After everyone had their breakfast, we went deeper into the woods along the muddy road. As we pushed forward, the dawn rose, but the darkness intensified. As usual, we took brief breaks to replenish our energy.
Between breaks, I checked in with the group and Cullen to see if there were any recent developments. But only disappointment greeted me.
"Captain, captain!!" Stan dashed up to me, taking slow, even breaths in between.
"What exactly is it now?" I asked, grumpily.
"Wat-Waterfall... a waterfall ahead!" He said it in a shocked tone, or so I assumed.
That must be the well-known Galland Falls. A waterfall that gallantly pierces through the thick darkness. I'm not sure which river it connects to. Some claim the water comes from naturally formed underground canals running through the rocks at high altitudes, while others believe it's a god-given hope for passersby. The exact reason is unknown because none of the mages who wandered here survived, and for scholars, life is more essential than curiosity.
"Stan, you said you came this way before, right?"
"Y-yes?"
"Do you not know there is a waterfall here?" I inquired.
"I had no idea..."
"How come you don't?"
"I'd heard of it initially, but I didn't come across it on my last visit. According to my old team, the waterfall is on the west side of the forest. So seeing that here, where we're travelling down a path I'm familiar with... is pretty startling. " Stan concluded.
"In that case, do you think we're lost?" I inquired, peering inside him.
"I-I don't know..." he stuttered.
Why did I ever believe this knucklehead in the first place? I'd be a bigger fool if I scolded him now.
"Ahhh..." I screamed in frustration.
"Captain, it's said that it's good when-"
"Stan, you know what? I can't guarantee that pretty face of yours if you open that mouth one more time." He gulped down his saliva while covering his mouth with both hands, staring at my face.
"Tell everyone to stop right now," I ordered.
"Mmm... mmm..." he muttered.
"I wonder how you even survived the last time..." I sighed to myself. " Now open your mouth and relay my orders to the rest of the members... At the very least, do it correctly... ah..." I sighed once more to myself.
Everyone came to a halt, assuming it was just another quick break. I don't want them to think we're in trouble. I need to think of something right away. If Brom was here, he could just fly up into the sky on his wyvern and tell us the direction to travel.
"Don't think that way, Butcher." I thought to myself. There has to be a way to discover the path out of here. Even if we get off course, I know we can make it to the end of the forest if we walk properly.
"But where...?" That is the question.
The forest surrounding us is currently so dense that it feels like twilight. We can see the sun, with only a few glitters escaping to light our path.
"Perhaps the path will reveal itself once we reach Galland Falls?" For the time being, that is my only choice. Even if we don't discover a route, I'll just follow the stream until its tail. If the Galland Falls are, as I imagine them to be, things will become evident quickly.
"Move forth, everyone!" Mana rushed through my voice as I yelled.
"Aye, aye, Captain!!" With a boost in morale, everyone made their way to the waterfall.
In a short time, we arrived at the edge of the cliff, and as expected, there were no more trees there, only the harsh light descending directly on us. As we came to a halt at the cliff's edge, we had a better view of the forest than we ever had. I could see tall walls brushing the sky in the distance towards the front.
"Hey, aren't they city gates!" someone exclaimed.
"Whew! We've finally arrived!"
"Hooray...!!"
"At long last, we'll be able to sleep in nice, warm beds..."
"I could now drink as much wine as I wanted..."
"At long last, I could take a lovely warm bath..."
"Women, women, women..."
Everyone roared their hearts out, voicing their desires aloud. As screams of ecstasy erupted, their bodies' exhaustion vanished. They jumped up and down as they danced.
"Not to bother you or anything, but we still need to get to that side to get to town." My voice echoed through the air as I spoke. The sound of the waterfall was so loud that I needed to infuse more mana into my voice for everyone to hear me.
The shouts came to a halt, and everyone turned to face the cliff that was both close and yet so far away.
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