in secret, avoiding open paths. As night fell, they found a cave to rest. Inside, they discovered a glowing crystal. Lyra studied it.
“We can use this. It could power the weapon.”
Xwant was overjoyed. They took the crystal, shared a meal, and discussed the weapon’s design before sleeping.
At dawn, they cleaned the camp and stepped out. From their vantage point, Xwant spotted two elven patrols nearby. They had to move.
“Run!” he told Lyra.
They sprinted for nearly ten minutes, lungs burning. Eventually, the patrols were far behind. They stopped, breathing hard, and shared a high five.
“We’re safe… for now,” Xwant said.
But they needed materials.
“We have to enter a city
,” Xwant explained. “It’s risky, but we need resources to build the weapon.”
Lyra nodded. “Then tomorrow… we go.”
