Bruised and weary, they stumble from the cave's maw, the warm breeze a sudden, sweet balm against their skin.
Doubt had gnawed at them during their descent, the tunnel's downward slant a deceptive lure, but the path, mercifully, had straightened.
With the touch of morning breeze, Emilia's ears flicker and her eyes open to welcome broken streams of light under shades of a thick forest.
"You are finally awake", Braga says as he stops to drop her down. "We need a place to rest", "Definitely not here", Kane says as he points at a beast, a good distance away, illusive of their presence.
They quietly sneak away from its vicinity before their journey becomes perilous.
"That was a wild bear, right?", Emmet asks, brows raised, "Yes. I killed one of those in the arena, we do not want to fight that thing", he says.
"I thought High Town was supposed to be a place of beauty and fancy nobles, not beasts and undying werewolves", Emmet says.
"Ouch", he groans as a leafy branch brushes against his wounds, "We have to rest, eat and take care of these wounds", he says.
Emilia taps Kane on the shoulder and points behind them, he turns, eyes widened by the sight.
An insect-like monster, the same type they saw at the school.
It stares at them with red glassy eyes.
Kane charges without hesitation and the creature reacts in kind, only to fall in front of him as Emmet appears from behind Kane to slice off the creature's legs at the joints.
Kane stabs its head and its ugly blood stains his blade.
"Kane, we are in monster infested territory", the half-elf says.
"Yeah. We will sacrifice you as our last resort", he says and Emmet's lips twist into a lopsided grin, "Oh, you've got jokes again. I don't think I like you Kane", he says.
A chirping of birds call their attention as a group of birds fly over them, singing morning songs of feathery delight.
"You two can continue your courtship, I would have myself removed from this place", Braga walks past them, slowly disappearing behind the bushes and big protruding roots across the forest floor.
Emilia follows behind, Kane brushes Emmet's shoulder and follows.
"Ladies first", the half-elf slurs, earning a glare while responding with a smile.
ELSEWHERE
Heavy boots echo through the ghastly staircase, dust and husky whistles of the wind kick against their thighs. Daylight creeping through the open windows in the tower.
Zarek stops at a balcony, hands behind his back as he gazes at the rising sun, slipping thin lights through shaded clouds.
"You have heard of Malice's failure to get the godspark. It is unfortunate she died. I liked her", he says.
"Send me master, I will return with the godspark and avenge Malice", Anarchy speaks from behind, walking forward to observe the sun, shy behind the clouds, with his master.
"Yes. I also wish that. Do it, you will take Rivena and Pain so they can learn a thing or two from you. But first, we will go to Volantis to confirm the location on Astrid, the fucking dragon".
"The dragon would be a problem, can we take him on?" "Not right now. But we must keep a close eye on him, when Celsius recovers I will have him keep track of the dragon. Amongst all the pieces, hers will be the most difficult to recover", Zarek says, his white hair dazzling beneath the winds embrace.
HIGH TOWN
SOMEWHERE IN HALFDAN
The light of day gets brighter but only little of its glimmer penetrates through the thick shades of the forest trees.
So far, the group has managed to sneak past several monsters but now they stop to take rest as Emilia notices familiar flora.
She picks some of them and urges everyone to sit, "We should rest here for a while. These plants will help with injuries and prevent contamination", she says.
"What are those?", Kane asks, "Bush Jasmine".
It has five metals and it is thick and green. Its scent is nothing like the jasmine used for perfumes, its rough texture also gives it a huge contrast from its cousin plant, the jasmine.
Kane sits, resting his back on a tree while dropping his sword beside him on the floor.
Emilia begins to chew the leaves, picking it out of her mouth to rub against his wounds.
He groans but endures the stinging pain that follows.
He looks at her, finding her white skin a stark echo of Saphina and a flicker of sadness crosses his features as he corner son his eyes crinkle.
Not with amusement but with a fleeting, almost imperceptible, wince of remorse.
He'd clung to the hope of Saphina's company, but now, surveying their grim surroundings, a chilling doubt whispers; perhaps she was the wise one after all.
He takes a deep breath and exhales, settling his eyes down on Emilia.
She rubs her paste of bush jasmine onto his shoulders, quickly stealing a glance to catch his blue eyes on her.
"You need a proper necklace for that stone", he says, "Having it float around could put you in danger".
"You need to master your teleportation, it saved us once, it could save us again".
Kane makes a face and nods his head, knowing she is right.
She leaves him and moves on to Emmet who relaxes himself and opens his shirt so she can get a better view of his wounds.
"Argh", he groans loudly as she begins to apply the paste, "Be gentle", "You squirm for a gladiator", she says and the others laugh.
"I do not squirm. I am just delicate" "Your body is bathed in scars, there is nothing delicate about you" "My tongue says otherwise", he winks at her and she grimaces.
"Why do you do this? Why are two of you so adamant on accepting this quest for the gods? What has the gods ever done for you?", he lets out a silent groan.
"They gave us life. They give us purpose. We owe them everything".
"Even the death of our loved ones? Or the poverty orphans are plunged into when they have no one to guide them", he says and for the first time her eyes meets his.
"Your faith is weak but give the gods a chance, they will come to your aide", she says and he bites his lower lip, holding back a painful laugh.
Emilia finishes with him and moves to Braga to apply the paste on his wounds while Kane stands to observe the terrain.
The air feels moist against his skin and subtle pleasant scents surround them, Kane carries his blade and tucks on the side of his trouser with a makeshift belt to hold it in place.
The wind carries words of melody, gentle in welcoming tunes of feminine voice.
"Can you hear that?", he asks and they stay still to listen. "Nothing", Braga and Emilia say, "I hear it", Emmet says.
"I want to check it out", "I will come with you", Emmet insists and follows Kane deeper into the forest, towards the gentle voice of heavenly melody.
They pass a tree and find meadow of colourful flowers, scents of lavender and wet wood get stronger as they get closer to the source of the voice.
Emmet holds Kane back, "There's something lurking", he warns him, pointing to a figure buried, camouflaged in the crowd of flowers.
A feline beast squats, eyes on a prey the men cannot identify until a woman stands up.
She stands naked, water dripping down her back while she swings her blue coloured hair to let out its waters.
A strange tattoo is brandish on her smooth back, "Wow", the men gawk at the sight.
Until they hear it leap, dashing forward like harsh wind, snarling with teeth that would break bones.
It's gleaming eyes set on the naked damsel, her melodious tune, now a scream of terror as death appears.
Not in black cloak and a scythe, but in the skin of a black feline beast.
Two thick horns stick out its head and a mouth full of flesh tearing teeth, it lunges forward to devour its meal.
Kane, ever the hero, lunges forward to deliver a kick that prevents the lady's expected end.
Emmet charges at the beast, swinging his own blade to scare it but it brushes past him with remarkable speed.
A burst of purple energy spreads out from its body, blasting Emmet away, "Hide", Kane urges the lady.
He charges and the beasts lunges forward toward him, bending its head as it attack with its horns.
Kane jumps skyward, spinning in the air to swing downward, slicing the back of its neck.
Emmet dashes forward and stabs through its rib cage, "Are you trying to open old wounds?", he grunts, sticking his blade deep into the beast's side.
The beast lets out a cry as Kane lands on its back and stabs into the back of its skull, bringing it to an end.
"Fuck", the men grunt as they clean their blade.
"She is gone", Emmet says, tapping Kane so he observes.
"At least we got a sweet view, right?", the half-elf says.
"So you are a slave to your vices", a feminine voice speaks from behind, they turn sharply to see the woman.
Fair of skin with draping blue hair, shimmers of light surround her naked body to cover her.
"What man isn't?".
"I am Kane, the ugly one is Emmet", Kane introduces while his companion frowns in protest, "Who are you?".
"Thank you for your help, I am Nixie".