My eyes opened to the sight of the fire dying down. The gentle crackling that had lulled me to sleep now nothing more but a faint memory. The embers that warmed me faded, the gentle warmth disappearing into a slight chill.
eaglesnov?1,сoМ Though it didn't bother me as beside me was another source of warmth. One that seemed incapable of letting go. Like a koala it clung to me, the warmth heating up my body despite the chill in the air.
I looked up from the fire and its dying embers to see the ceiling. The oppressive darkness that blinded me in black for a couple of seconds. Not for long though was I blind as almost immediately after I had looked up the soft glow of the fireplace allowed for my eyes to clearly see everything in the cavern we inhabited for the night.
The ceiling was full of stalactites and rough bumps that wriggled and crawled around the ceiling. They minded their own business. Though there were a couple that seemed to be hungry.
I watched as those same bugs snuck up to the others and devoured them with a bite of their massive maw.
I sighed, the unnatural rise and fall of my chest waking the girl that slept on my chest. A slight yawn before she closed her eyes again seemingly unbothered by the disturbance. Or maybe Aoif just wanted to sleep more.
Either way it didn't matter, instead I just grabbed a petal that sat innocently next to us. Between my fingers I gripped it. A flick of my hand and it was sent flying through the air.
ainA cry of pain, one silent yet deafening at the same time. The creature fell from its perch and into my hands. Blood splattered onto my hand as I cracked its neck.
The wound was widened as I hung it next to me, the blood rushing out like a river. Soon enough it was completely emptied. All that was left was to skin and debone it which took naught but any time.
I sat up with the meat in hand, the stick that I had played with last night in hand as I pierced the torso of the creature.
Salt was poured into my hands before I rubbed it all over the meat. A second later it was over the fire. The flames rose in strength as more wood was placed in it.
I watched as it crackled, minutes passing as it cooked.
…
I opened my eyes to find Darwin sitting down at the log I had fallen asleep at last night. The warmth that I had enjoyed up until now gone. A slight frown graced my features as I stood up, my feet light. I walked over silently and sat next to Darwin.
My head fell to his shoulders that only seemed to draw closer to me at contact. I watched as the fire crackled and cooked the food. It was a slow process but one that was satisfying to watch.
I was hungry but I could wait, it was a meal made by Darwin. No matter the taste I would take satisfaction from it.
Soon enough the stick was pulled from its place along the fire. Dripping with juices it was placed on a pre prepared plate. One that Delta had made while we were distracted.
The juices pooled as the meat cooked down m, the last of the cooking being done with its cooling.
A fork was in my hand before I knew it. I placed the slice of meat I had taken with my fork into my mouth and couldn't help but close my eyes as I savored the taste.
A soft clang woke me from my tasting as I opened my eyes and saw the plate empty, a heartless glare leveled on me as I realized that I had eaten everything.
My cheeks flushed red as I looked away, embarrassed. I had eaten all of the meal that Darwin had prepared for himself.
A soft hand reached over my head and patted it, I looked over and saw the smile that hung in Darwin's face.
It wasn't one of hunger and anger from my action but of indulgence.
"Don't worry," he softly whispered in my ear, "I can just make myself more."
With that a pebble was in his hands. A flick of his wrist and it was launched into the air.
Another cry of the creature and it died. Falling into Darwin's hand.
…
I ran next to Darwin, my hand entwined with his own. In front of us, leading the way was Delta.
Occasionally she would look back for a second before turning her head back to the path at head.
It was weird but I didn't say anything, content to just follow.
Scenery passed us by, the drab walls and lifeless underground forest. Eventually though we had reached a crossroad.
Or more like several decisions. The area we were in was undocumented. Hundreds of branching paths in our way. Each leading to a place that we couldn't predict. It was here that I now knew why the expedition that Darwin described had taken so long.
Although this place wasn't documented directly there were some mentions of it. A place that constantly shifted, leading to numerous branching paths that would seem impossible if it wasn't right before their eyes.
Though that was the only description of it, there was a passage that Darwin had read to me, from the very explorers. That they had passed through here briefly using some sort of magic or effect that allowed them passage back to the kingdom.
I could tell as Darwin thought over the predicament. The way that his lips pursed, the slight tilt to his head as he glared at the object of his query.
If it wasn't obvious before it was obvious now. We were lost, the way towards the dragon were journeying to defeat cloaked in choices.
I sat down, pulling Darwin with me as we both stared at Delta. She in turn stared at the exits. Her eye glaring at them with intensity.
I activated my own soul sight, aether tinted green infusing into my eye to enhance it even further.
From what Darwin had told me and what I had picked up from Delta we weren't too far from the dragon's lair so if I could find a congregation of souls or even the dragon we would be set.
It was why I had enhanced my eyes beyond what I would normally.
Instantly the world lit up in color. It was more like a couple masses of color but semantics.
I shrugged to myself, the slight joke only heard by Darwin as he puzzled out my thoughts.
Within moments I had found our destination. Or at least a couple possibilities that could help narrow down to our destination.
"Delta," I called out, her head turning towards my own.
"I found several congregations of souls, one directly that way and two more that way" I pointed towards each mass of souls that I had seen. A look of contemplation appeared on Delta's face as she took in the information.
A nod of Delta's head and she set off, a run that only slightly outpaced us. I sighed at the strain that was coming. My legs already aching at the thought.
However I still ran, following Delta closely while holding Darwin's hand in mine.
…
"Purpose" A voice asked, his voice shaky and filled with false bravado.
"Merchants."
With that we were let in, a checking of our license and faces and the gates were opened for us. A quaint town, one that could barely hold a thousand was revealed to us. The streets were almost dead except for the stall owners that seemed to be more focused on sleeping than hawking their wares.
There was one that caught my eye though, he was selling some sort of baked good with meat fillings. The sign by his shop said that they were only a couple coppers a pop and the smell was good enough that I found myself drifting there.
I looked over to Delta who was looming over me and she sighed, a hand reached into her pocket as she pulled out the required coin. A moment later and we were the proud owners of three of the pastries.
Two for me and one for Darwin, Delta had not wanted anything. Instead she opted to look toward the mayor's house. Her hands pulling us both towards it.
Moments later we knocked at the door, a bored secretary greeting us before letting us into the study of the mayor.
The door creaked behind us as the mayor looked up from his paperwork. Eyes red from work glared at us with no animosity.
"Do you need something?" He roughly questioned.
"Information. Anything about the dragon that inhabits the land somewhere near here."
"The dragon!" He yelled, his eyes opening like saucers at our questions.
"Why in the hell would you want to know about that thing!" Again he yelled seemingly agitated as his eyes looked anywhere but us.
"That is none of your business," I glared at him, "All we need to know is its location."
"Fine… Fine if you want to die here but don't implicate the town." He said before continuing in a voice low enough that he thought we could not hear, "we have enough problems"
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