Chapter 269: The Echo of Presence (3)

“Not even you?” Aurora asked, her voice soft.

Clavor looked at his wife, his eyes meeting hers.

“Not even me.”

Those words carried enormous weight, falling upon everyone like a stone. Clavor was the strongest person in that carriage, the warrior everyone considered capable of protecting the family, the man who always had an answer. If he himself admitted that he could not understand it, if he himself had no explanation, then no one there had any point of reference.

Lukas hesitated before asking, his voice careful.

“Father… what rank do you think that creature possesses?”

Clavor remained silent, his eyes lost in thought. He considered the question, weighing every possibility.

Then he answered, his voice firm.

“At the very least, S-Rank.”

Judite’s eyes widened, the shock evident on her face. Lukas also became serious, the gravity of his father’s assessment settling over him.

Clavor continued, his voice lower.

“But I cannot determine its upper limit.” He closed his eyes for a moment, as if reliving the sensation.

“Perhaps it is much more powerful. Far beyond anything I have ever seen.”

No one answered, silence filling the space like water.

Clavor opened his eyes again, his gaze meeting Lukas’s.

“It was the most powerful creature I have ever seen in my entire life. There is no comparison.”

Silence returned, heavier than before. This time, no one tried to break it.

The following hours passed slowly, each minute an eternity of tense silence. The sun began to descend, its golden light passing through the trees in long beams that illuminated particles of dust floating in the air, creating a spectacle of light and shadow. Little by little, the sky darkened, the vibrant colors of twilight giving way to the deep blue of night.

When the first stars began to appear, Clavor made a decision.

“We’ll stop.”

The coachman searched for a relatively flat area near the road, a small clearing where the vegetation was less dense. It was not the perfect location, but it was safe enough, far enough from the main road to offer some protection.

The carriage stopped, its wheels creaking against the earth.

“We’ll sleep here tonight.”

The guards immediately began to work, their movements still somewhat stiff but efficient. They opened the luggage compartment and removed the tents, their arms carrying the heavy fabrics. A larger structure was set up for the family, its canvas walls offering shelter from the night. Another, smaller one was erected for the guards and the coachman.

Stakes were driven into the ground with firm hammer blows, and ropes were tied with precise knots. Every detail was checked twice, every knot tested. Clavor left no room for carelessness, his constant attention ensuring that everything was secure.

Aurora helped organize the supplies, her hands moving with the efficiency of someone accustomed to traveling. Judite sorted the food, her hands still slightly trembling but determined. Lukas also kept himself busy, gathering pieces of dry wood near the road.

When he found a particularly heavy log, he sent a small amount of mana into his arms, feeling his muscles strengthen under the influence of the energy.

He lifted the log with ease, his arms now capable of supporting weights that would previously have been impossible. He was still learning to control that reinforcement, to adjust the amount of mana needed for each task. But he could now use it for simple tasks without wasting much energy, his efficiency improving every day.

He carried the wood back to the camp, placing it near the spot where the campfire would be lit.

Shortly afterward, the flames appeared, crackling against the dry wood. The campfire illuminated their tired faces, their shadows dancing across the walls of the tents. Aurora heated some of the stew prepared by Helga, its comforting aroma spreading throughout the camp. There was also bread, cheese, dried meat, and some fruit, a simple but sufficient meal.

It was not a luxurious meal, but after that day, no one would complain.

Everyone ate in silence, their attention focused on the food, the warmth of the fire, and each other’s presence.

The sounds of the night forest slowly returned, familiar noises filling the emptiness left by the silence. Crickets chirped among the trees, leaves swayed in the wind, and the distant sound of some animal echoed through the darkness.

It was strange. After witnessing something so monstrous, those ordinary sounds seemed almost comforting, a reminder that the world was still functioning as it always had.

Judite held a bowl with both hands, the warmth of the stew heating her fingers.

From time to time, she looked into the darkness beyond the circle of firelight, her eyes scanning the shadows for any movement.

Lukas noticed, his eyes following the direction of her gaze.

“Are you still thinking about it?”

Judite hesitated, her fingers tightening around the bowl.

“A little.”

She lowered her eyes, her voice quiet.

“It was scary.”

Lukas did not answer immediately, his words weighing on his mind. Then he slowly nodded.

“It was.”

There was no reason to pretend otherwise. That had undoubtedly been the scariest thing Lukas had ever witnessed in his entire life, an experience that would change his perception of the world forever.

When they finished eating, Clavor organized the watch shifts. The guards divided themselves, each taking a portion of the night. One would remain awake while the others rested, their eyes alert to the darkness.

Then they would switch, ensuring that everyone had time to recover their strength.

Clavor also intended to remain alert for part of the night, his presence serving as an additional guarantee of safety.

“If that creature returns.” He said, his voice firm.

“I want to know before it gets close.”

No one argued.

Lukas entered the tent shortly afterward, his shoulders hunched beneath the weight of exhaustion. Aurora and Judite were already preparing to sleep, their bodies moving with the sluggishness of those who were exhausted. He lay down on the makeshift mattress, the tent canvas forming a low ceiling above his head.

His body still carried the exhaustion of the past few days, the fight with Clavor, the training, the journey, and now that monstrous pressure that had left its mark on each of them. His Lunar Source was slowly recovering, its energy replenishing through rest.

Lukas closed his eyes and, for a few seconds, the image of the orange aura returned to his mind. A gigantic creature, walking above the trees as if they were mere shrubs, each step knocking down centuries-old trunks as if they were simple branches. He tried to imagine what kind of existence could possess such power, such a presence.

He could not. Perhaps it was a monster. Perhaps a magical creature. Perhaps something that should not even have been in that region, an anomaly that defied all understanding.

Lukas opened his eyes again, his gaze fixed on the ceiling of the tent. There was no point in speculating. He still did not have enough information, nor the means to understand what they had witnessed.

He turned onto his side, his eyes closing again. The sound of the campfire reached him muffled from outside, a comforting crackle that filled the silence of the night. Little by little, his body relaxed, the tension of the past few days finally giving way. His thoughts grew slower, the images becoming vaguer. And, finally, Lukas fell asleep.

Outside, the night advanced, darkness enveloping the camp like a mantle.

The guards maintained their posts, their eyes alert to the forest. Clavor watched the shadows, his hands resting on his sword.

The flames danced before him, casting light and warmth over his tired face.

Far beyond there, somewhere in an unknown part of the world, that colossal existence continued its journey. Without haste, without fear, without even knowing that, on that day, four members of the Dmond family had witnessed its passage, that their lives had been marked by that brief encounter.

The first night of the journey had arrived. And although no one knew it yet, that encounter would be something none of them would forget anytime soon, a memory that would be engraved into their souls like an indelible mark.