A peaceful journey(6)

(Author: Sorry about the last chapter, but I was on vacation. The next chapter is under 3,000 words, but I don't know if I'll be able to get another chapter out before Saturday.)

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The days passed one after another, and with them, the landscape slowly changed around them. The dense forest that initially surrounded them gradually thinned out, giving way to a more mountainous and rugged area. The towering rocky peaks loomed on the horizon, while the air grew cooler and thinner, carrying with it the earthy scent of the mountains.

During this time, Mark and Zoe spent a lot of time together. The days were marked by a steady rhythm of training and study, but there were always moments of lightness. Between sparring sessions, Mark and Zoe always found time to joke and laugh together.

Astrea, watching them closely, couldn't help but smile as she observed the interactions between Mark and Zoe. Every exchange of banter, every knowing gesture between the two, amused her.

Often, she would stop to watch them from afar, pretending to be deep in thought or busying herself with something in the camp, but in reality, she was thoroughly entertained by their behavior. Astrea found the bond between Mark and Zoe particularly fascinating, noting how their actions were incredibly similar and compatible.

"It's raining quite heavily." -Said Zoe with an annoyed expression.

The raindrops fell heavily from the sky. The constant sound of the rain filled the air, creating a blanket of noise that seemed to envelop them all.

Since they had arrived in that mountainous area, the weather had changed a lot, and the rains were not new, but they greatly slowed the progress of the carriages, which often ended up with their wheels stuck in the mud. Another problem was the presence of level 2 monsters since they were near the Beol Mountains.

"Considering the area, it's quite normal, although I have to say the path they chose isn't the best." -Said Astrea pensively.

"What do you mean?" -Asked Mark.

"Although it's necessary to pass near the Beol Mountains to reach Orario, it wasn't necessary to venture into the outer zone. It seems they want to avoid wasting time by going around." -She explained.

"Let's hope for the best." -Sighed Mark.

The mountainous landscape stretched out majestically before them, with narrow and winding paths that bordered a dizzying cliff. The fog wrapped around the highest peaks, creating a mysterious and unsettling atmosphere. The group moved cautiously along the route as the cold wind lashed their faces and the falling rain made the ground slippery. Mark and Zoe were on high alert in their carriage, always ready to face any danger.

"The road is getting narrower, I don't like it." -Said Zoe seriously, and Mark nodded in agreement.

"I'll try to talk to the caravan leader; maybe I can convince him to change his mind." -Proposed Mark and both Zoe and Astrea agreed.

Stepping down from the carriage, Mark was immediately drenched by the rain, and as he walked, his boots made a squelching sound, but he kept moving forward, heading toward the leader's carriage.

Mark knocked on the door, and the man with a prominent belly opened it with a confused look.

"Is there a problem?"

"I think it's better to change the route. The path is already too narrow, and the rain isn't helping, and if we consider the presence of monsters, the situation could quickly worsen."

The man showed a conflicted expression. The sooner he delivered his goods, the higher the profits, but he also understood that the situation wasn't good.

"I know you want to get there as quickly as possible, but at this rate, you'll only lose more things."

Mark's words seemed to finally convince him, and the man sighed resignedly. -"You're right, I let greed get the better of me. With two level 2s, I thought we were safe, but I didn't consider other issues. Let's turn back."

At his words, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, as many shared Mark's concerns, but as his employees, they couldn't openly voice their worries.

As everyone was preparing, suddenly, a guttural sound echoed among the rocks, reverberating through the mountains. A group of creatures emerged from the shadows, scaling the cliff walls with ease. They were stone beings, with bodies resembling jagged rocks and glowing red eyes. They had razor-sharp claws and moved with surprising speed despite their massive forms.

[Rock Beasts, level 2 monsters. Despite their heavy appearance, they move swiftly, and their defenses are as hard as rock.]

"Damn it! Protect those who can't fight!" -Shouted Mark to the other guards as he rushed into the fray.

The blade of his sword struck down with force, hitting the creature in the center of its chest. The rock shattered under the impact, and the monster was pushed back, crashing into the ones behind it.

Zoe quickly joined the battle, invoking her magic. -"Stone Bind!"

A chain of stone formed around the feet of one of the creatures, holding it in place. With a fluid motion, Zoe drove her spear into the creature's weak spot, causing it to collapse into a shower of rubble.

The two of them steadily pushed the monsters off the cliff, but despite their efforts, the monsters kept emerging from every corner. A larger monster approached one of the wagons, lifting a massive rock over its head, ready to hurl it at the terrified merchants.

Mark activated 'Overload,' and in the next moment, he was within range of the monster. With a powerful swing, he severed the rock-like leg, causing the monster to fall to the ground, where he finished it by driving his blade into its head.

With his ring reaching 75%, Mark's strength had significantly increased, and under the effects of Overload, it was even more apparent.

Meanwhile, Zoe was facing three of the monsters, but thanks to her magic, she was able to hurl them into the sky and send them plummeting into the abyss. However, the continuous use of magic seemed to be draining her, though it was worth noting that compared to the amount of mana a typical level 2 mage had, hers was abnormally large, which was why she had been able to hold out for so long.

Everyone was doing their best to repel the monsters when a change occurred.

"Watch out!" -Shouted a guard.

Due to the relentless rain and the constant tremors caused by the battle, part of the mountain began to slide down, creating a deafening sound as a mudslide headed toward them.

"You've got to be kidding me..." -Said Mark with a bitter laugh.

He strained his mind to think of an escape route, but aside from saving a couple of people, it seemed impossible to do anything else, but Zoe quickly changed his thinking.

"Rock Wall!"

Massive stone walls rose all around them, blocking the impact of the oncoming wave.

The walls created by Zoe trembled dangerously but managed to withstand the impact.

"Zoe, behind you!" -Shouted Mark.

Because all her concentration was on maintaining the walls, she didn't notice a monster approaching dangerously close. At the last moment, she tried to block with her spear, but due to the difference in strength, she was thrown back, hitting her head on a rock on the ground, losing consciousness, and sliding toward the edge of the cliff.

Mark, who was fighting off some monsters, saw the scene and didn't hold back anymore. He reactivated Overload to its maximum power, annihilating all the monsters around him and managing to grab Zoe's hand before she fell into the dark abyss.

As he held Zoe, who was dangling over the abyss, he could see that she had lost consciousness and that blood-stained her forehead. Immediately, Mark had a flashback of the injury Selene sustained during the ship incident, causing him to lose focus at a crucial moment.

*Crack!

The ground beneath him gave way under their weight, and both fell from the cliff.

"NO!" -Astrea cried out in despair as she ran toward the edge.

She had seen the entire scene and couldn't get the image of them falling out of her mind.

The others tried to hold her back, as the edge was unstable, but Astrea kept struggling. That was when the caravan leader approached.

"We can't risk losing you too." -Said the caravan leader, looking at Astrea with sad but resolute eyes.

"They're both level 2, so we have to have faith. For now, these walls are protecting us, but as long as it keeps raining, it will be impossible to do anything to descend. All we can do is wait, and I'll take full responsibility." -Said the man seriously.

Astrea, despite feeling her heart pounding in her chest, took a deep breath, but it was impossible to hide her anger. -"I'll wait, but let's be clear, I don't want your responsibility; I want their safety, so pray they're okay."