The journey had been long, the wagons rocking gently along the dirt roads, the steady creak of the wheels blending with the muffled voices of the soldiers inside. The air smelled of old wood and dust, the enclosed space carrying the warmth of bodies packed together for hours. But now, the movement had ceased. The wheels had stilled.
They had arrived.
Ria let out a quiet breath, rolling her shoulders to shake off the stiffness in her limbs. The moment the wagon door unlatched, she was the first to step out, boots hitting solid ground with a dull thud. The warm breeze immediately greeted her, sweeping across the open land, tousling her hair as she surveyed the area. The sky stretched endlessly above them, painted in soft blues and wisps of white clouds. The grassland ahead was vast, rolling in gentle waves as far as the eye could see, untouched by the presence of man or beast.
"SOLDIERS! WE HAVE ARRIVED!" Ria's voice cut through the stillness, sharp and commanding.
Inside the wagon, Rynan exhaled slowly, running a hand over his uniform to straighten it. His thoughts were elsewhere, lost in the weight of the upcoming task. Their patrol route covered a massive portion of the land outside the capital, and while it was only a fraction of the territory, the sheer scale of it was overwhelming. The capital itself was colossal, easily comparable to the size of Texas, while the entire nation of Ylza spanned a landmass larger than the United States. Their assigned area alone stretched for 58,872 kilometers—vast, daunting, and now eerily quiet.
"Alright, you guys can step out now." Ria's voice pulled him from his thoughts. She had stepped aside, allowing space for them to exit.
"Yes, ma'am!" Rynan and Leo replied in perfect unison, their voices crisp and automatic.
Ria flinched. A deep frown settled on her lips as she watched them move past her.
'I really hate it when Ryn calls me "MA'AM"… Call me by my name, idiot…' she thought bitterly, her fingers twitching at her sides.
Leo was the first to hop down, his boots hitting the ground with a dull thud. Rynan followed, stepping out into the open air. The sunlight was soft against his skin, the warmth a welcome contrast to the long hours inside the wagon.
Around them, the rest of the soldiers had also disembarked, their movements slowing as they took in the scenery.
It was vast. Open. An endless sea of green stretched before them, rolling hills rising and falling in gentle slopes. The grass moved with the rhythm of the wind, each blade catching the golden light like rippling waves. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of earth and the distant whisper of movement. But there were no trees. No buildings. Just open land and sky—an untouched, quiet expanse that felt both peaceful and unnerving at the same time.
One by one, the groups began splitting off, each assigned to a different section of the land. Their formations spread evenly, covering their designated patrol zones with calculated precision. Each group carried a single emergency flare—bright red—meant to signal distress should anything go wrong. If ignited, the nearest team would be required to provide backup immediately.
Rynan's group was assigned to the east.
And the further they walked, the more unsettling the silence became.
Leo adjusted his grip on his weapon, the weight of it grounding him as an uneasy shiver crawled down his spine.
'There's literally nothing here… Too quiet. It's creepy…' he thought, forcing himself to swallow the discomfort.
The wind whispered softly, brushing against their uniforms, but the land remained undisturbed. Not a single sign of movement. Not a single rustle in the grass.
The unease settled deep in Rynan's chest. He glanced at Ria.
"Commander, is it normal for there to be no monsters roaming around?" he asked, keeping his voice even, though his mind gnawed at the thought. 'This could be related to the visions I had last night…'
Ria blinked, as if snapping out of a daydream. "Huh? Oh! Uh… I don't think so. Last time I patrolled this area, there were at least ten—maybe twenty—ogres to fight."
Her voice was casual, unbothered by the lack of enemies.
But her thoughts? Completely different.
'CALL ME BY MY NAME, IDIOT!!!'
Rynan nodded absentmindedly. "Oh… Thanks."
His mind churned.
The absence of monsters meant something. He didn't know what yet, but the pit in his stomach told him it wasn't good.
And as the silence stretched around them, untouched by movement or sound, the unease only deepened.
Something was wrong.
And whatever it was—it was not safe.