Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 272: Off to Valerion

The low mountain that sheltered them from sight was little more than a ridge of stone and scrub, but to the weary group, it felt like a fortress.

Lucas lay near the fire, pale and unmoving, his body wrapped in thick cloaks. His breathing was faint but steady, and the Ice Belle hovered loyally above him, her crystalline wings giving off a soft, silvery light that shimmered across the cave walls. Occasionally she made small chirping sounds, brushing his face with her cold fingers, as if coaxing him to wake.

The Empress stood at the cave’s mouth, her plain cloak fluttering in the chill wind. Even in such humble garments, her presence was regal. She gazed toward the city in silence, her expression unreadable beneath the veil.

Captain Varran approached from behind. "Your Majesty," he said quietly, stopping beside her, "my scouts report that the city gates have been sealed. Kenn has placed soldiers along every road leading out. They’re searching for you."

The Empress did not turn. "I expected no less from him," she said softly. "He will not rest until I am dead or captured again."

Nyx, who had been tending the fire, spoke up from behind them. "Then we shouldn’t linger here either. They’ll start sweeping the foothills soon."

Selene turned to face them. "We need rest, Nyx. Xavier can’t travel in this condition."

"He’ll have to," Seraphine said, her tone firm but weary. "The longer we stay, the more dangerous it gets. If Kenn finds us, we’re finished."

Lira, sitting near Lucas, clenched her fists. Her face was streaked with dirt and exhaustion. "We can’t just keep running forever? Shouldn’t we try to reach Valerion before it’s too late?"

All eyes turned toward the Empress then. She finally stepped back from the mouth of the cave, her expression calm but resolute. "Yes," she said at last, her voice cutting through the tension. "We make for Valerion. Valerion is our hope right now."

Captain Varran nodded. "The roads to the east are treacherous, but there are paths through the hills that the soldiers won’t know. We can move at soon."

Selene frowned. "And if Valerion has fallen too?"

The Empress paused, her gaze lowering toward the small glow of the fire. "Then we find another way to survive," she replied. "But until I see Valerion’s banners torn down, I will not believe it has fallen."

Mirielle tightened her cloak around her shoulders. "It’s settled then."

The Empress walked toward Lucas, she knelt beside him, her hand placed on his forehead to feel his temperature. The Ice Belle hovered protectively, glaring at her for a brief second before settling down again.

"He’s holding on," Lira said gently, kneeling beside her. "He’ll make it, Your Majesty."

The Empress nodded faintly, though her eyes betrayed her worry.

Captain Varran turned toward the entrance again, scanning the horizon. "We’ll need to move soon. I’ll have the men prepare what little supplies we have."

"Do that," the Empress answered.

Nyx stirred the fire and sighed. "Let’s just hope Valerion still stands," she murmured.

The Empress rose and looked once more toward the east, where the stars were paling before dawn. "Hope," she said quietly, "is all we have left."

When morning finally came, the first rays of light spilled softly over the mountain ridge, turning the mist to gold.

Captain Varran stood at the entrance of the cave, scanning the slopes below as his men checked their gear. His expression was firm, his eyes narrowed against the rising sun. When he turned back toward the group, his voice carried calm authority. "If we travel without rest, we can reach Valerion’s border in forty days...perhaps less if the weather favors us."

Lira adjusted her satchel, looking at him with worry. "If Kenn’s soldiers begin sweeping the hills, they’ll eventually cross our trail."

"They will," Varran replied "But they’ll catch us before night fall if we don’t move now."

The Empress emerged from the cave, her hood drawn over her face, her voice calm despite the fatigue that lined her features. "Then we move. Every moment we linger gives Kenn more time to tighten his grip. Valerion is our only chance."

The loyalists gathered their few belongings and joined the company as the sun crept higher, turning the slopes amber and gold. Though most were weary and battered, there was a quiet determination among them, a will to keep moving despite the uncertainty of what lay ahead. Theron took charge of them, his voice low but firm as he gave out quiet instructions, ensuring everyone was accounted for and ready. He moved among them like a silent guardian, his presence keeping them calm and focused.

Captain Varran stood at the forefront with his hand resting lightly on his sword hilt. He had assumed full command of the escort, his tone composed yet commanding. "We travel light," he said, addressing both guards and loyalists.

At his signal, two of the Valerion scouts slipped ahead into the forest, their forms vanishing swiftly between the trees. They would range ahead, mark the safest routes, and bring word back before dusk. Every few hours, they were to return with updates...reports on patrols, terrain, or anything that might endanger the group’s progress.

Two of the Valerion guards stepped forward, lifting Lucas carefully onto the makeshift carrier they had fashioned from poles and cloaks. The Ice Belle hovered close, her soft hum cutting through the cold air as she drifted beside him like a guardian spirit. His face was still pale, but his breathing was steadier now...a small mercy that kept them moving with renewed purpose.

Selene and Lira walked beside the carrier as they began their descent, while Nyx and Mirielle took the rear, watching for any movement along the ridges. The Empress and Seraphine moved quietly between them.

The main body began its slow descent from the mountainside, weaving between boulders and thickets, staying out of open sight. The loyalists followed closely behind the Valerion guards, while Theron took the rear guard position, watching for any signs of pursuit. His eyes swept the ridge above, every shadow and movement scrutinized with a soldier’s caution.

"Let us move swiftly," The Empress said to Varran as the path narrowed ahead. "Our spirit must not die, I’ll be back to take Lechia as it is rightfully mine."

Varran bowed his head slightly. "Then we will see you safely to Valerion, Your Majesty. Even if it takes every last one of us."