by The Ranger
His words fell quiet as they left him.
"I hadn't had a moment to say it before, Rich, but I'm sorry for what happened," he began. "Your father, he was kind to all of us and made our time there pass quickly. It's for him that I'll see this through."
"Thank you," Richard whispered, his eyes beyond the light's reach.
Eren sat up, thinking he might share a few more words with him, but a dark silhouette caught his attention.
"I see one," he whispered. "One of those wicked things."
He pointed past Richard into the forest beyond. Nearly forty feet away, trudging through the wet dirt, they saw their adversary. It was slowly walking away from them, to a place unknown.
"I want a closer look," Richard said, climbing to his feet.
He marched towards the line Lyla had marked with a few stones, the line they were not supposed to cross, and stopped abruptly. He jogged back to the cabin and lifted Edmund's axe off the ground before making his way back to the edge of the property.
"Why are you taking that?" Aven asked.
Richard looked back at him sheepishly.
"I want to make sure this is enough to defeat those things," Richard lied. "If I can't beat one with this axe, how can I hope that Ed might?"
Eren's eyes darted to the sword hanging at his friend's hip, and he knew why he was lying.
"Leave him be, Av," he pushed, making his way to Richard's side.
As children living under Battlemaster Finnegan's care, Eren had known him to put a lot of emotion into his small pile of belongings— each little trinket and toy carried a mountain of sentiment behind it. Richard would often go on and on about how things came to be in his possession, a habit that infuriated any who thought they might have a moment of peace after training. However, once Richard became the Prince's Sworn Defender, these habits fell away. It was true he treasured all of his things, but the passion had vanished; there were more important matters that required his attention. Eren wondered if, without that responsibility, his friend had fallen into his old patterns once again.
"Let's go take a look, eh?" Eren prodded. "It'll be good to stretch our legs."
Aven sighed but joined them as they stumbled towards the creature ahead. Ranger watched them anxiously as they moved into the darkness.
They hadn't made it more than five steps beyond Lyla's line before they heard a quiet squeak.
"Rynar?" Richard questioned.
The tiny salamander squeaked defiantly as he stood in front of them, acting as though he might stop them from moving on.
Richard attempted to walk forward, but Rynar darted ahead of his boot, preventing him from setting it down.
"You're going to step on him," Aven warned.
"He's going to warn Lyla," Richard whispered.
"Put him in your pocket," Eren suggested.
Richard looked annoyed for a moment but quickly reached towards the ground to scoop up the small animal.
Rynar emitted a short squeak before running back towards the cabin.
"He's going to tell her," he sighed.
"And? What will she do? Scold us for taking a stroll? I don't think so," Eren reassured. "Let's keep going; we'll be back before she comes looking."
Eren strode forward, with Richard following closely and Aven keeping a short distance between them.
"Now, you've gotta keep your eyes up, Richard," Eren advised. "These things can really sniff you out in an instant. Keep your focus on this one here."
Eren stayed in place and motioned for Aven to do the same. They watched as their companion inched forward, Edmund's axe in hand. There remained maybe twenty feet of ground between him and the Soul Seeker when it froze. Richard stood still and waited as it slowly turned to face him.
Eren winced as it fully came into view; no matter how many times he saw their malicious forms, they never stopped being terrifying.
"It hasn't made a noise— I don't think it knows I'm here," Richard whispered.
"No," Aven clarified. "They never make noise."
The creature began sprinting toward them, its jaw hanging low and its empty eye sockets staring into its prey. The only sound it made was the occasional click of its joints as it drove itself forward.
It was unnerving.
Eren gripped his blade tightly, but there was no need. As soon as the dark creature was within Richard's reach, he slashed Edmund's axe across its chest— shattering the monster's ribcage into dozens of scattered pieces. It fell apart onto the ground, where all but its skull dissipated into gray smoke.
"I didn't expect it to be so brittle," Richard commented.
"They're not always so easy to cut down," Eren told him. "But be careful, they don't stay down. They always reform from the head."
Eren swung his leg back and kicked the skull forward. It rolled out of sight, beneath the cover of darkness.
"So, there's no way to destroy these things permanently?" Richard inquired.
"Eren has tried breaking the skulls, burning the skulls, drowning the skulls, and burying the skulls. Nothing he tried worked," Aven explained.
Eren pouted slightly.
"I didn't see you try anything," he murmured.
Aven lifted his hands up as if he might protest, but his eyes shot forward. Richard and Eren turned to meet his gaze and saw another dark silhouette approach them.
"I didn't expect them to recover so quickly," Richard said, mouth slightly agape.
"They don't," Eren muttered, pulling his blade.
He scanned his surroundings and counted at least eight other shadowed forms gathered around them.
"That axe doesn't have enough reach," Aven pointed out, drawing his sword. "These things can easily overwhelm you if you let them."
Eren could almost hear Richard's jaw click as Aven finished speaking and sighed when he saw him charge forward, axe raised high above his head.
"Watch our backs, Av," Eren asked. "One of us needs to keep a clear head."
He nodded, watching their environment carefully. It didn't matter what new gifts Richard might be able to wield if they were killed before he could discover them.
A skeletal hand interrupted Eren's train of thought as it reached for his neck, but he quickly managed to crack its forearm with his blade and kick it away.
"Jackass," he cursed as he took a breath.
He turned in time to see Aven shatter a Seeker's legs and heard a sickening crack as Richard cleaved through another's skull.
"Huh, I feel I'm not really needed here," Eren gasped, rushing towards one of the creatures.
He slashed his blade parallel to its collarbone, but it bounced off the black bones harmlessly.
Eren looked where its eyes should have been and realized much too late that his opponent was quite larger than the others.
"I told you they're not all brittle!" he screamed, ducking beneath the monster's fist.
"Noted," Richard grumbled, dashing to intervene.
He swung the axe at the Seeker's skull, but the skeleton caught the base of the handle with one hand and pounded Richard's face with the other.
"That's not what I was hoping for," Eren sputtered. "We need a hand, Aven!"
"I'm a bit occupied," he growled, dodging a skeleton's attack.
Eren raised his weapon as the Seeker cocked its fist for a fourth blow against Richard's face, but a thick vine sprouted from the ground and wrapped itself around the creature's arm.
"Enough," Richard growled, his face unmarked by the attack.
The vine pulled the skeleton's arm until it snapped, and he split its chest in half with Edmund's axe.
"What in…" Eren whispered. "Richard, what was-"
"We're not done yet!" Aven yelled at the others.
The pair turned back to see the Seekers they had disabled had begun to reconstruct themselves, their fumes slowly solidifying and returning to their vile forms.
Eren was about to curse their rotten luck when he spotted a familiar creature among the grass.
"Salamander?" he questioned.
Rynar squeaked as bright green wisps of energy tore through the Soul Seekers, reducing them to mere skulls once again.
Eren followed the arcane light until he saw Lyla standing a few feet away, with that same power wrapped around her arms and moving across her face.
"What did I say!" she yelled, her gray eyes taking on a much greener shade.
"Well, we thought-" Richard attempted.
"First mistake!" she interrupted, her power gathering the defeated monsters and hurtling them away, deeper into the forest.
The energy began to dissipate, and Lyla collapsed onto the ground as the green aura faded and with it the warmth that had accompanied her magic. Rynar wobbled to her and tucked himself into one of her pockets. Richard knelt at her side and set his hand near her face.
"She's unconscious," he announced.
Aven trudged over towards them.
"I can't imagine how much power she's used to keep us hidden while we travel. I'm sure it's taken a toll on her," he said solemnly.
Richard pushed the hair away from her face and sighed. He picked Lyla off the ground and began carrying her back to the cabin, leaving the others behind.
"That was lucky," Eren mumbled. "We shouldn't rely on lucky."
"You spurred him on, Eren," Aven reminded him.
"I know, but there was no helping it," he said quietly, looking around. "Did… did you see what he did?"
"I did," he answered. "It seems your friend will have to come to grips with these new abilities."
"Our friend," Eren corrected, meeting his eyes. "No matter what happens, you'd best not forget that."
Aven nodded grimly and turned his focus back to the creatures at their feet.
"Let's head back before these things grow back, eh?" Eren suggested.
Chapter Four
Khora
Lyla's room was much cleaner and organized than the rest of her cabin. A few shelves were neatly placed across the room, and lined atop them were dozens of well-worn books on various arcane arts. A window sat in the wall furthest from the door, and through it, Khora could see an array of flowers and herbs growing; they were glistening and untouched by the recent frost.
She brought her attention back to the matter at hand and turned towards Lyla's bed, where the witch was lying beneath her blankets.
Thanks to the balm that Lyla had administered, Khora had a deep, dreamless slumber. It was not until she awoke the following day that she learned of the trouble her companions had gotten into while she slept.
Since returning, Lyla had been too weak to be moved and instead educated them on the use of a concealment mixture she had created.
"So, all I do is mark a circle around our camp?" Richard asked.
"Yes," the witch nodded. "Size doesn't matter, as long as it's sealed, and none of you cross it."
She pointed to a jar on top of her bedside drawer; it was filled with an ugly, dark brown material; it seemed to convulse and writhe by its own will within the container.
"That's the stuff," she mumbled.
Richard reached towards the container but yelped as soon as his fingers made contact with it.
"It burns!" he winced. "What is it?"
Lyla stared at him strangely.
"Pick it up, Khora," the witch whispered.
Khora raised her brow but raised no protests as she slowly shuffled towards the drawer and turned her eyes to Lyla for confirmation. The witch nodded, and she reached towards the jar, picking it up gingerly.
"It's cold," she announced.
"That can't be right," Richard muttered, turning to Lyla. "What is it?"
The woman looked away slightly.
"It contains Blood of the Ancients," she admitted. "It seems you possess an aversion to it now."
Richard squeezed his hand shut.
"I see," he sighed.
Khora looked at the jar in her hands and passed it to Edmund.
"We can handle this ourselves," she promised.
The young boy took the jar and grumbled as he stuffed it into his bag.
"More things to carry… great," he groaned.
"I wish I could be of more use," Lyla said. "But I'm afraid my powers are drained— this is all I can do for you."
"Are you sure there's nothing else you can tell us about these Soul Seekers?" Khora inquired.
"Unfortunately, I've already told you what I know," she murmured. "I had believed that only demons and a few powerful hauntlings were capable of such a feat… I'm sorry to admit that my knowledge of Blessings is not what it should be."
"You've done your best, Lyla, and we appreciate it," Richard thanked her. "I think it's time we move on. If all goes well, you'll be seeing us again.
"I hope so," the witch smiled.
He nodded slightly and began walking towards the door. In that instant, Lyla's smile faded.
"W-wait," she stammered, raising her hand slightly to wave them back.
Richard hesitated and turned to face her once more.
"I wasn't sure if I should say something, but I would never forgive myself if something were to happen because I didn't warn you," she started.
"What is it?" Edmund prodded.
Lyla's eyes darted to the window and the horizon beyond it.
"I wasn't convinced of it before, but my senses are clearer now. I… I believe the darkness that lingers around us has seeped into the ground and awoken things that have not stirred in centuries," she divulged.
"What does that mean?" Khora asked.
The witch shook her head slowly.
"I don't know; I'm only telling you what I feel," she replied solemnly. "There are things that were thought exterminated centuries ago, things deep in the ground that should have been fated to remain there. Rotten, malicious creatures— creatures I now sense are being called forth from their slumber."
Khora looked to the others; both of them seemed disquieted by Lyla's words. She felt that same feeling shooting through her heart as she thought of the road ahead.
"How do we defeat them?" Richard asked.
Lyla tried to force a smile.
"However you can," she answered.
"Thank you, again," he murmured. "With your warning, we can prepare ourselves for whatever lies in the shadows."
He staggered out, followed quickly by Edmund, who allowed a short wave. However, Khora stayed behind for a moment, her focus trained on the witch.
"Is there something wrong?" Lyla asked her.
She approached the witch and reached for her hand. She allowed a brief squeeze as she began to speak.
"I want to apologize for the way I acted towards you before," she explained. "You've risked your life to help us, and it's unlikely we would have made it this far without you. I feel that, perhaps, it's time to better appreciate those who stand at my side."
Lyla returned Khora's embrace.
"We all have moments that we aren't proud of, Khora. It's what makes us who we are," Lyla reassured. "I appreciate the effort you've made to make amends, though."
Khora nodded slightly and made her way to the door. She looked back at Lyla and the salamander sitting on her shoulder.
"I do hope we meet again," she admitted, scratching the back of her neck.
"As do I," Lyla smiled. "Stay safe, all of you."
The sun shone brightly on Khora's face as she stepped out of the cabin. The unique, herbal scents of Lyla's home had made her appreciate the crisp, open air, but only for a moment.
"Is it finally time to get this jester troop moving?" Eren poked.
"Yes," Khora confirmed, closing the door behind her. "Lead us, Jester."
He smiled slightly and allowed a short bow.
"Do we even know the way back to Azra?" Edmund questioned.
"West," Aven replied.
"That's not… entirely wrong, but I meant as in an actual route," the young boy clarified.
"We got here just by going east," Aven returned. "We can get back
just by going west."
"You bypassed the Ashlands?" Khora asked.
"Richard told us about your little misadventure and your cold reception in that trash heap," Eren revealed. "Fortunately, when Aven and I made our pass, I, wisely, decided to take the time and go around the settlement instead of bumbling our way through it."
"I'm glad you've got a few good ideas inside that big head of yours," Edmund teased.
Eren pouted as his hand flew to his forehead.
"It's not-" he attempted to say before marching away in a huff.
"At least he's going west," Edmund smirked.
Richard shook his head slightly.
"Let's go," he suggested. "Knowing him, I don't think he'll turn back to look for us if he gets lost."
They followed after Eren, who did happen to spare a glance behind to confirm they were doing as much.
They had been walking for nearly two hours as they made their way west. They had decided, much to Eren's displeasure, that they would visit Rahm before they returned to Azra. The effort was spearheaded by Richard, who felt it was the honorable thing to do. Edmund chimed in with his agreement, which Aven supported as well. They feared that, in the chaos that had begun to engulf the land, the old man would likely be in danger.
While Khora was indeed worried about Rahm's health, her fears dwelled on other matters. She was afraid that the longer they strayed from their path, the more likely the Soul Seekers would increase in numbers and eventually overwhelm them before they reached their destination.
She attempted not to dwell on it, but their quiet expedition had not yet allowed her to avoid her thoughts; until Edmund raced up to her side.
"Khora," he called, with Ranger prancing behind him.
"What is it?" she replied, a bit startled by his sudden appearance.
"Show Aven your dagger," he requested.
Khora turned to see him lingering behind them and pouted slightly, confused by their sudden interest. Nevertheless, she pulled Jira's dagger from her belt and presented it to them.
"See?" Edmund questioned, turning back to his friend.
"Silver," Aven muttered. "A helpful tool in these circumstances, I'm sure."
"I hope I won't need to rely on it," Khora established, sliding the knife back into its sheath. "But whatever beasts Lyla warned us about may leave me without a choice."
