Soul of Searing Steel

Panda Novel

Starfall Year 831, the 24th of December, North Moldova, Dark Forest Fortress.

The Dark Tide had disappeared, the Berserk Daemons that gathered there killed each other and stained the white snow around the fortress with purplish-red blood.

After confirming that most of the daemons returned to the depths of the forest, the fortress fell into a joyful triumph. The soldiers had been mentally drained during the long fight; even if they were given a few days’ rest, they were still unable to loosen up. With the news of the Dark Tide being quelled, the soldiers were finally able to relieve their stress, and laughter was heard from the frozen towers.

The snow in front of the houses was swept away swiftly and red flags of victory were hung up. Even those who lost their father or son cried tears of joy that they had finally won.

Even though their faces were soaked with tears, they still let out a victorious cry.

The violet-haired countess, Vale Dani passed orders that by evening there would be a huge feast to celebrate the end of the war. Anyone could join and the food was all free, everyone was permitted to drink to their heart’s content until the next day.

In this mystical world, tasks were completed more efficiently. With the help of Iron and Silver-tier knights, piles of firewood were piled up and tables were set. The roasting grill and barrels of wine were in place. The two flagpoles in the center of the fortress were hung with Scarlet family’s flag of a hexagram with red and gold linings and the other one is Radcliffe family’s flag which was the wielded swords with black and gold linings.

Time flew by fast and all the preparations were done and now is just have to wait for evening. The prismatic lights lit up the whole square and the firewood have been lit up too. The whole fortress was shining brightly like a bright star at night. The vegetables, seasoned meats were prepared and all the people had been sitting there tired but happy.

The dark sky was cloudless and there were twin moons shining down the land along with bright stars; the purplish blue sky was a beautiful sight. Under this sky, the fortress master Vale Dani walked towards the high platform looking at her citizens.

At this moment, she breathed in and her expression changed continuously as she remembered the harsh memories of the battle and the wait for reinforcements. After a while, she calmed herself down and smiled while giving her speech.

“There will be no need for words, my brave warriors, celebrate this victorious battle!”

Before Vale Dani walked down the platform, her people had started cheering, “Bless the victory! Long live my lady! Long live the celebration!”

There were some that lifted their cups and shouted, “A toast to our reinforcements!”

The high spirits elevated along with the bonfire burning vigorously and emanated golden-red flames. Everyone was in a good mood, celebrating with joy.

The countess walked away from the platform and entered a beautiful house across the city square.

She opened the main gate and went to the second floor where she went into a big hall. In the hall, there was a glowing stone carved out from the blue crystal that looked so fine and elegant. The glow-stone from the ceiling gave out a mysterious glow that spread through the surroundings.

Along the hall, there was a medium-wide table where she could see two men sitting, one was dark-haired while the other had golden hair. Both of them had a cup in their hands and they were chatting.

“Joshua, where did you hear this word from?”

The golden-haired swordsman with red eyes answered with a soft voice, “Since that time, when I reach the depths of the Holy Guardian’s Dual Blades of Order, I found it astounding!”

“It came to my mind out of a sudden.”

With his left hand wrapped up after being treated by the priest, the flesh on black-haired warrior’s shoulder had regrown a bit. Although his bones had yet to regrow, he could still move with the help of Combat Aura. “I guess it must be a message left by the Azurite.”

Joshua used his right hand and drank down the booze and as the scorching feel goes down his throat said, “It can also be a blessing from the Sages.”

If the officials were seen as gods, they might as well be real Sages.

“So did the Azurite tell you anything more?”

Brandon seemed to accept the unreliable explanations and he said stiffly, “Do you really know the deep meaning of the words? Please forgive me for rushing because these are the words used by the Sages during the Glorious Era. It is a long lost language, even the Imperial Royal Mage Guild is still doing preliminary decoding. Your knowledge of this matter will be of great advantage to us!”

“The Azurite did not tell me anything more and I only understood its basic meaning.”

Joshua shook his head and he did not dare to tell him that the reason for him to know this phrase is from pre-existence when Brandon attacked the Dark Abyss and slew the Demon Lord of Gluttony. This event was broadcasted as the official trailer of Continental War’s fourth expansion. The incantation for the release of divine items was not long and it sounded cool. Seven out of ten players knew this incantation well and Joshua remembered it because it is used by one of the strong characters.

His memory of things was sometimes useful in strange places.

Just as Brandon asked Joshua those questions and he had no idea how to explain to him, Vale Dani walked in and sat beside Brandon, clinging to his arms. Brandon ceased asking Joshua anymore after his partner arrived.

Both of them were lovey-dovey whenever they were together.

The celebration of the three Gold-pinnacle tier warriors had started and the silver-haired girl brought in the scrumptious food and presented it on the table. There were vegetables, beast meat, sea delicacies, and soup. After a while, the table was filled up with the food and among them was sizzling roast beef with golden-brown skin. The smell of food filled up the entire room.

“For victory! For friendship! For humanity!”

“Cheers!”

Joshua had a big toast with his friends and quickly helped himself to the feast.

An embarrassing moment was when Vale Dani and Brandon both lay on the table completely drunk. Their bodies and faces were all red and they fell into a deep sleep.

“What? Just after a few cups and they are drunk?”

Joshua with his face slightly red felt amazed with the two Gold-Tier warriors as he looked at three empty barrels beside him. “I thought northerners are good at drinking?”

The fortress had no supply of red wine; all they had were small barrels of dwarves’ wheat liquor. The citizens in the fortress all drank the same liquor but these two were the first ones to get drunk.

Although he knew that his friends did not use magic to get rid of the effects of liquor, the soldiers were also the same. He could now see that their alcohol tolerance compared to others.

Although it is a bit disappointing to drink alone, Joshua called for their servant Yue and she brought both her masters back into the room outside the hall.

After Joshua finished the dishes, he felt bored and he wandered around bringing his liquor along.

The house was brightly lit and the decorations were beautiful, he could see that there were no traces of people going there. It was for greeting guests.

Joshua felt that he deserved to be treated as a guest here as he had rushed from Moldavia all the way here and he even got injured on the way here.

When he was moving around in the house, he heard a familiar sound somewhere not far from there.

“That is why it’s said that the greatsword is the most powerful weapon!”

When Joshua walked into the room he is surprised to see his Divine Armament. The silver-haired girl is sitting on the couch and there was a little girl with gold-haired and red eyes. The little girl was excited without knowing what Ying told her and she said, “Sis, I thought you said magic is the best of all.”

“Do not bother about how others look at you little Florence, you work hard in what you want to be. Everybody forges their own path.”

Ying was different compared to when she always stayed beside Joshua, her face was slightly red and appeared like a priest preaching to a little girl. She clenched her fist and wave it in the air and said, “My master is a warrior and your father is a swordsman there is no class which is the best. It all depends on what a person wants!”

This girl is drunk. No, she is definitely drunk, not only Ying the other little girl is also drunk. Both of them must have quietly sipped some liquor!

Joshua laughed and shook his head, with a simple glance he looked at the little girl. She resembled Brandon and Vale Dani a lot, she had her father’s hair color and pupils. Besides them was another girl with purple hair, who was older than they were. She had fallen asleep and her sleeping posture was of a cat curled up.

“Excuse me sir.”

Behind Joshua came the maid, Yue who had silver hair and blue eyes. In her hand she had a woolen blanket with red flower patterns that seemed comfortable.

She seemed to have come for the little girl who had slept off.

He nodded his head and stepped aside and he did not plan to disturb Ying, he stood there and looked at everything.

Yue was a responsible maid who did not speak much, she gently covered the purple-haired girl with the blanket. She cleaned the plates on the table swiftly and cleanly.

After seeing the things in front of him, Joshua felt warm.

Since Joshua traveled through the dimension, he had changed the lives of many people such as Ying, Vale Dani, Brandon and many other warriors and civilians. They had their lives changed through battle and regained the reason to live. The two girls in front of him were also the same; their mother did not die like pre-existence because of the warrior’s help and they would have a happy childhood.

They might not know, but that was a fact.

Joshua did not mind protecting the weak or changing other people’s life. He also did not mind how others saw him, all he ever wanted was to fight with strong opponents to quench his desire.

However, the life in front of him filled with peace and harmony was not so bad at all.

He walked away from the room and headed towards the window on his side looking down at the celebration. All the soldiers were having a fun time and relaxing, they stuffed food in their mouths whether they were cooked or not.

Through drinking liquor and splashing they forget the hardships they had endured and laughed happily. Some of them who were drunk started to challenge others at arm wrestling, making the atmosphere livelier.

The expressionless Joshua started to have a smile on his face.

Maybe this is the purpose of traveling here?

He shook his head and gave a toast to the moon and drank up, after that he just walked away.

It did no good to think about these trivial matters.

Be it victorious or utter defeat; be it joyful or sorrow in this suspense thrilling world filled with endless battles, as a warrior, to be able to drink was the happiest moment!

The second day, noon.

In front of the Dark Forest Fortress was a group of heavily armored knights with the same silver-white equipment they wore when they first departed. They were in their formation, waiting for their leader’s order.

Joshua on his black warhorse in front of the fortress, he waved at the swordsman and sorceress to tell them goodbye.

The flag of wielded swords with black and gold linings waved in the air and loud cheers could be heard.

The knights received the blessing from the people of the fortress and they started to march home.

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