However, the Svartalfheim they returned to was engulfed in the flames of war. The conflict between the Sterkburin Kingdom and Dvergar's Holdfast had sealed off numerous underground routes. Many areas had been converted into militarized zones, causing a journey that once took only a few dozen days to stretch into an unpredictable ordeal.
Furthermore, although Berlynda was the village chief of West Witch Gate—located on the western fringes of the Einhyrningur Kingdom, the land of the Nine Unicorn Witches—she had never cultivated relationships with the witches of other villages. Consequently, traveling through their territories would not merely be unwelcome; it was a severe risk best avoided.
Despite potentially doubling their total travel time due to the need to construct a vessel, Amanda suggested they sail the river currents through ómskor, the Echoing Woods, rather than trek through the dense forest, as it would be far more comfortable.
Berlynda proved to be an expert at carving boats from massive tree trunks. With Aki assisting her, their small vessel turned out both sturdy and beautiful, completed much faster than anticipated.
Amanda seemed to visibly brighten upon returning to familiar territory. This water route was a path even Berlynda had not previously considered, yet upon taking it, she found it remarkably convenient. With the currents flowing swiftly today, it might even prove faster than walking through the woods. These were the very same waterways Amanda had played in with her friends since childhood.
Berlynda’s skill at the helm left both Aki and Amanda in awe. They barely needed to paddle; Berlynda’s masterful control of the rudder alone propelled the boat rapidly forward.
As the boat glided smoothly over the water, Amanda suddenly spotted a herd of grey horses gathered on the riverbank. She pointed them out to Aki. "Look over there. Those horses... they look strange."
Despite knowing this forest like the back of her hand, Amanda had never seen such creatures before.
Hearing this, Berlynda turned to look. The moment her eyes locked onto the creatures, the former Valkyrie's expression instantly hardened.
"This is bad... That's a herd of Nykur."
The Nykur were ferocious aquatic monsters. They typically appeared in the guise of ordinary horses, luring victims close before dragging them down to the watery depths.
Shouting the warning, Berlynda immediately began paddling with intense force, steering sharply away from the riverbank where the herd had gathered.
Aki grabbed her own paddle and rowed with all her might without hesitation. Amanda gripped the edge of the boat tightly as it suddenly surged forward.
The herd of Nykur made their move. One by one, the grey horses stepped silently onto the surface, but instead of sinking like normal animals, their bodies seamlessly dissolved into the water, leaving only dark, fluid shadows moving beneath the surface.
Those shadows darted with unnatural speed, having clearly locked onto the Ruby Team as their prey.
Within heartbeats, one shadow darted directly beneath the hull.
The entire boat shuddered violently.
Amanda let out a sharp cry, while Aki was forced to briefly stop paddling to keep her balance.
"They're pushing the boat up!" Aki warned.
Suddenly, the massive form of a Nykur erupted from the river right beside them. Water swirled seamlessly from its figure as if it were an extension of its very body, and its pale, empty eyes stared unblinkingly at Amanda.
Aki reacted instantly, bringing her paddle crashing down onto its head with all her strength.
The monster's head shattered into a violent spray. A surge of freezing water washed over Amanda, soaking her to the bone.
The headless horse immediately sank back into the river—only to begin reforming itself once more.
"They're not stopping!" Amanda shouted.
Several more shadows were in hot pursuit.
"We must make for the shore!" Berlynda declared, her voice heavy with urgency as she steered hard toward the bank. "We cannot fight Nykur in the water. This is their domain."
Another brutal impact sent the boat lurching violently. In the blink of an eye, it lost its balance and capsized. Aki and Berlynda were instantly thrown into the river, their bodies sinking beneath the churning surface.
Only Amanda remained above the water.
An orange magic circle materialized beneath her in the split second before she hit the surface, preventing her descent.
Wasting no time, Amanda cast her magic in rapid succession. Glowing circles appeared one by one beneath her feet, serving as ethereal stepping stones that kept her from falling into the river and allowed her to sprint safely toward the shore.
But behind her, the water remained a chaotic maelstrom. Aki and Berlynda were still submerged, surrounded by the dark shadows of the Nykur herd circling like relentless predators.
Underwater, Berlynda fought against the crushing resistance of the current, maneuvering just in time to seize Aki's arm. With all her immense might, she hurled her apprentice up toward the surface.
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The very moment she let go, the horse-shaped shadows relentlessly rammed into Berlynda, the force of their impacts driving her deeper into the depths.
Above water, Aki broke the surface, gasping for air. She coughed violently, desperately swimming and dragging herself toward the bank.
But three more Nykur were closely tailing Aki as she hauled herself from the river.
"Aki!" Amanda screamed.
She immediately cast a spell, manifesting an orange magic circle beside her before hurling it forward.
Yet, two more beasts were trailing too closely behind Aki. Amanda hesitated, acutely aware that if she threw her magic again, she risked striking her friend.
In the blink of an eye—
A white streak shot past Amanda at blinding speed.
It moved like a sudden gale.
The figure dashed toward the Nykur closing in on Aki, accompanied by a sudden eruption of silver light.
Slash—
The monster's body was severed cleanly in half, shattering into liquid and cascading back into the river.
Aki scrambled onto the shore, her footing unsteady from choking on the water. Amanda rushed forward, grabbing her and pulling her into a tight embrace to confirm she was truly safe.
But the young man in the white-and-green attire did not stop there.
He moved seamlessly, his sword reflecting the light as he pivoted to face the final Nykur launching itself from the water toward the bank.
The monster bared its fangs. Before its body could even fully balance—
The young man swung his blade in a single horizontal arc.
A silver light traced through the air with effortless grace.
And the Nykur's body was split in two, shattering as if it had never existed.
Suddenly—
The entire expanse of the river erupted.
A colossal water vortex blasted upward. The violently swirling currents lifted the dark shadows hidden within, scattering them effortlessly in every direction.
The sheer pressure radiating from the maelstrom forced even the young swordsman to stop and watch.
At the center of the vortex, a figure hovered mid-air.
Beneath her feet, a dark red magic circle pulsed slowly, acting as the epicenter of this overwhelming power. Berlynda's red hair whipped wildly amidst the spiraling waters. Her sharp eyes swept the surroundings, locking onto the position of every remaining dark shadow.
In an instant, numerous red magic circles materialized.
Each one locked onto the dark shadows with flawless precision, like a judge's seal deciding their fate.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!...
Soft sounds echoed in rapid succession.
Crimson light ignited from within the rings, incinerating the dark shadows from the inside out. The Nykur contorted, struggling to escape, but they could not break free from their bindings.
One by one.
One by one.
They dissolved into black smoke, drifting upward before vanishing entirely..
Soon, the water vortex began to subside.
The once turbulent currents returned to a dead silence.
Berlynda slowly descended from the air, the red magic circle beneath her feet fading away bit by bit until her boots touched the damp earth.
She walked over and stopped beside Aki and Amanda without uttering a word.
Even so, her piercing gaze remained fixed on the enigmatic young man in the white-and-green attire.
"Amanda!"
A shout rang out from the edge of the woods.
A figure dashed through the bushes, revealing a golden-haired boy.
"Alan..." Amanda called back, waving her hand above her head, a clear smile of relief spreading across her face.
Berlynda recognized the boy immediately.
Alan—the cursed child who could transform into a wolf. The curse was the work of Samantha, a deceased witch, and since her passing, the curse had weakened, rendering him unable to transform.
His family lived in West Witch Gate, not far from Amanda's family dyehouse. The two had known each other and grown up together since childhood.
Alan skidded to a halt in front of Amanda. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.
Amanda shook her head gently to reassure her close friend.
At that moment, the young man in white-and-green stepped closer to Alan. He lightly pointed a finger at himself, signaling to be introduced.
Alan glanced at him briefly before turning to address Berlynda respectfully.
"Village Chief, this guy is Lagarth. He started staying in our village around the time you all departed for Alfheimr."
Lagarth stood calmly and upright. His eyes met Berlynda's without a trace of fear, yet it was not a challenging stare either.
Berlynda met his gaze, offering a slight nod.
There was something about this young man that made Berlynda feel a strange sense of familiarity. It was a vague sensation, as if she had met him before...
Even so, she was entirely confident in her own memory. Throughout a long life spanning thousands of years, she had never known anyone named Lagarth.
It was Amanda who seemed more intrigued by him. She asked, "Lagarth, where are you from? Are you human, or a half-blood?"
People who came to reside in the Svartalfheim kingdom of the Nine Witches usually possessed extraordinary origins. Outwardly, Lagarth looked more human than dwarf, but for a mere human to wield a sword with enough skill to slay Nykur was certainly out of the ordinary.
Especially the sword in his hand. It looked like a magical artifact, far too valuable for an ordinary human to possess.
Lagarth chuckled softly before speaking. "I am Lagarth. My ancestors were from Amirfar. If we trace our bloodlines, it's entirely possible that you and I are relatives. Technically speaking, I might even be your uncle."
Amanda's eyes went wide with shock. "What did you say? You're my uncle?"
"That's right. Lady Arnóra and I have already discussed this," Lagarth replied with an easygoing smile.
Amanda was even more stunned. "You know my mother too!?"
She knew very well that her mother was a human from the kingdom of Amirfar in Midgard. Having fallen in love with a dwarf, she eloped with him to live in Svartalfheim. This made Amanda a half-blood between a human and a dwarf, gifting her a petite frame and an appearance that always looked younger than her actual age.
Alan cut in. "It's not like that at all. I found this guy lost in the Echoing Woods. He was half-conscious, so I brought him back to the village. After that, he met the acting village chief and quickly became acquainted with everyone there. But it seems he just likes claiming to be related to people."
"Haha," Lagarth laughed dismissively.
Berlynda pressed on, still scrutinizing him. "And what are his duties in the village now?"
"At first, he worked at Lady Arnóra's dyehouse, but he accidentally broke a precious dye jar. After that, he was transferred to serve on the patrol unit with me," Alan answered earnestly.
Berlynda fell silent for a moment before asking, "There were never any Nykur in this forest before. Why are they here now?"
Alan replied, pointing back toward the woods behind him. "They probably migrated here to escape the war in other forests. Ever since the massive explosion in the Sterkburin Kingdom, we've started seeing more strange monsters. Not long ago, we even clashed with a family of Trolls."
"Huh!? Those giant, foul-smelling Trolls!?" Amanda exclaimed in disgust. She had run into a Troll when she was younger, and it was an immensely unpleasant memory.
Berlynda let out a soft sigh. "Alright, let's hurry back to the village first. I'll ask Arnóra about the rest myself."
While the others conversed, Aki walked back to the capsized boat on the bank. She scanned the area for any remaining belongings before searching further along the riverbank. It appeared that some of the luggage, especially the gifts Amanda had intended to bring back for her mother, had been swept away by the current.
With Alan leading the way, their shortcut proved much faster than anticipated. The entire group arrived back at West Witch Gate long before sunset. Amanda ran straight into her mother's arms, just like a child returning home after a long and perilous journey.