The son of the God-Emperor in Warhammer Fantasy

Facing the Cyclops, the mature and alluring witch swallowed hard. Despite being at the peak of legendary rank, Veronica still felt an instinctive fear of the creature. This fear wasn't due to its towering stature or muscular build but stemmed from a spellcaster's sensitivity to the Winds of Magic.

Cyclops are a mutated variant of the Minotaur among the Beastmen. During the Chaos energy's corruption of the mortal world, some Beastmen that would typically become Minotaurs underwent further mutation. They grew larger and more robust, but as a trade-off, their intelligence was diminished, and they were left with only one eye. This single eye, a Chaos Eye, granted them poor vision, barely allowing them to discern the outlines and blurry forms of their surroundings. Instead, the Cyclops could vividly perceive the ever-changing Winds of Magic, seeing the vibrant spectrum of the Aethyr.

This peculiar vision made Cyclops especially fearsome to spellcasters. To the Cyclops, a spellcaster stood out like a streetlamp in a dim alley or a morning star in the night sky, becoming a beacon for the creature's predatory instincts. Driven by this, they relentlessly pursued and engaged spellcasters in close combat. With their immense physical strength, acute sensitivity to magic, and formidable magical resistance, Cyclops could overpower most spellcasters, who typically excelled in ranged magical combat but not in melee.

Veronica had once witnessed a Cyclops devour a formal witch in Hockland, crushing her with its jaws. This traumatic memory left a deep impression on her young mind. Thankfully, with Ryan by her side, she took a deep breath and began to chant her spells, readying herself for the battle ahead.

"Roar!" The Cyclops bellowed in fury as it charged out from the farmhouse. Its Chaos Eye locked onto Veronica, and its gaping maw dripped with foul saliva. To the beast, the beautiful witch was a sumptuous feast. After finishing a few armored "cans," it now eagerly anticipated a more delectable meal.

"Looks like we're in for another fight," Ryan said coldly, gripping his warhammer tightly. "We couldn't save these innocent people, but at least we can avenge them."

"Fireball!" Veronica didn't respond to Ryan's words. Instead, she raised her hand, and a large ball of fire element materialized in the air, hurling toward the Cyclops with a scorching trail.

To their surprise, the Cyclops displayed remarkable agility. As soon as Veronica cast the fireball, it sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the spell, which exploded against a wooden house nearby, reducing it to splinters.

"Damn!" Veronica cursed softly, realizing the difficulty of dealing with the Cyclops. Its sensitivity to magic was extraordinary.

She then looked at the ground, seeking an advantage.

Got it!

"Die!" Ryan charged forward, eyes fixed on the enemy. His speed was incredible, and before the Cyclops could fully react, he was at its feet, swinging his hammer at its leg.

"Crack!" The force of Ryan's strike shattered the tree trunk in the Cyclops's hands and continued through to its leg.

"Roar! Pain... Meat... Eat!!" The beast howled as its leg bone fractured. While it sensed overwhelming danger from Ryan, who appeared as a threatening silver light, it still instinctively recognized Veronica as the greater target.

But the Cyclops was no easy opponent. Its robust muscles absorbed much of the impact, and it retaliated by sweeping its massive arm, swatting Ryan away. It then grabbed a large boulder and hurled it at him with all its might. "Crush!"

Ryan's eyes glowed with psychic energy as he muttered a spell, causing his form to burst into countless light fragments. The boulder smashed into the ground where he had been standing, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Before the dust could settle, Ryan reappeared behind the Cyclops, ready for a lethal strike. "Judgment!"

"Heh~" The Cyclops grinned wickedly, revealing rows of sharp teeth. "Simple!"

With a swift pivot, it planted its left foot firmly on the ground and spun its massive body, swinging its right leg to kick Ryan away.

"Ugh~" Ryan grunted, using his hammer to block the blow. The Lady of the Lake's chosen champion realized the Cyclops was more formidable than expected. Its agility and acute awareness of the Aethyr and the Winds of Magic made any attack nearly impossible to hide from it.

But Ryan was undeterred. He adjusted his balance mid-air and landed gracefully. Seizing the moment of the Cyclops's attack recoil, he swung his hammer again. "Skullcrusher!"

Silver energy enveloped the hammerhead, merging lightning and fire. Ryan's powerful blow struck the Cyclops's shoulder, shattering its scapula and sending it sprawling back with a scream. 

The Cyclops's shoulder blade was broken, and it roared in rage. "Human... Kill... Meat... Eat!"

Such injuries might have been fatal to a human, but to the Cyclops, they were minor. The chaos-infused energy and its thick muscles overcame the pain and damage. It roared again, preparing to continue its assault. "Human... Die!"

"No, stay there. That's fine." Veronica's voice cut through the tension. She extended her hand, wrapped in black lace gloves, and channeled the Wind of Light. "Amintok's Web!"

The Cyclops sensed danger and looked down. Around its feet, four glowing glyphs of the Light Wind, Hysh, shimmered.

"The hunter becomes the prey!" Veronica declared, closing her eyes to focus her magic.

"No!" Bright threads shot from the glyphs, binding the Cyclops. Veronica immediately began another spell. "Eruption of Magma!"

"Boom! Boom!" The ground beneath the Cyclops split open, spewing molten lava. The scorching heat enveloped the beast, melting its tough hide and flesh. Despite its strong magical resistance, the Cyclops writhed and screamed as the lava seared its body, turning its proud muscles and bones black.

This was magma at over a thousand degrees, not mere magical energy.

As the Cyclops struggled, Ryan moved in, gripping his sword, Vengeance.

"Die!"

Blood sprayed as the Cyclops's head was severed, flying into the air.

The headless body convulsed before collapsing, its foul blood sizzling in the cooling magma. As Veronica ceased her spell, the lava quickly solidified, and the ground began to return to normal.

"Clap!" Ryan sheathed Vengeance and picked up the Cyclops's dripping head. He gave Veronica a high-five, smiling faintly. "Even after all this time, we still work so well together. Well done, dear. We finished the fight in just five minutes."

"You have to be in sync to be a partner," Veronica replied with satisfaction, her eyes sparkling as she recalled their past adventures together.

Their coordination was impeccable, requiring only a glance to communicate their intentions. Veronica knew the Cyclops would be tough, and direct confrontation was unwise. After a brief exchange of looks, Ryan engaged the Cyclops in close combat while Veronica set up a magical trap. Ryan's precise attacks herded the Cyclops into the trap, which Veronica then activated, weakening and controlling the beast for Ryan to deliver the killing blow.

Without this strategy, the battle would have dragged on, given the Cyclops's tenacity and agility.

"Do you have such synergy with that Garland princess? I bet your first fight with her was a mess, with her recklessly casting powerful spells and making it hard for you to engage," Veronica teased with a mocking tone, her sweet almond-shaped eyes filled with mischief.

"You know me so well, my great witch," Ryan responded, placing the Cyclops's head into his bag and gesturing for Veronica to follow him into the farmhouse. "But Theresa is improving. It was her first adventure after all."

"To defeat your opponent, you must understand them," Veronica said proudly, quoting her mentor. "My teacher taught me that."

"Alright, let's look for clues," Ryan wisely changed the topic, leading Veronica into the farmhouse.

Inside, they found signs of a fierce struggle. The straw piles were soaked with fresh blood, and several wandering knights lay dead, their bodies strewn around the space that had once stored livestock and grain.

"Mm~ Mmm..." Ryan was about to inspect the scene when he heard faint groaning from a straw pile.

"Dear, over here! There's someone alive!" Veronica called out in surprise.

"Coming."

A severely wounded wandering knight lay there, covered in blood. A spear had pierced his abdomen, and his chest was deeply caved in, with heavy bleeding all over. Seeing someone approach, he coughed, his eyes dimming rapidly. "Who... are you?"

"I'm Ryan, Ryan-Macado, the Lady's chosen champion," Ryan knelt beside him. "Sorry I'm late."

"I've heard your name..." the knight nodded weakly. "As you can see, the farmstead was attacked. We held off the Cyclops while the villagers and our commander escaped... but we failed... couldn't complete the mission..."

"Mission?" Ryan asked urgently. "Did you steal the Trident of the Sea God?!"

"The mission... in my pocket... As for the trident, I don't... know..." The knight shook his head weakly, his pupils dilating until they lost all light.

"He's dead," Veronica said, kneeling down to retrieve a letter from the knight's coat. It read, "Dear Gonzalez, follow Sir Christo and deliver the treasure to Magritte. May Myrmidia bless your steps. Your faithful, Lord Llorente."

"Treasure?" Ryan took the letter from Veronica, puzzled. "Strange, there's no mention of which knightly order this wandering knight belonged to. That's highly unusual."

"Ryan, look at this." Veronica examined the knight's body and pulled out a small flag from his belongings.

The flag bore the image of a golden eagle, wings spread wide and facing left, encircled by a golden ring with fiery patterns resembling the sun around the edges.

"This is…!" Ryan stared in disbelief at the blood-stained banner. "No! It can't be!"

"What knightly order does this crest belong to?" Veronica focused on the bloody eagle flag. "Do you recognize it, Ryan?"

"This knightly order has been extinct for over four hundred years..."

"Its name is..."

---

Earlier in the day, Ryan and his group left Duke Bilbari's mansion after dealing with the day's business. Fidmond, Duke Bodrick's son, was particularly impressed by Ryan's wisdom and straightforward approach to resolving the issue. They had discussed the peculiar habits and preferences of the local nobles, leading to a tactical advantage during their encounters.

Ryan's insight into Duke Silva's love for combat sports and how he used this knowledge to their advantage stood out to Fidmond. Ryan had skillfully navigated the situation by engaging in a duel, earning the Duke's assistance without creating any local animosity. This approach contrasted sharply with Fidmond's own thoughts of leveraging knightly duty and diplomatic threats, which would have required significantly more effort and resources.

As they analyzed the information provided by Duke Bilbari's scribe, they decided to split into two groups to follow up on the leads about the northern wandering knights. One group, led by Fidmond and Alfred with the Sea God Knights, was tasked with investigating the group staying at the Red Bull Inn. Ryan and Veronica, chosen for their mutual understanding and efficiency, set out for the farmstead outside the city.

---

Back at the farmstead, Ryan and Veronica had confronted and defeated a fearsome Cyclops, a testament to their deep bond and seamless coordination. The battle had tested their skills and strategy, reminding them of the countless adventures they had shared in the past. Veronica's quick thinking and spellcraft, combined with Ryan's prowess in close combat, had ensured their victory.

As they stood amidst the aftermath, the discovery of the knight and the peculiar letter hinted at a deeper mystery. Ryan, puzzled by the reference to a "treasure" and the emblem on the flag, felt a surge of urgency to understand the situation fully.

"The treasure must be of great importance," Ryan murmured, carefully considering the implications of the knight's mission and the letter's contents. "But why would a knight carry such a crest if the order has been extinct for centuries?"

Veronica, equally intrigued, suggested they further inspect the farmhouse and the surrounding area. They needed more information to piece together the events that had led to the brutal attack and the connection to the legendary crest.

As they searched, Ryan's mind raced with possibilities. The emblem's significance and the mention of Magritte pointed to something of historical and possibly magical importance. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of a larger, more complex puzzle.

---

Meanwhile, Fidmond and Alfred's group reached the Red Bull Inn in the city. They approached cautiously, aware that the elegantly dressed knights staying there might hold crucial clues. Their task was to uncover any information about the recent movements and intentions of these knights and how they might be connected to the events at the farmstead.

As the two groups pursued their respective leads, the unfolding events hinted at a deeper conspiracy, one that intertwined ancient orders, forgotten treasures, and the ever-looming threat of chaos. Ryan and Veronica, seasoned by their past adventures, were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, driven by a shared purpose and an unspoken understanding of the stakes at play.

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