The Moonlight Swordsman

The winding path along the mountains proved to be a challenge for the group as they carefully made their way through the steep and narrow trail.

The horses moved slowly, their riders on high alert, their weapons drawn, ready for unexpected situations or possible monster attacks.

Aizel's mind raced with ideas about the probable type of monster that could come into the area as he followed the group along the twisty and steep trail.

He evaluated the possibility of a flying creature while keeping his weapon ready, just like the rest of the group.

Aizel and the company met no dangers or obstacles as they went along the path. A deep valley in the distance appeared, signaling they were getting closer to their objective.

As he peered out at the immense expanse of the deep valley, Aizel couldn't help but experience a sense of awe tinged with fear.

His gaze was drawn to the horizon, which was framed by tall, rugged peaks. The mountains stood like sentinels on the horizon, their jagged edges looming menacingly.

A huge pit yawned wide in the valley's heart, like a mouth waiting to gobble anyone who dared approach. The abyss seemed to reach down into the earth's core, its black depths a warning of the dangers that lay within.

It was as if a gateway to hell had opened up in front of him, luring him closer with each passing second.

"Do you know where the treasure is, kid?" One of the men who had yellow teeth asked while smiling creepily.

Aizel's heart sank as he saw the dark pit in front of him. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of anxiety in his stomach as he cursed Vespara for luring him into this perilous location with the promise of a magical artifact.

If only he had known what he was getting into, he would have steered clear of this foreboding valley. This was certainly not a place for a Grade II mage to recklessly venture into.

"Now kid, either you can go deep into the abyss or give us everything you have on you and come back to the village safely,"

Aizel's focus was solely on the seemingly endless abyss before him, and he completely tuned out the group's discussion.

He couldn't escape the terrible feeling of dread that had crept up on him, and he found himself unable to focus on anything but the pit's unfathomable depth.

"Oye, kid, are you listening?"

"Why did Vespara send me here? When I asked her about the Fangspire mountain, she clearly stated I would die if I went there now."

"Kid, I am giving you five seconds."

"If she mentioned this place, then surely she believes I will come out alive."

"You fucker! How dare you ignore me," the man said in rage.

The group abruptly turned and moved in Aizel's direction with their weapons drawn as Aizel was deep in concentration. Quickly summoning his sword, Aizel prepared to defend himself.

The first attacker swung his sword with considerable force, but Aizel effortlessly parried it and kicked the man in the stomach, knocking him back.

Aizel intercepted the second attacker's dagger with his sword and delivered a strong punch to the man's jaw, knocking him out cold.

The remainder of the group surrounded him, but Aizel outpaced them. He easily deflected their strikes and delivered rapid, strong blows that knocked them all to the ground.

Panting slightly, Aizel looked at his defeated opponents and wondered if he should go down the abyss or not. He knew it was dangerous and possibly a one-way trip, but he also knew it was his only chance to retrieve the magic artifact.

"Let's try. If I die, I will hunt down Vespara as a ghost." Aizel reached his decision after some thought.

Aizel searched for the fallen attackers and found their storage rings. He examined them to see if they contained anything important.

Unfortunately, only two of them had storage rings, and they held nothing more than a few meager gold coins and some stale bread.

*Tsk*

"They are even poorer than me,"

After that, he traveled towards the deep abyss and it only took a few minutes. He approached the chasm with caution, his eyes examining the surroundings for any signs of danger. He activated his mana sense, broadening his awareness in order to detect any potential threats.

His heart raced with each step bringing him closer to the edge, and his palms began to sweat. He couldn't shake the impression that something was lurking in the shadows, ready to strike.

"Let's see how deep it is." As he peered into the abyss, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The darkness below seemed to stretch on forever, the only sound being the faint echo of his own breathing.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me. Do I really have to jump there?"

Aizel hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should take the risk and descend into the unknown.

After a few minutes of taking in deep breaths and calming his nerves, he finally made up his mind.

Without thinking any further, he took in one big breath and cried out, "Fuck you, Vespara," before leaping into the abyss.

As he fell, the darkness consumed him, and he felt as if he were being swallowed whole by an ancient, malevolent force.

The stink of decay filled his nostrils as the air became cold and dense.

"Man, how deep is this pit?

"What about the landing spot? Wait a minute, how would I know I am reaching the ground to use magic to have a perfect landing?

"Fuck! I need a light," his mind raced with thoughts.

Aizel closed his eyes and imagined a little, bright ball of light illuminating his surroundings. He concentrated his mind and let his mental energies flow.

Soon, a white glow appeared in his palm, gradually rising in size until it filled the space around him with radiance.

"Even though it can't illuminate everything, it is still good enough for now," he sighed.

As Aizel plunged further into the abyss, his brilliant ball of light lit the blackness around him, exposing strange, stony walls that seemed to go on forever.

He looked around for signs of life or danger, but the abyss was deafeningly silent and empty. Aizel couldn't help but worry about how far the abyss extended and what monsters lay within its depths. As he continued to fall into the unknown, he braced himself for whatever might happen.