Two and a half a day later, the elven army reached the Unwelcoming Heights. However, that is just the start of their real journey.
The Unwelcoming Heights is a mountain range that is about a thousand meters high or more or less three thousand three hundred feet.
The height is not much of a problem since they are using their ships. The problem is that the Unwelcoming Heights is not called as such for no reason.
Whoooooooosssssshhhhhhh!
The winds blew relentlessly.
It is as if they won't let anyone pass through. Furthermore, even Hestia could feel that, for some reason, there is something or someone that's restricting her.
"My lady, what should we do?"
Melandrach approached Hestia with a worried expression.
Meanwhile, Hestia looked at the window and noticed that there is a storm heading towards them.
"Bring the ship as close as possible to each other."
She is not sure if this is a good idea; however, she had a plan in mind.
It does not matter; I will try to protect as many subjects of my Lord as I can.
Despite that, she had other thoughts.
My Lord, I am Goddess that's not for war.
A few more moments, the storm reached them.
WHOOSH!
The wind started blowing on their ship as it was attempting to bring them down. However, Hestia would not let that happen.
"Barrier!"
She took out a Divine crystal and created a barrier. However, she underestimated the wind. It was able to pass through her barrier. Fortunately, it was already weakened to a degree where their ship will not be damaged. After all, back then, Allen reinforced their ships.
…
A day later, they could now see the end of the mountain range. Unfortunately, the Divine energy disappeared in the next moment.
"A day had passed," Hestia mumbled.
WHOOOOOOSSSSSSSSHHHH!
At this moment, the wind had become a lot fiercer.
Crack!
Her barrier cracked which then caused the fierce wind to assault their ships and the elves.
"Dissolve!"
She tried to dissolve the fierce wind but it is not part of her authority which resulted in the speedy consumption of her Divine energy.
This went on for a while until they managed to cross the Unwelcoming Heights.
If not for the fact that this is the closest route, she would have not taken this. At the same time, if the knew that this place is this dangerous, she would have also chosen to take the other routes.
However, there is nothing she could do now.
"My lady, I would like to inquire regarding our destination."
Hestia looked at her drowsily.
"To the Vermillion Horror."
Hearing that, Melandrach's face was plastered with horror.
"My lady, the Vermillion Horror is called as such because a purple vermillion is residing there."
Hestia did not know how to respond, according to the map that Allen gave her, their destination is indeed the Vermillion Horror. Then, on the map, Apophis' image was engraved there.
"My lady, the Vermillion Horror is a place filled with demonic energies."
Hestia also knew that.
In fact, she is having headaches whenever she thought about it.
"That is indeed a problem. Even I am not too sure what to do."
Hearing that, Melandrach fell silent but he did not complain because he knew that their journey is per the instruction of their God of Life and Death.
He knew that this Lord would not abandon the elves to die out there.
At most, he knew that Allen is simply eliminating the unfaithful ones and he was helpless about it. At the same time, he knew that he cannot blame their God of Life and Death.
After that, he then left to consult the Druids about the Vermillion Horror. However, after a while, he came back with a Druid. He and the druid are wearing wide smiles.
"My lady!"
The Druid bowed and greeted Hestia.
"My lady, this is Druid Taredd. He is one of the first few Druids that pledged their loyalty to his lordship."
Melandrach introduced the dark saint to Hestia.
"My lady, the Vermillion Horror will be flooded with Divine energy every five hundred years. And, half a month from now will be the mark of that five hundred years."
Hearing him, Hestia was stunned.
Asgard had become a very strange place. What are the secrets of this realm?
However, in the next second, she inwardly shook his head and put all her thoughts regarding it in the back of her mind.
"In that's the case, well use that time to strengthen our army."
Although she said army, there were only a couple of thousand elves remaining in their group. Half were already wiped by the storm when they passed the Unwelcoming Heights.
Furthermore, their ships are also damaged and need to be fixed.
"Yes, my lady."
…
After two days, Hestia and the elves stopped and prepared for their journey.
They stop not too far away and not too close to the Vermillion Horror.
As of now, the Vermillion Horror is a place filled with demonic energy and looked like a wasteland.
The core of the Vermillion Horror is a volcano.
"How is this possible?"
When they arrived, Taredd was astounded because he could not feel the aura of the vermillion.
He has a piece of equipment used for detection.
"The Purple Vermillion is not here. However, there is another Demon that is residing there. I think that Demon drove the vermillion out of its nest."
"That is Apophis." Hestia's expression is gloomy. However, she did not choose to tell the details in the meantime. "I will tell you the details of our mission a week from now."
Meanwhile, as they landed to prepare and fix their ships and such, Allen also finished stabilizing his power. Hence, his power had soared higher.
While seated on his throne, he summoned a map and studied it.
This is a map which he had created using his authority over the realm.
"Apophis tried to devour the vermillion but the bird managed to escape."