[Chr24] A Royal Mission

The moon hung high, its silvery light casting the forest in an otherworldly glow. Nobunaga led the group with his usual confident stride, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his katana. The tactician’s piercing gaze swept over the path ahead, ever alert. Behind him walked Morax, a figure with golden eyes that seemed to miss nothing. Though not a fighter, his sharp mind and strategic insight had saved the group more times than they could count. Blanc, the healer-turned-swordsman, followed closely, his silver blade gleaming faintly under the moonlight. Kenshin brought up the rear, silent and poised, his katana ready for any sudden danger.

Their task was as critical as it was urgent: deliver the Sweei plant to the Spirit Tree’s sacred waters. The plant, nestled in a carefully wrapped satchel carried by Morax, glowed faintly. It could only thrive when submerged in the spirit water during the brief window of the full moon. If they failed, the plant—and their kingdom’s hopes—would wither.

The forest was unnervingly quiet. No owls hooted, no leaves rustled in the gentle night breeze. Even the usual soft hum of spirits in the air was absent. Nobunaga slowed, his sharp instincts alerting him to the unnatural silence.

“Blanc, Kenshin,” he said without turning. “Something’s wrong. Stay ready.”

Blanc’s grip tightened on his sword. “This silence… it’s unnatural. The Spirit Tree is rarely this still.”

“Precisely why we’re walking into a trap,” Morax murmured. He adjusted the satchel on his shoulder, his voice calm despite the foreboding tension. “Stay disciplined, and follow Nobunaga’s lead.”

The group pressed on until the path opened into a wide clearing. There stood the Spirit Tree, ancient and majestic, its bark glowing faintly with golden light. Its massive roots sprawled out like the veins of the earth, drinking from the shimmering pool of spirit water at its base.

But the clearing was deserted.

“Odd,” Kenshin remarked softly, his voice low but edged with suspicion.

“It’s never empty,” Blanc said, his silver eyes scanning the area. He shifted his stance, his sword ready.

Nobunaga motioned for the group to halt. “Eyes open. Morax, stay behind me. Blanc, flank right. Kenshin, cover the rear.”

As they moved cautiously into the clearing, a guttural growl broke the silence. The sound was low and menacing, vibrating through the ground beneath their feet. From the shadows of the treeline emerged a monstrous figure. Its body was cloaked in sinewy flesh, and its clawed hands dug into the earth as it crouched low. The creature’s bone maw snapped shut with a sound like shattering stone, and its burning eyes locked onto the group.

“A Krampus,” Morax whispered, his voice tinged with rare unease.

The beast let out a deafening roar, its claws tearing into the ground as it prepared to charge.

Nobunaga’s voice cut through the tension, calm but commanding. “We have no choice. We need the spirit water. Blanc, Kenshin—engage it. Morax, stay back and secure the plant.”

Blanc stepped forward, drawing his sword. The faint glow of the Spirit Tree reflected on its polished surface. “Understood.”

Kenshin followed suit, his katana unsheathing with a whisper of steel. “We’ll handle this quickly.”

The Krampus lunged, its massive form moving with alarming speed. Blanc met its charge head-on, his blade striking against its claws in a burst of sparks. Kenshin circled the creature with practiced grace, his movements precise and deliberate as he struck at its exposed flanks.

“Keep it off balance!” Nobunaga called, moving like a shadow around the battlefield. His katana flashed in the moonlight, finding weak points in the Krampus’s tough hide.

Morax stood back, watching the battle unfold with an analytical eye. “It’s favoring its left side,” he observed. “Aim for the right shoulder—it’s slower there.”

Blanc adjusted immediately, his sword slicing deep into the Krampus’s right side. The creature roared in pain, its claws swiping wildly in retaliation. Kenshin took advantage of the opening, his katana flashing as he severed one of its arms in a single, precise stroke.

The Krampus howled, its fiery eyes blazing brighter as it thrashed in desperation.

“Don’t let up!” Nobunaga shouted, his katana carving another gash into the beast’s side. “Kenshin, Blanc—finish it!”

Blanc lunged, his blade piercing the creature’s chest as Kenshin’s katana found its neck. The Krampus let out a final, guttural snarl before collapsing to the ground, its burning eyes dimming as its monstrous form went still.

The clearing fell silent once more, the tension dissipating like smoke.

Blanc sheathed his sword, exhaling heavily. “That thing was stronger than it looked.”

“Expected,” Nobunaga replied, his voice calm despite the sweat beading on his brow. He turned to Morax. “The way is clear. Finish the mission.”

Morax nodded, stepping forward with the satchel. He knelt by the spirit pool, carefully removing the Sweei plant and dipping it into the glowing water. The plant’s translucent leaves brightened, their soft light spreading across the clearing like a beacon.

“It’s done,” Morax said, standing and securing the now-glowing plant back in its satchel.

As the group prepared to leave, a shimmering figure appeared above the Spirit Tree. The guardian spirit materialized, its form ethereal and radiant.

“You have succeeded where many have faltered,” the spirit said, its voice echoing with otherworldly harmony. “The Sweei plant will now thrive, but beware—the Krampus was but a herald of greater darkness to come.”

Nobunaga inclined his head respectfully. “We will be ready.”

With their mission complete, the group turned back toward the forest, their steps measured but purposeful. Though the threat of the Krampus was behind them, the warning of the spirit lingered in their minds. But with Nobunaga’s steady leadership and Morax’s strategic insight, they were ready to face whatever darkness lay ahead.

As they walked, the faint light of the Sweei plant pulsed gently within Morax’s satchel, a reminder of their success. Blanc glanced over his shoulder at the clearing, his grip on his sword tightening. “We may have won this battle, but if the spirit’s words are true, worse may be coming.”

Kenshin’s voice was calm, but his gaze was sharp. “Let it come. We’ll be stronger for it.”

Nobunaga stopped for a moment, turning to look at his companions. His eyes, fierce yet calm, met each of theirs in turn. “We didn’t come this far just to survive. We came to protect what we hold dear. Whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.”

The group resumed their journey under the moonlit canopy, each step forward a quiet declaration of their resolve. And though the night pressed heavy around them, the light of their mission—and their bond—burned brighter than any shadow.