Chapter 3
Xain navigated the steamstrider at a rapid pace through the narrow road, praying that no one was walking on it. Suddenly, he spotted and heard a flare going off behind them. "Of course, they'd have a flare. Why wouldn't they have a flare?" Xain muttered under his breath. The speaker next to him activated, broadcasting Larkin's displeased voice. "That was your plan? Just driving through them!?" Larkin did not sound pleased with Xain's recklessness.
"Sorry, old man, gotta focus!" Xain replied as he anticipated Larkin's complaints. "Don't you da—" Before Larkin could finish, Xain swiftly pressed a button next to the speaker, silencing the complaints as he concentrated on the road ahead.
Xain then heard the distinct sound of a gauge on the central control panel went off. He looked at the gauge and realized that the steam engine was overheating. "Goddess darn it! This thing was not made to go this fast!" Xain exclaimed, recognizing that steamstriders were designed for long-distance travel, not high speeds like steamwagons. To prevent any damage, Xain slowed the strider down, allowing the steam engine to relax a bit. He watched the beeping gauge slowly decrease, letting out a sigh of relief.
However, that moment of respite didn't last long. Xain soon spotted a fork in the road with a sign in the middle. It indicated that turning right would lead to Wolfdale. Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to see where the right path led because, ahead, he saw people riding atop beasts charging toward them. Panic set in. "Are those Razorhooves?" Xain exclaimed, recognizing the distinctive features of these creatures. Six men mouthed these ferocious beasts, their thick wolf-like fur ruffling as they galloped with incredible speed. Their equine horse-like bodies were powerful and compact, while their glowing red serpent-like eyes seemed to pierce through Xain's very soul. Known for their retractable claws and deadly venom, razorhooves are tameable apex predators.
Xain, feeling a sense of urgency and limited options, exclaimed, "Why!?" as he witnessed the razorhooves charging toward the steamstrider. With limited options, he made a quick decision and accelerated the steamstrider once more, taking the right road that led to the village of Wolfdale. It was a close call with the riders, and frustration welled up in Xain. *Why the heck do you have to be gone now, Ercale!* he yelled in his mind, though he didn't expect a response. The steamstrider sped down the road, successfully leaving the pursuing razorhooves and their riders behind.
**4 hours earlier**
*Excuse me, what?* Xain asked, confusion evident in his voice as he continued driving the steamstrider.
*It's not rocket science, ape. It's quite simple to understand. I won't be able to hear you for a while,* Ercale communicated through their mental link. *No, I understand that I won't be able to—by the way, what the heck is rocket science—hear you, but why?* Xain asked. Ercale let out a sigh. *I'm busy, so don't expect my help with whatever you do. And no, I won't tell you what I'm busy with,* Ercale replied.
*Can you at least give me an idea of how long you'll be occupied?* Xain pressed, but after a few seconds of waiting, there was no answer. *Erkie? Hello...?* Once again, no response. *You already left, haven't you?* Xain concluded, and yet again, there was no reply. Xain let out a sigh. "Great, just great. Now I just have to hope that we don't run into any trouble."
**Back to the present**
As per usual, Xain's hopes yielded him nothing. "I sure hope this isn't a one-way road into a quarantined village," Xain muttered aloud, half expecting Aetheria to rearrange itself just to spite him. Amidst the sounds of the steamstrider's engine, gauges, and vents, Xain heard the distinct rush of a waterfall. "Oh, goddess, please don't tell me," he muttered to himself, but there was no avoiding it. The village of Wolfdale loomed closer.
This wasn't a walled town or city; it was a simple village with buildings and houses clustered together, surrounded by the forest. However, the village itself wasn't Xain's main concern at the moment. No, it was the people strolling around, blissfully unaware, that posed the problem. The road led straight through the village, with no designated walkways or barriers, typical of a village rather than a town or city. While Xain could choose to drive through, unconcerned about the lives of others, he wasn't a psychopath. Even if he were, it wouldn't matter. The road into the village was indeed a one-way path, and Xain could see that it culminated in a cliff leading into a waterfall. Considering these factors, Xain slammed on the brakes.
The steamstrider let out a large burst of steam, alarming the villagers as Xain came barreling through. "Why do the brakes suck so bad!?" Xain yelled, pulling two levers that engaged brakes on both the front and back wheels while also slamming his foot on the brake pedal. Villagers scrambled out of the way as, after a solid 5 seconds of braking, the steamstrider finally came to a stop in the middle of the village, letting out another billow of steam. Xain sighed with relief but then remembered the razorhooves and their riders.
Meanwhile, the villagers were left flabbergasted, surprised, and shocked by what had just happened. Among them, a teenage girl with white hair and gray eyes looked at the vehicle with her mouth agape. "What the hell?" she exclaimed in sheer confusion before Xain exited the cockpit of the vehicle.
Xain addressed the villagers, "Sorry, everyone, but I recommend all of you hide because it's about to get fighty!" Larkin and Zee also emerged from the cabin. "Razorhooves are—" Xain began to explain, but Larkin cut him off, "We know. We saw them through the windows. For fuck's sake, why does this always happen to us?" Larkin grumbled. Zee ensured her ears were properly hidden before joining them, her dagger at the ready. Xain took a fighting stance, though he wasn't overly confident about facing an apex predator with just his bare fists.
As they prepared for a potential confrontation, they heard the distinct galloping of the beasts before seeing the razorhooves and their riders come over the road. The riders stopped, eyeing them and the village, creating a tense standoff.