The Horizon And The Steel Horse
A day after the celebration…
"You'll be heading out there now looking for another Demon Lord huh." Joseph sat down by me as he gave me a cup of coffee.
"Yeah, I still have a lot of things to know about my Father and how he came to be the most legendary hero of this world." I replied.
"He is a legend among legends. I still remember when he visited this small town when I was still a small kid. His presence alone gave me the push to become who I was now. I guess that's one way to put it.
But here before you left I found this on my bed. I can't seem to understand what's in it. Also none of our mages could figure it out because it's very much encrypted and can't be read by any of us." Joseph told his story while giving what seems to be a Memory Fragment.
"I see, I'll try and find a person that might decode this for me. Anyways thanks for the coffee, but I better head out now. I still have a long journey ahead of me." I gave the cup to Joseph and stood up with my bag.
"See you around Alan. Good luck on your journey to find history." Joseph waved as I walked away.
As soon as I stepped out of the town I cracked the Memory Fragment… It's an unusual skill that I learned. Riding Mounts, huh. I shrugged it off considering I don't have a horse at the moment but that'll be a helpful skill once I do get one.
I walked off after learning that and soon after I realized that I've covered a long way now without realizing. For some reason the paths here seem to be man made from the looks of it. Probably for carriages.
The road ahead is big and unwavering. Walking in a deserted place with nature passing by. Mountain views, beautiful lake beds, clear rivers as far as the eye can see.
3 hours into the hike the Goddess came down to talk to me.
"Hey, wanna make your adventure quicker?" Lady Agata asked.
"Sure, anything you have in mind?" I asked while I was eating dinner.
"From here towards west there's a barn that hides one of your Father's proudest creations." Lady Agata pointed in the direction of where it should be.
"What was it?" I asked.
"It was a mount of some sort that was quick. And he called it a motorcycle, sounds nice right?" Lady Agata seems to be excited.
Wait, Father had a motorcycle in this world? I guess that's one way to travel around here. If I recall Father did have a motorcycle back at home though it wasn't functioning.
He couldn't fix it by the time he passed away. With that in mind I finished off dinner and went to sleep before I head west.
Next morning I fixed up the campfire, cleaned up the mess I left behind and headed west to where this barn is from the Goddess's information.
While I was walking west I was asked by the Goddess some questions.
"What do you think of your first Demon Subjugation? Or how did it feel for you after getting your first kill against a Demon?" Asked the Goddess like it was like an interview.
"It was an experience alright. Also I have never thought I would get this far with killing my first Demon Lord." I replied.
"You really do sound like your Father both surprised and felt surreal after taking down one of many Demon Lords that resides in this world.
Anyways tomorrow we'll probably arrive by the barn I mentioned where the Steel Horse is waiting for you to take it." The Goddess waved after giving her words disappearing into the night.
Only one question huh? I lay down by the stars thinking what's next after one successful subjugation. I probably have a lot of thoughts going on right now, for now let's get some shut eye…
Meanwhile back in the Forest Village…
"Any news on what happened to Alan out there? Anyone?!" Lady Vert asked her oracles and representatives.
"Mother, why are you worried about this?" Asked Ria.
"Remember Ria… Alan is inexperienced in fighting. You know how cruel our world can be if left alone and Alan barely knows how to fight, that's what I'm worried about." Lady Vert replied.
"But I taught him the basics of hand-to-hand combat. Shouldn't that be enough, plus he had a lot of weapons with him too ain't that gonna help him?" Ria answered back.
"I guess you have a point there." Lady Vert thinks.
"Madam Vert! Madam Vert! I've come bearing news!" As a Messenger entered the room and ran immediately towards Lady Vert to give her a letter.
Lady Vert reluctantly opens the letter as she reads the contents of it. A few seconds into reading said letter. And let out a sigh of relief.
"Mother, what's written on the letter?" Ria asked.
"It says here that Alan has successfully subjugated his first Demon Lord and word has already spread of the Woodsman's successor. And notes of him being spotted going west this time as we speak." Vert replied.
Vert gets a bit dizzy but catches herself on the table with her subordinates and Ria helping her.
"Mother! You alright?" Asked Ria as she held her mother.
"I'm fine Ria. It's just that I've been feeling under the weather recently. Just bring me to my room and I'll take a break for now." Vert requested.
"Okay, everyone I'll be in charge for now while Mother is resting. I'll handle the rest from here until the time being." Ria instructed the subordinates in the room to return to their stations.
"Alan, just what are you doing out there?" Ria murmurs to herself.
Back in Alan's location…
"You sure this is the place?" I asked.
"Surely you trust your Goddess's words Alan." Lady Agata replied.
"I know but it doesn't look like what I expected. And it's a tiny shed from the looks of it." I assessed the place.
"Trust me it's in here. Just open those doors, it's waiting for you." Lady Agata replied.
I pulled the doors of the shed and saw it there parked and covered in dust. But I can feel its mana here. Something's not right here.
"How do I power it?" I asked.
"Just sit on it. It knows when its master is on the saddle." Lady Agata replied.
"If you say so." I walked to the motorcycle thinking something would happen.
Despite not knowing how to ride motorcycles. It still feels weird to suddenly feel all too natural to mount on such a motorcycle. I straightened up the handle bars and Agata handed me the keys to the bike.
I twisted the key and it lights up as if it still has electricity on the battery. Again all of this still feels surreal to do all of this naturally. I kick-started the bike and it felt alive.
*VROOOOM*
It shocked the barn and the loud exhaust echoed throughout the plains scaring the birds that were residing on the tall grass.
"Lady Agata, what is this thing running on right now?" I asked about the bike when it suddenly just started up without any drama.
"I believe your Father changed its type of fuel to magic. So it probably works on your magic alone. Plus not one person could start it because it's engraved to work only for those who run the blood of your Father.
Knowing that you're the only kid your Father had it means it sees you as a Master as well. Anyways I found another Demon Lord for you to subjugate. It is located south-east from this point. Anyways, have fun adventuring now, Alan." Lady Agata waved as she disappeared for now.
While I sat down on the motorcycle I struggled where to find its name. Since it should have one because this is considered a being. I wiped off the dust on the gas tank to check if it's written here.
Feros, huh. Pleased to meet you buddy, Father might not be here to ride you like he used to. So just work with me for now as his son. I clicked into gear and left the barn and headed south-east from here on out.
The quiet landscape is now hearing the sounds of the roar of a motorcycle. Surprisingly this motorcycle isn't having issues going over these rough roads. I wonder how it deals with weather.
"Alright then, show me what Father made you into a performance machine." As I twist the throttle and speed up through the forest roads towards the next village down south.
Meanwhile somewhere far away…
A group of mysterious hooded figures met up by a cavern.
"Is it true that he's back?"
"Not him exactly but his son."
"Then the rumors of him dead are really true then."
"We can't be too comfortable right now. Since his son is running around right now. We need to be careful around our operations right now. Especially after his son killed one of the Demon Lords we've summoned already."
"What?! That can't be!"
The conversation continued between the hooded figures dealing with the current situation. The next set of challenges Alan will be facing from here on out will be trivial towards the story of his Father and this secret society.