Tattered sounds of the horses' footsteps along with the mud and the dim humidity of weather echoed within the woods. The squads began to separate, following the command of each commander assigned for every regiment.
Our squad leader, Larch Laverens, remained at his position while Cassius turned back towards us. On the other hand, Hanaele was in charge of the Sabahi. Nover fit himself between Flora and me out from no idea how I could know where he came from.
"Hayah!" He expressed to accelerate the speed of the horse he was riding. Flora and I quickly turned our attention towards him.
Despite interfering with our gap, he did not bother to look into us. Besides, he has this unwritten reaction on his face while looking straight to the way.
"Hey! You're here!~" Flora asked, and her eyebrows almost collided with each other.
Nover just glanced at her for a couple of seconds while trying to read Flora's eyes. I moved the horse closer to his and wondered,
"Where did you come from?" It took longer for him to respond to my question. I noticed the furrowing of his forehead, which made a sharp, folded expression on his eyes. Even though we were not resting this time, I can see how pressed he was to greet his teeth behind his lips. I also saw a half-circulated blade right beside his cloak. And because it was hidden behind it, I was unable to confirm the object he was bringing. The wind was the factor of making his cape flew for me to have a glimpse of that object.
Suddenly, I remembered that we were not allowed to bring any materials that are not part of the instruction needed for any means of military purposes. Unless, of course, if there is permission granted from the higher authorities. But, I believe Nover would not put himself in danger anyway. He probably consulted Lance's permission before bringing such a thing.
"I need to train hard. I will be the best soldier. I must unleash the skills that I do not have!" He responded, but it seemed that he was not talking to me. The way I understood his diction, it felt like he was referring to something or someone, but it was not me. Before replying to him, I glanced first in my direction to make sure that I am not going to hit anyone from the front.
"So, a while ago, you went somewhere to look for that sharp thing in your side?" His face went back to its normal state. The timid expression he had a while ago changed into the normal one he usually has. The sudden decreased in his speed can also be noticed.
"Y-You noticed that?"
"Of course, you're not good at hiding something. You should hide that to the safest place where anyone would not notice. Tsk."
"I-"
"Hey! What are you two talking about right there, huh? Join me in!~" Nover and I stopped the topic as our heads turned towards Flora, who was waving her hand at us. She went closer from a few feet distance away. I cannot tell if she was all the way listening to our conversation, but based on her expression, I think she didn't hear our topic. That's good.
Nover startled himself after hearing Flora's voice. He seemed unsettled as his eyes shivered slightly. He kept looking at me. "Ah, w-we j-just-"
"Nothing really important." I cut off his words because I know he doesn't want anyone to find out what he did. I also don't want to break his trust in me since I owe him my life, and his grandfather died because of me.
Nover sighed an air and immediately focused his attention on the muddy roadways. Flora nodded and gave me a tiny smile. "Oh... I see.~"
Then, Nover went ahead of us towards Larch by beating the horse. Flora and I were looking at each other after what he did. Flora's one eyebrow raised while my eyes kept glancing at him.
What was happening to that guy?
Flora elevated her shoulders and showed me his hand with his trenched brow like she was asking me a question. "Nover was only living with his grandparents ever since he was younger. It must be painful for him to lose his grandfather. Ow~ He loves his grandfather so much."
I looked away and had a thought. If Nover lived with his grandparents, then where are his mother and father? Phew! I shook my head and forgot what I was thinking.
I should not think a lot this time. Living in a new environment gives me the headache of overthinking the results of my actions. So, I need to avoid any punishment. Besides, I have no assurance about Hanaele's intention to me. I may not have a choice but to trust her, but I still need to be vigilant.
Later on, the ground shook twice at the same time! Trees moved according to the shake. Many shouted in surprise at this phenomenon. All of us here lost our balance. Some fell on the ground from the horse, and some even fell on the grasses together with the horse!
"Not again?!" I reacted while adjusting the position of my horse for it to remain calm.
"Oh no! We know what will happen next after this!~" It was Flora. Her horse was moving too much and loud. She kept holding on to the reins and the noseband to avoid falling.
While some of our comrades were trying to avoid the shaking, I spotted those who were struggling to stand. Even though the shaking was heavy, I used all of my strength to go near to them. I did lose my balance several times, and my knees were starting to irritate, but I always get up and crawls towards them.
"Help me! My foot is stuck!" One of them winged. When I take a look at its one leg, a wooden object encircled around it. At first, I thought it was a random object he brought. But when I get closer to it, I realized that it was not just ordinary wood!
It was a strangle from a branch of the same tree we encountered the last time!
I froze and can't get off my eyes from it. I did not know what to do! Come on, Sophia, you think!
"The land slowly eats me! I am going to bury below!" I get back to my sense as I heard the man wailing once again. He held my wrist, desperate for help.
It seemed that there was cold water that touched my senses that I quickly awaken myself back. I hold the man's elbow with both hands and stood up to pull him over. "Hold on!" I said.
I stepped back to gain more strength as I pulled him. He also used his other leg to give more chances of breaking the wood. He kept gasping because of the pain it gets as his leg continued to bleed. "Aaaahhhhh!" He screamed, closing his eyes to minimize the pain.
"Almost there!" Strands of my hair covered my face as the wind gets heavier and colder. I almost ate my hair from moving my head.
"I can't take it anymore!" The environment was occupied by fogs that we can't see each other that much.
While I was helping this man, many of our comrades reached out their hands to help each other. "Help me! Please help me!" I heard another voice mourning from being stuck above the trees. How did that person go there?
The cracking sound of the trees getting broken and the soil being shaken were overlapping our hearing. We can't clearly hear the others who have been screaming. My body was trembling due to the weather and the force I used, and I felt like I can't manage myself longer.
I gulped in relief, seeing that the man's leg almost got off from the ground. "Er!"
We both screamed as I kept moving back to support the force I used. When I felt his weight gets lighter, I decrease the tension I put by grabbing his arms. However, the branch brought us in surprise as it tightened the holding, and pulled the man down!
I gasped as my right feet slipped on the mud, and my head accidentally banged on a rock! Because of this, I mishandled the man's arm and quickly made myself calm as I rolled over the soil. I held my head, closed my eyes in pain while trying to minimize the ache and the blood from spilling.
My eyes were half-opened. When I tried to see the surroundings, my sight slowly became blurred. I can only see a silhouette form of humans or at least their figures, but I can't identify them. When there was a chance for it to become clear for at least a second, I saw Flora whose body was tied towards an eight to nine-footed tree, different from those in the forests, with lotus flowers at some part of it while moving her body in hopes of losing the tie to escape. Even though that tree was a bit wet as it produces small amount of water from its trunk, there was still a presence of dirt.
I wanted to stand, but I could not move my body! Not even my arm! My back did not cooperate with me, and there's this electric feeling of my spine that went all over my entire nerves.
I also heard the man, I was supposed to save a while ago, shouting for help. His voice was in a crack, and I felt the pain in it. He was crying. "No!" He shouted, raising his arms before he was totally eaten below the land.
I felt my heart seemed to pinch, knowing that I could not save Flora and I was too slow for saving that man.
"I am sorry..." This was the only thing I muttered.
Suddenly, I heard a voice echoing into my ears.