On the morning of February 19, one kilometer east of West Pillar Mountain, the ground began to tremble. Moments later, hundreds of Magic Rats crowded around a house-sized High-Rank Rat as they fled toward Pillar Mountain.
The High-Rank Rat panted as it lumbered along, then stretched out its head and bit down on a Mid-Rank Magic Rat beside it. With all its strength, it flung the smaller rat behind itself.
The giant rat left a wide path through the forest. Soon, a group of Knights rode around the Mid-Rank Magic Rats lying on the ground, leisurely following the swarm.
Though there were only twenty-five riders, every one of them was clad in armor and armed with weapons. Wind School and Fire School magic elements gathered overhead, above ten Mid-Rank Black-Scaled Horses and ten Low-Rank Black-Scaled Horses, and sliced through the branches above them.
The two Elf-descendants riding in front felt their magic was replenished. They immediately nocked arrows and sent two streaks of fire into the swarm up ahead.
"Aw-aw! Aw!"
Hearing the cries of pain in the distance, Neil, at the head of the group, grinned and said to the Elf-descendant beside him, "Knight Wendu really is a master archer!"
"Hey, these Black-Scaled Horses deserve the credit," said Wendu, a Senior Knight, joining in the praise. "I wouldn't be able to fire shot after shot without them."
On Neil's other side, Saffron Helen, the Silver Knight leading the group, shouted, "Find a way to change the rats' direction! They're about to enter West Pillar Mountain's territory!"
"Leave it to me!" another Mage shouted, then traced a Magic Pattern across his chest.
In an instant, scarlet magic elements streamed from the horses' flanks and gathered above the Mage. A huge Fireball sped forward on the wind and exploded less than