Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 119 - 119 79 Mage Attack!_2

119: Chapter 79: Mage Attack!_2 119: Chapter 79: Mage Attack!_2 If there were even a sliver of a chance for survival, the youth would not contemplate throwing his life away after finally regaining freedom.

“Split up?” Azeryan, not understanding the situation, was suddenly informed about dividing their group and acted confused.

“Yes, our tracks have already been exposed.

Kovis has a tracking spell set by a mage on him; the enemy will catch up soon.

Someone must divert the mage and the pursuing soldiers’ attention.

But Lokhak’s Urian is a mess.

Letting him escort Miss Elena through Kantadar would worry me.

You take him east and find a new way north back to Orland.”

Tugging at the reins and turning his steed around, Leon asked his companions, “How much money do we have left?”

“Only about fifty gold coins.”

“Give me half, and keep the rest for your use.”

Leon pocketed the pouch full of gold coins and turned to beckon the silent Kovis to follow.

“Are you planning to go with him to divert the mage who’s tracking us?

That’s too dangerous!”

Azeryan, realizing his friend’s intention, frowned deeply.

Knowing his friend did not want to leave him to face danger alone, Leon spurred his horse to move past him, patting his shoulder as he went, “The situation is urgent, let’s not argue.

Just take care of Lokhak and escape; don’t worry, I have a way to save my skin.

See you in Selva.”

Without further explanation, Leon immediately flicked the reins and galloped down the road with Kovis.

…Azeryan pulled on his horse’s head, pacing helplessly in place.

The noble youth looked in the direction Leon and Kovis had left.

He then looked at the other path where another companion and Lady Irena were heading.

There was no room for hesitation.

Since his companion had decided to split up to draw away the pursuers, it was clear that Lokhak, with his language barrier, needed his help more.

“You must…

come back alive.”

Azeryan clenched his teeth and turned his horse to catch up with Elena and her brother.

…

The clatter of horse hooves thundered down the pockmarked trail, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Two steeds raced past, one after the other.

“Can you remove your own tracking spell?” Leon asked over his shoulder, fighting exhaustion, shouting to the golden-haired youth following him.

“It’s difficult!

I need a long time to slowly dilute the structure of the mark with my magic power, at least twenty or thirty days.” Kovis replied, growing more frustrated.

He had not noticed the magic technique Emmon had surreptitiously left on him, which must have been applied in partial strokes over time, not completed in a single moment.

“No problem, as long as it can be removed.” Leon sighed in relief before continuing, “Is there another town nearby?”

“I remember this road on the map leading to a small village nearby,” Kovis recalled from the embassy documents, but after speaking, he became even more puzzled.

“Leon, where exactly are you taking me?”

“As soon as we get to the village, I’ll buy you two more horses.

If this one can no longer run, switch immediately.

If we come across another settlement on the way, buy another.

You must keep up with my mount’s pace, and we’ll head north at full speed until we enter Panglos Forest!”

Leon looked ahead once more, informing the golden-haired youth of their destination.

“Panglos Forest?

…Panglos…

do you mean the largest spirit-like field within Kantadar’s borders on the north side of the map?” Kovis cried out in shock.

“Ah?

You call it a ‘spirit-like field’ too?”

Hearing the youth behind him use an ancient term that sounded almost exactly the same as Miss Lora’s, Leon turned around in surprise.

The youth on the horseback shook his head, “It’s not me, Mage Atiyas calls that dangerous territory a ‘spirit-like field,’ wait…

you want to go into the spirit-like field?

Are you insane?”

“What?

Is it dangerous?”

Seeing Kovis’s reaction only reassured Leon.

“Of course!!”

The golden-haired youth looked at him as if he were seeing someone desperate and cornered: “Without a Great Mage of the ‘Magic Guide’ ranking from the Empire leading us, two ordinary mortals entering the spirit-like field—isn’t that the same as suicide?

Have you not heard the legends of the Cursed Land in the Western Continent?”

“Ha ha, it’s good that you think it’s dangerous, danger is just what we need!

From what you’re saying, the guy chasing you definitely wouldn’t dare follow us in there; now I’m relieved.”

Leon laughed ahead, “Speed up, once we reach Panglos Forest, I’ll lead you across the Cursed Land!”

“What!?”

Kovis’s golden eyes widened, listening to the other’s outrageous claims, unsure how to react…

He simply buried his head and pushed on.

Sure enough, not long after turning north onto the main road, Leon spotted the small town of Kantadar ahead.

He found the market, and with no bargaining involved, he had Kovis, who was fluent in Urian language, purchase some spare Riding Beasts.

Despite the raw soreness of their inner thighs from the long journey, they dared not stop to rest and set out on the journey north once more.

It was a frantic escape for several more hours.

By the time it was nearing dusk, Leon could hardly feel the skin on the inside of his legs.

If it weren’t for Kovis stepping up halfway and casting healing magic to revitalize him, Leon would have almost collapsed from exhaustion off his horse.

In the meantime, Kovis had already changed mounts several times.

The fine Urian steeds they had bought for a hefty price from the Western Port had been abandoned because they could no longer move due to exhaustion.

The average steeds they purchased in various towns along the way had collapsed one after the other.

Even the powerful noble warhorse beneath Leon was now panting and visibly struggling to move its hooves.

If this valiant black steed were fortunate enough to make it back to Selva alive, it would not recover the lost condition and internal injuries in less than two or three months.

Finding a water source, both men stopped in the wilderness and allowed their horses to rest.

Leon, with a face as tired as Kovis’s, inquired about the landmarks he noticed along the way.

After some calculations, they had traveled nearly four hundred kilometers from the Western Port since last night and should not be far from the vicinity of Panglos Forest.

At that thought, Leon couldn’t help but glance at the top-tier warhorse lying on the ground, panting, and was impressed.

That stamina, was it on par with the Red Rabbit from the tales of his past life?

A little more, and it would have achieved the feat of traveling a thousand li in a single day.

No wonder it was so exorbitantly priced.

If they could make it back safely this time, he would give it a name.

Red Rabbit…

Black Rabbit?

No, Black Rabbit was too silly; it would have to be Black Steed.

Sitting on the ground, lost in his thoughts, Leon accepted food and a water skin from the blond youth.

“Shall we rest on the spot for the night?” Kovis asked, sitting beside him.

“No, we must keep going, leading the horses.

We can’t stop.” Leon shook his head, not daring to stop before entering the spirit-like field.

After they had eaten their fill and patiently fed the horses their ration, Leon coaxed and pulled the stubborn steed off the ground by force.

They continued on before nightfall, heading towards the great forest to the north.

Leon took out a torch in preparation for lighting it after nightfall.

He led the horse through the rugged wilderness, stepping deeply and shallowly.

“——Tch!”

Suddenly, he heard Kovis make a painful shriek from behind, and Leon quickly turned around.

He saw the youth reaching for his shoulder, as though enduring a sudden onset of severe pain.

“What’s wrong?”

“The rune on my back…

it’s burning painfully…

The magic elements in my body are reacting…

Not good, Emmon might be nearby!

Get on the horse!” Kovis’s smooth forehead broke out in a cold sweat.

Not daring to take any chances, Leon immediately stepped onto the stirrup and swung onto the horse’s back.

As soon as he was firmly seated, he glanced to the side and, seeing the blond youth enduring the pain and climbing onto his mount, he urged the horse into a wild gallop.

“Hyah!”

Leon shouted to drive the weary warhorse faster.

Kovis behind him was also desperately whipping his mount.

The whooshing sound of the wind was faintly audible, and as Leon looked up to find the source of the sound in the sky, he finally saw a mass of fiery clouds overhead, and wings flitting by.

His keen eyesight allowed him to discern that atop the flying beast that resembled a downsized Griffin, a man in a black robe with a magic wand glowing red in his hand.

(Lorelette Language) “….

Devouring Body Snake, Burning Fire!…

Bind my enemy!!”

Jun Ying, from the sky, took a dive upon its master’s command.

Emmon’s eyes were filled with rampant, blazing light.

He brandished the magic wand, and its gem spewed out rings of molten lava.

Those lava rings formed a spiral of a solid flame serpent’s head, shooting towards Kovis, the target of the spell!