Deafening Crack

Alden rushed through the forest, his heart beating wildly in his chest. His face was pale, apprehension and alarm reflected in his gaze. 

The young man sent burst after burst of mana to his feet. He also used [Haste] briefly every time he did. His speed multiplied greatly like this. 

Alden had no time to worry about the consequences of using up so much mana. 

What was the point of conserving it if he would arrive only after the battle was over? 

No, he could not afford to be stingy. 

He gritted his teeth, sparks of determination roaring to life like a wild blaze inside his heart. 

'Go!' 

'Go!' 

'Go!' 

Alden chanted, hyper-focused on his goal. His surroundings blurred, his mind no longer sparing it any thought. 

Burst after burst. Skill after skill. 

The endless cycle repeated. 

When Alden neared the point of fully exhausting his reserves, he would rest briefly to catch his breath. Then, once he had recovered, he would be on his way again, rushing through Nature's Grove like an inescapable whirlwind. 

Nothing could stop Alden. 

Not even the terrifying Defiled. 

The weaker Beasts were relatively easy to evade. Alden just bolted past them, uncaring at all for their presence. The Devils, meanwhile, were a little trickier. To not lose momentum and waste too much time, he had to resort to using [Dark Tentacles] in an unorthodox manner - using six of them to leap from branch to branch, while the last two distracted the Defiled enough for him to go past. 

Luckily, he didn't meet any truly strong Devils, so he could continue his journey with a bit of effort. 

The days passed. 

It was torture. Both physically and mentally. Alden was continuously pushing past the limits of his body and then some. 

Often, he had the urge to throw up. One or two times he even had. 

Overall, it was just a very gruelling experience. That was without mentioning the constant worry and anxiousness plaguing his heart. Alden was always on edge, the restlessness he felt almost consuming him whole. The only reason he kept going was for the people back home.

For Alistair, Elara and Celeste. 

Alden would go to the ends of the world for the ones he loved. And so, with that desire spurring him on, the young man made haste. 

Even as the grim thoughts ran unabated in his head, he refused to give up. 

Until he died, Alden would not stop moving. 

Perhaps sensing his determination or somehow instinctively aware that her human family was in grave danger, Ignia also pushed herself. She flew between the branches, scouting for Alden and ensuring the path ahead was safe. When the call of sleep came, the little phoenix resisted it as much as possible, intent on helping him to the best of her abilities. 

By now, Alden had lost count of how many times he was grateful for the small bird. Promising her a ton of love and affection, he continued. 

The human and phoenix barreled through Nature's Grove. 

Their progress was steady, speeding through the forest like a comet. Yet, as time passed, Alden began to feel that their pace was far too slow. 

He couldn't help but wish that Ignia was a little older, that way she could have flown them back to the Sanctuary. They would have saved a lot of time on their journey if that was the case. Alas, fate rarely listened to one's wishes, so Alden could only helplessly keep running. 

Eventually, almost a week later - he wasn't quite sure, the passage of time being the furthest thing from his mind - Alden and Ignia spied a golden glow shimmering ethereally in the distance. 

A surge of hope flowed through Alden. 

Maybe, against all odds, he had made it back before the army of the corrupted races attacked the Sanctuary of Everlast. 

Shaking his head, Alden suppressed his fatigue and bolted towards the Sanctuary. 

A hopeful smile marred his face. 

*** 

Alistair walked back home, humming a tune of Earth to himself. 

In his arms, he held a basket of goods. His wife had said she needed some new gardening supplies from the local market, so the Guildmaster volunteered to get some for her after checking up on a few of his Guild members. 

Alistair continued walking through the Territory of Flame, unbothered by the biting cold - his Expert physique could withstand harsher conditions. 

At most, he would feel a little chilly, but nothing more. Just as he was about to enter his home, he heard a commotion from afar. 

Curious, the Guildmaster turned his head. There, he saw a cloaked young man shouting that the Sanctuary was under attack. Everyone ignored him and sent him strange looks, thinking he had gone mad. 

Alistair shook his head slightly at the ruckus. They were under constant siege by the Defiled, so this was probably what the young man meant. 

Only… 

The Guildmaster paused, his eyes growing wide. 

He knew that cloak. 

He also recognised the pitch-black bird on the young man's shoulder. 

Alistair froze. 

His heart began to beat faster. 

He blinked multiple times to make sure he hadn't seen wrong. 

…He didn't. 

Which meant…

Alden was back home! 

Alistair's eyes brightened, a broad smile on his face. A second later, his joy dimmed as his mind kicked into gear. 

What was his son doing back in the Sanctuary? And why was he saying they were under attack? 

Just then, Alden caught sight of his figure. The young man barreled toward him, full of dire urgency. 

A hint of unease bubbled to life in Alistair's heart. 

"Al! What are you doing here?"

He asked. 

"I… I…" 

His son tried to catch his breath, great vaporous clouds escaping his mouth in billowing waves. 

It was then that Alistair noticed the dark circles under Alden's eyes and deep fatigue. His cloak also appeared very dirty. So much so that at the back of his mind, the Guildmaster wondered if the young man had stepped through hell to get back home. 

"I… Saw…" 

"Son, calm down. Take a deep breath. No need to rush." 

Alistair instructed gently. 

Alden listened to his words, finally taking a deep breath. 

Then, with a somber expression that masked his anxiety, the young man rapidly fired off a barrage of words. 

"I saw a Dark Dryad, Dwarf and Elf gathered together. I wasn't able to understand a lot of what they were saying, but the drunk dwarf said he couldn't wait to get his hands on the riches of the humans. They plan to attack the Sanctuary!" 

The Guildmaster watched his son gasp and take another breath. 

Alistair's unease deepened. 

"Son, are you sure? I'm not doubting you, but maybe you heard wrong."

"I'm positive."

Alden replied without hesitation. 

The older man frowned. 

"You know that they can't harm us with the Barrier in the way, so why did you come back here to warn us?" 

Alistair asked absently, running through the implications of Alden's words in his mind. 

It was a logical question. 

However, the Guildmaster soon realised his error. He had phrased that question terribly. 

Alden's expression fell. 

"Never mind that then. Thank you for thinking about us. Do you have any approximate numbers? How large is their army? Are they well-drilled?" 

Deciding to trust in Alden, the older man quickly analysed the situation. 

"I… I…" 

His son stammered.

The young man's face turned pale. 

Alistair sighed, recognising that Alden had no detailed information on the enemy. 

"It's okay. Everything will be fine." 

However, as if to contradict his words… 

A deafening crack suddenly tore through the Sanctuary.