Chapter 13: The SkyWing Tribe
It was the fourteenth day of their adventure.
Kurtz and Serie encountered the SkyWing Tribe.
This was a humanoid race blessed by the Goddess of Creation herself, distinguished by the magnificent, feathered wings that sprouted from their shoulders.
To Kurtz's eyes, they resembled nothing so much as the angels from his world's religious mythology.
This Skywing tribe member was soaring high above when she spotted the two travellers on the ground below. She immediately banked into a steep dive toward them, her powerful wings cutting through the afternoon air with predatory grace.
Kurtz's battle instincts kicked in immediately. The sight of a winged humanoid diving at them from above triggered every survival reflex he'd developed during months of wilderness travel.
His hand moved instinctively toward his staff, magical energy already beginning to gather at his fingertips.
Fortunately, Serie caught his wrist before he could complete the casting.
"Wait," she said calmly. "Theoretically, elves and the Skywing Tribe are allies."
Pure white wings spread wide to catch the air, and the female Skywing member executed a perfect landing just a few paces away from them. Her approach was controlled and graceful, betraying no hostile intent despite the dramatic nature of her arrival.
She wore form-fitting silver armour that seemed to flow like liquid metal across her lithe frame. Light golden hair cascaded past her shoulders, catching the sunlight, while her blue eyes regarded them with curiosity and perhaps a hint of surprise.
"Elves?" Her voice carried a musical quality that seemed natural to her species. She frowned slightly as her gaze shifted to Kurtz.
"And a... human? What an unusual travelling arrangement."
The fact that she immediately recognised his species sent a spike of excitement through Kurtz's chest. Finally, someone who knew what humans were!
He stepped forward eagerly, barely containing his enthusiasm. "Hello, we're travellers exploring the continent. May I ask where you've encountered other humans?"
"A human and an elf travelling together? How remarkably rare."
The Skywing woman murmured the observation more to herself than to them, completely ignoring Kurtz's question.
She folded her magnificent wings against her back with practised ease, the pure white feathers gleaming like polished marble in the afternoon sunlight.
"I am Lia, serving as messenger for my tribe. Have you encountered a dwarven village during your travels? Its Chief is named Amuro."
Kurtz and Serie exchanged meaningful glances. Serie stepped forward to respond, her tone carefully neutral.
"You'll reach it by flying eastward for approximately half a day."
"My gratitude." Lia spread her wings again, preparing for immediate departure.
Kurtz shot a desperate look at Serie, silently pleading for her intervention. Understanding flashed in the elf's golden eyes, and she spoke before Lia could take flight.
"If you don't mind my asking, what business do you have with these dwarves?"
Lia paused, considering the question. After a moment, she apparently decided there was no harm in sharing information with an elven ally.
"It seems you haven't received word yet. The Skywing Tribe, the elves, and the dwarves have formed a formal alliance to begin systematic elimination of the demonic beast populations. Currently, we're assisting the newly crowned Dwarf King in reuniting the scattered dwarven clans across the world."
The explanation hit both travellers like a thunderbolt.
The sheer number of demonic beasts roaming the continent had reached crisis levels, severely threatening the survival of every civilised race.
The situation had grown desperate enough to force traditional enemies into cooperation against their common threat.
Serie's expression tightened with concern. She hadn't expected such dramatic developments to occur so soon after her departure from the Elf Forest.
The implications were staggering; this alliance represented a fundamental shift in the political landscape of their world.
However, these larger conflicts wouldn't necessarily affect their personal journey. After all, Serie's ultimate goal had never been hunting demonic beasts. Her sights were set on something far more ambitious.
"Regarding the humans you mentioned," Kurtz pressed, trying to keep his voice steady despite his excitement, "where exactly did you encounter them?"
Lia considered the question thoughtfully, clearly searching her memory for details.
"Approximately ten years ago, I observed a small settlement in the Gemer Forest to the west. However, it was quite modest, perhaps only a few hundred individuals. I cannot guarantee they remain in that location."
Her tone carried subtle dismissal, as if humans barely registered as significant in her worldview. They were simply too weak to merit serious consideration from someone of her capabilities.
If she hadn't encountered Kurtz today, she probably wouldn't have bothered remembering that humans existed at all.
"Gemir Forest..." Kurtz repeated the name softly, finally hearing concrete news about his species in this era. The knowledge filled him with anticipation mixed with nervous energy.
Lia spread her wings wide, preparing to launch herself skyward. "If you intend to travel there, I strongly recommend avoiding the Death Swamp. Recent reports indicate demonic creature activity in that region."
The warning carried weight. Demonic creatures were far rarer than ordinary demonic beasts, but infinitely more dangerous. Each one commanded vast hordes of lesser monsters, wielding them like extensions of their own will.
Such entities represented existential threats to any living being unfortunate enough to encounter them.
Serie nodded respectfully. "Thank you for the warning. We'll take appropriate precautions."
Lia launched herself into the air with powerful wingbeats, her pristine feathers catching and scattering the afternoon light like fragments of heaven itself. Before disappearing into the distance, she called down a final blessing:
"May the Goddess of Creation watch over your journey!"
The benediction was entirely appropriate; both elves and the Skywing Tribe revered the Life Goddess as their primary deity. As for Kurtz, Lia probably assumed the Goddess wouldn't withhold her blessings from such a weak and seemingly harmless creature.
Besides, humans appeared to worship no gods at all, which made the entire question irrelevant from her point of view.
In the mythical era, religious blessings carried serious political weight. The phrase "may you receive the Goddess's blessing" could only be spoken between races sharing the same faith.
Offering such words to followers of a rival deity might be interpreted as attempted conversion or religious provocation, either of which could trigger diplomatic disasters or outright warfare.
After Lia's graceful form had vanished into the western sky, Kurtz turned to Serie with barely contained excitement.
"Let's go to the Gemer Forest. It happens to be in the direction we were already heading."
Serie studied Kurtz's eager expression with something approaching sympathy. "The Gemer Forest lies approximately one month's travel from our current position. However, if we detour around the Death Swamp as recommended, the journey could extend to four months total."
"One month direct..." Kurtz stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on the distant mountains that marked their western destination. "Four months with the detour. That is quite a difference."
Previously, when he'd had no specific goals or directions, he'd wandered this world for extensive periods without feeling any particular urgency.
But now that he'd heard concrete news of other humans, a sense of impatience had awakened within him.
Serie idly kicked a small stone with the toe of her boot. "Alternatively, we could simply travel directly through the Death Swamp."
"Didn't that Skywing messenger just warn us about demonic creature activity there?" Kurtz stared at her in amazement.
His survival instincts rebelled against unnecessary risks, even with Serie's considerable power supporting him.
"And?" Serie's lips curved into a distinctly dangerous smile. "It would provide an excellent opportunity for you to experience the terror of demonic creatures firsthand."
"Please spare me that particular educational experience. I seriously doubt my ability to defeat such entities."
Each demonic creature represented the evolutionary culmination of countless absorbed demonic beasts.
Their power levels were presumably beyond anything he could currently handle. Kurtz wasn't confident in his chances.
"Don't worry," Serie said with casual confidence. "You'll have me there to protect you."
Kurtz cast a sideways glance at his supremely self-assured companion. If this statement had come from Serie several thousand years in the future, he might have trusted it completely.
But this Serie, barely a few hundred years old, should probably focus on passing her own trials before taking on legendary threats.
He suddenly remembered something and pulled a yellowed piece of parchment from his travel pack. This was the map Amuro had pressed on him before their departure, though the information it contained was clearly quite ancient.
"There's a smaller path marked here, adjacent to the Death Swamp." He pointed to a faded notation barely visible on the aged document.
"If we use this route for our detour, it might only add two weeks to our journey instead of three months."
Serie leaned in to examine the map more closely, her golden hair brushing against Kurtz's cheek and carrying with it the faint fragrance of forest flowers and morning mist.
She frowned immediately upon closer inspection, easily recognising the telltale signs of age in the document's condition.
"This map contains information from over a century ago," she observed critically.
"Ah, well," Kurtz coughed somewhat embarrassedly.
"It appears to be the same map Amuro used during his own adventuring days. But it should still be reasonably accurate, shouldn't it?" Even as he spoke, his tone carried doubt.
Serie turned to face him directly, her expression skeptical. "As you wish. But if we encounter unforeseen dangers..."
"I understand completely," Kurtz replied with a self-deprecating smile as he shouldered his pack once more.
"I'll immediately take cover behind the mighty Serie. At that time, I humbly request that Lady Serie save my life in recognition of my dedicated service as traveling companion and cook."
Hearing Kurtz's somewhat theatrical declaration, Serie's lips twitched with suppressed amusement.
"Very well," she said with mock solemnity. "I suppose I can protect you when the time comes."
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