Chapter 36: Thunderbird’s Chase

Chomp, chomp—chomp!

Should I really call this thing a horse?

The sharp teeth that occasionally showed looked more like those of a predator.

Hyland quickly devoured a piece of meat as big as my thigh.

Then, he flopped down beside the campfire.

He seemed to be in a really good mood.

I sat on the blanket and opened a thin book.

It was a book called The Legend of the Thunderbird.

The Thunderbird is a mythical creature told among the inhabitants of the Hyland Plateau.

It is said to appear with lightning when the blue sky is covered by dark clouds.

Naturally, this bird doesn’t exist in reality, and the stories in this book are just fables told by the Plateau’s people—pure fiction.

I hope no foolish adventurer chases after empty dreams as I tell this tale.

The Thunderbird, despite its ominous image, is depicted as a benevolent creature.

This massive bird sometimes shows itself through the clouds, and it’s believed that seeing it will lead to meeting one’s destined partner.

If, on a day when dark clouds gather, you visit Hyland, you’ll likely see many of the residents running outside in the rain.

Chomp, chomp

As I was reading the fascinating story, Hyland began tapping my body with his large beak.

He must have been bored since I was quietly reading the book.

I sighed and patted his head.

“Why?”

Chomp—

What was he trying to say?

Hyland blinked his large eyes, then turned his head away.

As I stared at him, I realized I hadn’t given him a name yet.

“Hmm…”

There were so many names I could give to this horse.

From fictional horses that existed only in my imagination to names of real racehorses from modern times.

But picking a name that would suit him wasn’t an easy task.

“Sleipnir?”

At the sound of my voice, Hyland simply flapped his ears but showed no other reaction.

It seemed he didn’t like the name.

“Torrent?”

Again, nothing.

I sighed deeply and held my head.

“Rational Selection? Gemini? Zelda?”

This time, Hyland seemed to really dislike the name, as he swung his tail forcefully.

The dust from the sand was sent swirling into the air.

“Then how about Rice Shower…?”

Chomp—!

What a picky creature.

I sighed deeply and muttered a name that seemed suitable.

“Nightmare.”

At that moment, Hyland’s tail shot up into the sky.

Unlike before, it swayed gently, so it seemed he liked this name.

“Do you even know what that name means?”

Probably not.

Hyland, or rather Nightmare, continued to wag his tail and roll around on the dirt ground.

I lay down and gazed up at the sky.

Sleepiness was slowly creeping up on me.

I pulled the sword beside me into my arms and spoke.

“I’m going to sleep, so wake me up if any monsters get close.”

Did he understand?

Nightmare blew his hot breath toward the campfire with a calm look on his face.

Whoosh— Whoosh—

The hot air made the flames dance wildly.

Thud… thud… thudthud…

I heard faint sounds in my semi-sleep state.

At that moment, something hot brushed across my face.

“Ugh…!”

Startled, I opened my eyes and saw Nightmare’s bright red eyes staring down at me.

Confused, I blankly stared up at him, and he stuck out his long tongue to lick my face again.

“Ugh…”

The hot, sticky sensation of his tongue was not pleasant.

I grimaced and stood up, only to have Nightmare blow a rough breath out.

Phew—!

“What’s going on?”

Nightmare answered with action.

He started pawing the ground and focused on a particular spot.

It was as if he was staring at an enemy in that direction.

I placed my hand on my sword and looked in the same direction.

My blurred vision slowly focused, and I could make out a group running through the wasteland.

The pale moonlight reflected off their armor as they charged toward us, looking like knights on horseback.

“What’s this…?”

A sense of unease washed over me, and suddenly the words of the stable merchant came to mind.

‘Greed makes people’s vision clouded, and that’s especially true for a young girl like you…’

I quickly began packing my things.

Nightmare seemed to anticipate what was coming, as his breathing grew even harsher.

His massive muscles twitched, and his stiff black mane stood on end.

Once I had gathered all my belongings, Nightmare lowered his back in readiness.

I swiftly jumped up onto his back.

“Run!”

The moment my command ended, Nightmare took off, becoming a blur of wind.

My heart started racing as the unexpected chase began.

Thud~! Thud~! Thud—!

Every time Nightmare’s legs struck the ground, a heavy resonance echoed through the air.

I had no doubt that Nightmare would easily shake off the pursuit.

After all, he was a purebred Hyland.

However, despite Nightmare’s relentless speed, the gap between us and our pursuers didn’t seem to widen.

Through the swirling dust, the silhouettes of the chasing horses appeared in my line of sight.

The riders were as massive as Nightmare, their muscles bulging like they were about to burst.

Their eyes were bloodshot, veins popping out, and white foam was dripping from their mouths.

They were 3rd or 4th generation Hyland horses, but they looked anything but normal.

Nightmare raced at full speed, heat radiating from his body and hot air billowing from his nostrils.

But still, the gap between us and the pursuers continued to shrink.

I glanced back over my shoulder and began to move my mana.

Kiiing!

The sound of the mana circle spinning only reached my ears, and at that moment, white stars began to appear around me.

Pure mana, gathered together.

A simple magical attack, one that utilized basic physical force.

Ten magic missiles materialized in the air.

I sent the ten stars flying behind me.

Babababam—!

“Uagh!”

“Keugh!”

The white light of the missiles caused the soldiers, riding their horses, to fall off.

However, only a few soldiers were knocked off their mounts.

The knight in the lead swung his sword, deflecting all the missiles.

I frowned. The knight shouted something, but due to the speed we were moving, I couldn’t make out the words.

To shake him off, I needed something stronger.

Kiing!

The moment I made my decision, the mana circle spun again.

Rumble—!

A huge sound suddenly echoed, and dark clouds began to gather in the sky, which had been shining with stars and moonlight.

The movement was unusually swift, and before I knew it, Nightmare and I were running through the black clouds.

Thud— Thud— Thud—!

The sounds of our pursuers faded away, and even the wind around us fell silent.

All I could hear were the powerful hooves of Nightmare and his rough breathing.

In that moment, a massive flash of light matched Nightmare’s hoofbeats.

“Ah…”

I opened my mouth in a daze.

The creature that appeared with the light was a giant bird, its silent wingbeats creating blue lightning.

Crack—!

The sound that followed shook my eardrums.

I squeezed my eyes shut and clung tightly to Nightmare’s neck.

Crack—!

The lightning struck frequently, and the bright light flickered through my closed eyelids, sending a sharp sensation throughout my body.

How much time passed in that state?

Suddenly, I realized that the wind sound had returned.

Thud thud thud!

I blinked and looked around.

The dark clouds that had enveloped us were completely gone, and the pursuers who had been chasing us were also nowhere to be seen.

The sky and surroundings were filled with light once again.

Nightmare swiftly galloped through the space between the stars and moonlight.

“Thunderbird…”

I muttered absently, recalling the storybook I had packed away in my bag.