CHAPTER 212: FLEETING SERENITY

Outside the Az Tunnel, the sun was on the ascent.

It has been five hours since Hal and the others began marching towards the other end of the dark stretch, yet the light at the other end of the tunnel still couldn’t be seen.

Everyone, including those who were well-trained physically, was exhausted.

They’d only rested one time for twenty minutes.

Aside from that, nothing.

The Augurs of the Thirteenth Regiment tried their best to keep everyone going by using all kinds of buff and rejuvenation spells.

However, it didn’t seem like they would be able to for long, as even they were barely on their toes, their mana running low.

A short young man wearing graded combat goggles finally couldn’t resist and spent a sizable portion of his remaining energy to walk to the head of the pack, shockingly cutting through the formations and passing even the Zephyr Battalion wizards.

Hal and the others from the Chaos Platoon could only look on in confusion as Hao advanced at an unwise pace.

The squadron leader only stopped when he was already in front of Cedar.

The middle-aged, right-hand man was naturally surprised, brows furrowing:

"What?"

"With all due respect, Sir Cedar, we can’t go on like this. We need to rest for a few hours, get some sleep, at least."

Cedar fell silent at the young soldier’s suggestion.

He, too, knew that this was the case.

Even if they made it out of the tunnel, what would they do?

Walk more until they die doing so?

But if they stopped to rest, death might also await them on the other end.

He can’t fail Zephyron...

In all honesty, Cedar already didn’t know what to do, and this advice from the courageous young soldier was what he needed.

"Brat, you dare tell Sir Cedar what to do?!" erupted one of the utterly spent Zephyr Battalion wizards.

It was difficult to keep hold of one’s emotions in such a state, and Hao understood that.

He merely adjusted his combat goggles out of habit and ignored the older wizard.

"It’s fine," waved Cedar, stopping the wizard from bursting once more. "I agree. I believe we need to rest."

The expressions of the wizards of the Thirteenth Regiment, the Prospect Platoons, and a good portion of the Zephyr Battalion brightened, a spark of hope in their eyes.

Some of them were quite literally about to collapse.

It was unknown whether a few hours of rest would do the job, but for sure...

For sure it would help.

"However, do note that we’d be increasing the risk of encountering our pursuers outside the tunnels." The right-hand man suddenly continued, "Even so, rest is required, and we shall stop for six hours. Everyone, rest up."

Cedar was an elite wizard.

If he wasn’t detecting any danger inside the tunnel, then it must be safe.

Nonetheless, he planned to switch with his direct comrades—the other members of Zephyron’s cohort—in keeping watch.

His rest shall be a bit shorter than the others.

It was the responsibility of the commander to ensure the safety of his troops, after all.

With Cedar’s words, the Imperial Army Wizards lightly sighed in utter relief, quickly choosing a spot and lying down to sleep.

Some didn’t even make an effort and directly slept on the ground where they initially stood, dirt making direct contact with the backs of their heads and sides of their faces.

They didn’t have the energy to give a single damn.

Before even two minutes had passed since the much-needed order, a majority of the soldiers were already asleep, including Hal and Ennya.

The last effort the midget did was to approach Hal and sleep beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Perhaps slightly for comfort, but more so for peace of heart.

It was difficult to relax in such a situation, after all, tired as one might be.

As a result, the two Magna Prospects from Poporo were able to rest quite well.

Ennya’s presence also eased Hal’s uncertain heart.

A serene and somewhat cozy atmosphere soon enveloped the air, replacing the somberness, even if only temporarily.

Once they wake, they shall continue their journey.

...And mayhaps face the consequences of resting.

Cedar remained awake for two hours before switching with another of his comrades, finally getting a much-deserved and needed break for himself.

But then, before he could drift off to dreamland, the wind trembled.

Cedar and Rowan, the only two awake at that moment and were highly sensitive to changes around them, sensed the disturbance of footsteps.

Quite a number—at least around three hundred.

Their hearts sank.

The soldiers were in the middle of resting, and they weren’t in any condition to do battle.

To make matters worse, Zephyron wasn’t with them.

The Zephyr Battalion was also spent, both physically and mentally, having lost half of their long-time comrades in the battle earlier.

’Damn it!’ Cedar cursed inwardly, springing to his feet with the wind’s assistance in the next moment.

"Rowan!" he called out in a whispering voice, unwilling to disturb the resting soldiers yet.

The two of them shall scout the power of the opposition first.

They were still quite some distance away, anyway.

In the next moment, both Rowan and Cedar vanished into the wind.

The two advanced under the covers of invisibility, traveling in complete darkness.

They navigated their way and confirmed each other’s position through the changes of the winds surrounding them.

After all, Rowan and Cedar couldn’t allow themselves to be detected.

They weren’t Zephyron, and three hundred Fellkin Warriors were too much for them to handle.

Scouting the enemies out while they were still far was the extent of what they could do.

They walked, and walked, and soon, firelights emerged on the horizon, and the force’s identity came into view.

Rowan and Cedar’s eyes widened at what they saw.

A few hundred meters in front of them were humans wearing the same uniform as the Thirteenth Regiment—the only difference being the embroidered badge, which read "Fourteenth."

The ones marching nearer, with a small force of three hundred, weren’t from the fell race.

They were the comrades Rowan and Cedar desperately wanted to rendezvous with.