Chapter 159: The Sun Will Still Rise

Outside Helburg, military camp.

Various chaotic noises reached his ears, waking Mien who had just lain down to rest. His head throbbed with pain, his mind foggy, yet there was a strange cooling sensation as if he had mint leaves in his mouth.

For the past three days, to deliver the medicinal herbs quickly, he hadn’t slept for even an hour. Finally reaching a safe place to rest, before dawn could break, the clamor outside had already begun.

An ordinary person might be cursing by now, but as a knight of the kingdom, Mien possessed remarkable patience. In every aspect, he was the epitome of a standard knight. Shivering slightly, he rubbed his eyes and lifted the tent flap.

People holding torches were running about outside the tents. Paladins clad in armor engraved with crosses had already formed ranks, uniformly drawing their swords as they marched toward Helburg.

The glint of steel instantly cleared Mien’s groggy mind. He slapped his own face hard, glanced around, and grabbed a groom’s sleeve. “I am Mien Anderson, a mid-rank knight of the kingdom. Groom, do you know what’s happening? Are monsters attacking?”

“Mien?” The man hesitated, looking at Mien’s face.

It was understandable the groom didn’t recognize a mid-rank knight named Mien – he rarely stayed in camp. Having just woken up, Mien hadn’t even had time to don his armor.

The kingdom knight currently wore nothing but shorts. Fortunately, Mien always kept his knight’s badge close. He pulled the still-warm badge from his crotch and pressed it against the groom’s face. “Open your eyes wide and look, groom. This is the White Eagle Badge awarded to me by the kingdom.” Mien grabbed the groom’s collar, adopting a commanding tone. “Now tell me what’s happening!”

The groom pinched his nose and hastily replied, “Sir, it seems undead have appeared in Helburg. Many in the castle have been attacked by skeletons.”

“When did this happen?” Mien asked.

“Just now…”

Mien released the groom’s collar and headed toward the camp entrance to gather information when he suddenly heard a high-pitched shout.

It was that gnome alchemist who came from the Holy City. The gnome clutched at a White Wing Knight’s armor, tears and snot streaming down his face, looking like a frightened child. “Percy, you can’t go! It must be Quasimodo!”

“If you’re worried that necromancer will come for you after I leave, then come with me!” The knight grabbed the gnome by his belt, lifting him like a chick. “Karen can carry both of us. You can watch from the sky while I cut off that necromancer’s head!”

“No… York can’t go…” The gnome’s teeth chattered.

“Then stay here.” The White Wing Knight dropped the gnome. “Hide yourself in a crate, York. We’ll play hide-and-seek when I return. Now, I have real work to do!”

The knight whistled sharply with two fingers, the clear sound carrying far in the night.

Mien heard a response from the darkness – an eagle-like beast’s cry under the moonlight.

The griffin spread its wings, soaring through the sky.

That fierce magical beast had been hunting in nearby areas. The camp couldn’t provide enough food for it – it needed an entire cow per meal. Left in camp, it would clean out their meat supplies in days.

When not summoned by the White Wing Knight, it spent time hunting and sleeping. It killed nearby monsters to fill its belly, only returning to rest in a specially built empty tent nearby. Hearing its master’s call now, the resting griffin immediately returned.

Such proud and powerful magical beasts, once tamed by someone, would display undying loyalty.

The griffin, larger than a house, created such wind pressure with its landing that Mien had to shield his eyes. Tent flaps billowed like water ripples as the griffin landed with a heavy thud.

Its lion-like paws wore sharp steel covers, its face protected by an eagle-beak styled steel helmet, with specially crafted steel plates shielding its heart and torso.

It lowered its head to let its master mount.

The knight straddled the griffin’s neck, looking majestic.

This was the complete form of a White Wing Knight – the combination of griffin and knight was the perfect display of wealth and power. Even their worst equipment was worth fortunes.

When White Wing Knights descended upon battlefields, their enemies learned true fear.

Their holy power even allowed them to strike enemies from high altitudes. Carrying a mage who could withstand the griffin’s speed, they became truly terrifying reapers.

“Fly, Karen!” the knight commanded his companion.

The griffin beat its wings powerfully, flattening the grass across the plain.

Carrying the knight aloft, the marching paladins below felt reassured seeing the White Wing Knight’s figure, as if all evil would be torn apart by griffin and knight.

But the knight bound for Helburg frowned upon reaching altitude.

Mien and the paladins saw the griffin hover midair, changing direction.

The White Wing Knight looked east of Helburg, seeing a thick darkness surging across the land.

“What is… that?”

“Could it be… impossible! How could the demon tide come so early!”

“Wasn’t this tide supposed to start from the Northern Frontier?”

The White Wing Knight sharply pulled the griffin’s reins, sending it higher for a better view.

Only then did he realize how close the black tide was.

And it was approaching at terrifying speed – land submerged, rivers blackened.

The green plains were being devoured, trees withering instantly upon contact.

Within the tide, countless monsters churned. From the shadows, tens of thousands of demonic presences approached.

Everything matched what the knight knew of the demon tide.

Unbeknownst to him, the epoch’s transition had begun. The old order would be destroyed, and only when the next cycle came would new order emerge.

The knight’s soaring heart plummeted into an abyss.

He had courage to fight a necromancer turned demon, but against the tide that had destroyed countless civilizations and orders, his sword and griffin seemed utterly powerless.

Helburg, bakery.

Exhausted Elsa had fallen asleep at the table.

She slept in the room filled with patients, so she could respond immediately if needed.

She didn’t notice a figure quietly appearing beside her, watching her sleeping face.

Before facing the demon tide, Wade had Yulia transport him here.

He reached out to touch Elsa’s hat – she loved it so much she even slept wearing it.

When apprenticing under Wade, she always slept early because she had many morning errands. Without early rest, she’d be sleepy.

Wade didn’t know if he could stop the demon tide. If he failed, Elsa would be swallowed like others in the castle.

So he wanted to see Elsa once more – after all, she was the child he’d raised, the person who’d shared his life longest in Helburg.

How could there be no affection? For two years, he’d watched her busy figure daily. When illness confined him to bed, it was this sensible child who cared for him.

He truly wished to teach her more, but time had run out.

“Time grows short, sir,” Yulia reminded.

Wade nodded, withdrawing his hand.

But Elsa suddenly grasped one finger. Still asleep, it was likely just habitual.

Helburg summers often brought thunderstorms. Elsa would curl up fearfully at thunderclaps.

Wade would sit by her bed, quietly stroking her hat, waiting until she released his finger and slept before returning to his room.

It felt like her childhood again – torrential rains outside, thunder roaring, the two sitting quietly together in that narrow room.

Was she dreaming of those times now?

“Goodnight, sir.”

Her smiling face appeared before him again.

Goodnight, Elsa.

Wade glanced at the hat hanging on the cupboard and withdrew his hand.

He believed the sun would still rise.