Chapter 18:The Wall and the Road Ahead
Peter was a little caught off guard by the unexpected question, but he quickly realized it was a very good one.He himself had been wondering why such an enormous wooden wall existed seemingly in the middle of nowhere.
Curious, he turned his gaze to Lio, awaiting an answer.Lio also seemed surprised, but after a moment of thought, he replied to Selene.
"Honestly, the palisade doesn't have a single, grand purpose.It mainly helps control the movement of people and goods in both directions—like tracking how many newcomers arrive each year, or how many hunters go out and return.
It also separates the city's zone of influence from lawless territories.Anything that happens beyond the wall isn't subject to city law. Probably the most important role of the wall is to help control and exterminate the creatures living in the northern forests.
Most of the southern forests were cleared during the city's construction, so Ether creatures have nowhere to hide or breed there—it's relatively safe. But even so, caution is wise.
The creatures living in the northern forests usually avoid the wall and don't cause trouble.But sometimes a bigger, braver, or dumber beast gets through.And when that happens... well, it's not pleasant."
At the end of his explanation, Lio's face soured, clearly recalling some unpleasant encounters.
Peter ignored the grimace and concluded that the explanation didn't add much.Sure, the palisade made the southern lands a bit safer and made controlling movement easier... but it wasn't some grand defense. Not what Peter had expected from such a massive structure.
Peter mentally reviewed everything he had learned so far, while half-listening to Selene bombard Lio with questions—about how the palisade was built, the hunter's outpost, and the mine. Lio answered enthusiastically, throwing in lots of extra, unrelated details.
After a while, Peter concluded that while the information was interesting, it wasn't very helpful to their current situation. A little bored, he glanced at the sun's position in the sky and calculated they had about five hours of daylight left.
He thought for a moment about whether he had any useful questions to ask, but nothing came to mind. He waited until there was a natural pause in the conversation between Selene and Lio, then said.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I'd rather reach the city before nightfall.We should probably get moving soon.But I'm sure we'll run into each other again. After all, we're stuck on the same patch of land. I just hope it's under better circumstances."
Lio looked surprised at first but quickly understood and replied,
"True. There's a good chance we'll cross paths again. This part of Ether isn't exactly vast.And as for getting to the city before dark—I fully support that decision. It's about four hours south of here.You'll make it in time."
Peter nodded in acknowledgment and thanks, then bid farewell to the young scout.He motioned for Selene to follow him. She confirmed, but stayed a moment longer to exchange a few words with Lio before quickly catching up with Peter. She looked back one last time, waving goodbye. Lio returned the gesture and disappeared into the wooden hut.
***
The journey continued in silence, broken only after two hours when Peter found a spot suitable for camping. That's when Selene asked,
"Why are we stopping here? We could easily reach the city before nightfall."
Peter placed his bag down on the grass and began setting up the tent as he answered,
"You're right, we definitely could. But I have no intention of entering the city unprepared for a potential fight—and you don't even know the basics of swordsmanship yet."
Peter paused briefly to drive a tent stake into the ground, then continued,
"That's why we're stopping here today. I'm going to teach you the absolute basics of using a sword."
Selene stood frozen for a moment, not knowing how to react. After a few seconds, she answered hesitantly,
"Well... that's great, I guess. So, when do we start?"
Peter finished setting up the tent frame and threw the tent over it before replying,
"Help me finish setting up camp. Once we're done, we'll start the training."
Selene began unpacking her bag, preparing a small spot for a campfire to cook a meal. While doing so, she asked,
"Hey, I have a question. How did you know about the archers inside the hut?"
Peter hesitated, surprised by the question, then answered with a question of his own,
"What do you mean?"
"You know, when we first met the guards today, you asked them to lower their weapons because you didn't want a fight. Then you added that you meant the archers in the hut too," she said while continuing to prepare the firepit.
Peter silently scolded himself for being careless. True, the situation back then required him to use his aspect, but he hadn't intended to reveal its potential to Selene—at least not yet.
"My aspect, remember? It focuses on perception. I noticed movement in the window and figured they were archers aiming at us," he replied, carefully omitting the fact that this didn't fully explain how he had known the exact number of archers.
Still, Selene seemed satisfied with the answer. Peter quickly shifted the conversation by asking,
"And you? What were you talking about with Lio after you stayed behind?"
Selene clearly hadn't expected that question. She flushed slightly but turned her face away to hide it before replying,
"Ah... nothing much. I was just saying goodbye to him."
She kept her answer short. Peter smirked to himself—thanks to his aspect, he had heard every word of their conversation. But he decided to keep that information to himself.
Afterward, Peter and Selene worked quietly to finish setting up camp. Once they were done, Peter told Selene to summon her sword and get ready. He chose a small patch of clearing near the campfire and picked up one of the simpler sticks from the ground. Then he said,
"Alright, stand here and assume the position you think is right to start a fight."
Selene hesitated for a moment, unsure what to do, but under Peter's insistent gaze, she eventually mimicked the stance Peter had taken days ago when he had stood between her and the bandits.
Peter quickly assessed her posture, noting that at least she had a good memory. He made a few quick corrections, tapping her sword with the stick to adjust its height and angle. Then he finally said,
"Okay, now attack me with a downward slash. Let's see where your technique has flaws."
Under Peter's watchful eye, Selene gripped her sword tightly and tried her best to replicate the same slash Peter had performed days ago. Despite her sincere effort, Peter grimaced slightly as he saw her execution and thought to himself:
'Well... this is going to be a long night.'