The two travellers ventured through a narrow passage between the foothills of Ulthrak and Weptswur. They stayed to the rural passage of the land, avoiding confrontation with the brutal tribes of Ulthrak. The air was so cold that it was difficult to breath. The two men could see large puffs of breath out in front of them as they panted through the tumultuous hike. The sky was a blue tint, as winter had spread its blanket of cold over the lands of Modena, and even the sun seemed sad as it hung in the sky, no longer able to provide its bright shine upon their backs.

Both men bore large fur skins on their backs thanks to Hildebran's mastery of hunting with his sword. He had snuck up upon a buffalo and gutted it as it grazed, a miracle that he was not seen or heard as he approached it. Hildebran and Terran had spent the entire day skinning the animal and fashioning a fur skin out of it. The meat was a welcome meal before hitting the road again. Cooked over a warm fire, the juices and flavor seemed to be better than anything they had ever tasted, as it was with most meat when travelling long distances. They had almost tamed a wild horse for which they would have been able to ride to their destination, but the horse had become spooked when Terran had withdrawn his skeletal hand to pet its mane.

Many days had passed now that they travelled through the outskirts of the Ulthrak border, and they finally had arrived upon disputable land between Weptswur and Ulthrak, where the foothills proved fateful to travel without the right warmth and food supply to ensure passage would be completed.

"There is a way through Weptswur that is void of villages and towns, it would be our best pass." Terran spoke the words as they trekked, Hildebran slightly falling behind.

"I was sure I had heard old tales of the wild free folk that haunt these foothills, do you know of such?"

"I have heard the tales, but I do not believe them. No one inhabits these foothills, I am positive. This was the way the great army of Fereton took when we marched on Mestrane."

"Why would you take this pass? Surely with an entire army you'd take the least rigorous passage, although you said you were only squire so I doubt you should know."

"You'd be surprised Ki'vatsu, a squire knows more about their King than his closest kin. A squire hears everything."

Hildebran supposed he had a point, but he was tired of hearing talk from Terran and having no option but to believe him. He himself had not ventured far outside Fereton in his time.

"Tell me, Terran the Slayer, who exactly was it that you had slain at the meadows of Mestrane? It is generally unspoken amongst my people, it is seen as a grim and dark tale that will draw the darkness if it is spoken of, hence I never heard the true tale as it were."

Terran thought about his response as he hiked up a boulder to avoid stepping through a brook than ran between two mountainous landforms on either side. Hildebran held his breath, hoping he had not spoken of something too grim for Terran to speak about. However, they had been travelling for hours on end and there was not much else that he could think to speak of. He could feel the uncomfortableness of the topic though, as Terran took his time picking out his next words. Hildebran stifled a scream of pain as his ankle twisted sharply under a slippery rock that was covered in slippery algae.

"You are bold to ask such. I have told you much already, but I dread speaking of the incident."

"No matter if you refute the topic, I imagine I would be the same If I had slain the one man who kept the realm safe from graver dangers."

That line stopped Terran in his tracks, Hildebran knew he had gone too far to provoke a response. Terran's eyes became intense, and Hildebran suddenly felt unsettled. Terran withdrew the long cloak sleeve from his arm revealing a skeletal arm that bore no skin or muscle. The sight drew Hildebran's chest tight and his breath became short.

"It is not random that my body begins to deteriorate, Hildebran. It was not simply a Maldur that I slay that day, it was the curse that disintegrated. I panicked in the moment; I was so nervous. I had never even held a sword—" Terran faltered now, and Hildebran wished he hadn't asked now. He had seemed so strong until this point that it had rarely even occurred to Hildebran that a topic could reach Terran's sensitive side.

Hildebran realized now how short and thin Terran's frame was. He did seem a small man, and Hildebran could envision him now as a squire to a King. He quite fits what I would I imagine of a king's squire.

"It scared me. I had nightmares every night following that moment, and I was haunted with visions of Maldur. The pasty white faces with the colored markings, their bodies made of gauntness and skeleton. They were always shouting at me, telling me things like 'You murdered the Maldur King, and now we're coming for you' and 'the realm is in trouble beyond return, and it is you that has caused this.' I didn't mean to do it, it was just my reaction, I had never seen a Maldur, and I thought he meant harm to us."

Hildebran nodded and tried to appear understanding. Underneath he felt anger, how oblivious could you be? What did you expect travelling to a land forbidden for men?

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They continued walking again now, but it was quiet. Hildebran had an odd feeling being surrounded on both sides by higher ground. He suddenly felt as though he was being led into a trap. How can this slayer be trusted? He slayed a Maldur, what stops him from slaying me?

"This passage is safe; I would feel it if we were in danger." Terran seemed to have been reading Hildebran's thoughts.

"And how would you know if we were in danger? I think I'd know just as well as you what spells danger."

Terran turned to face Hildebran now, "I can see things now. I speak inwardly with the Maldur king."

Hildebran laughed, and he couldn't control it now. How stupid that had sounded. First, he tells his sob story of how he doomed the realm, now he claims he has a secret channel of communication with the Maldur King. Maybe he was telling the truth, there was stranger things in this realm. Hildebran wondered if there was a certain magic to it, but he hated magic. It reminded him of Savok. He clenched his teeth, but he had to remind himself of the mission. He would be back for Fereton, he was sure of it. Terran was merely a means to an end, for now.

Terran did not laugh, not even a smile crept over his face. The two allowed their voices to trail off and now they moved in silence, no end to the narrow channel of the foothills in sight. It wasn't until a couple hours later that Hildebran felt as though they really were being watched now. The narrow pass had widened a bit now, but the ground had become marsh and mud where the brook had run dry and softened the ground. Rocks and boulders no longer lined the ground so Hildebran and Terran had no choice but to walk through the marsh. Hildebran felt his toes go numb from the cold marsh and water soaking through his boots.

"Terran, hold on."

"I feel it too, Ki'vatsu. I hope you aren't rusty with a blade."

Hildebran bit his tongue. He couldn't tell if Terran was faking or if he had really felt as though they were being watched. He knew if it came to it, he would probably have to defend them both.

"What happened to your claims that these passes are deserted?"

"You were right when you said there might be free folk that roam these parts. Since the war, I suppose. Men of Perorg who were captured men by Weptswur during the war likely ended up here in their escape from Weptswur bondage. "

"Did you come up with that on the spot or did the Maldur King speak that to you in your head?"

Terran didn't reply but instead pressed on and left Hildebran no choice but to follow. The other side of him believed him. His body did have physical signs that it was changing from the incident. His arm was horrific to look at, and he appeared to have wiser insight than a simple squire boy.

Something to their right upon the foothills sounded as though something were stirring in the bushes. A large hedge loomed up ahead, and Hildebran took only a moment's time to unsheathe his blade from across his back. The foothills glowed a bright green in the dull winter air and Terran and Hildebran stood frozen to the spot. After some time, nothing stirred from the hedge, and the two cautiously moved forward. Hildebran sheathed his blade but requested that they move a little quicker through the narrow pass, to which Terran agreed. The two trotted at a good pace, their boots splashed up mud and marsh as they went. After about an hour they finally came to an opening in the pass and Terran confirmed they were safely through, and that they could continue on through Weptswur now that they were entering through the southwest end of the its border.

"They're will be much less chance of encountering bandits, thieves, and bad men through this way. Besides, the lands are much more dangerous now with orcs and Deranged Men. Those are creatures that keep even bandits and thieves away."

"I would think that the main road is safer. Less isolated, closer to civizilation. I say we veer towards the main road and head straight for Weptswur, passing by Sunswood Kingdom as we do it." Hildebran was still spooked by the possibility of being followed from the foothills of the Ulthrak to Weptswur border and longed for the sight of other people than themselves.

"No, it is decided if you wish to follow me."

"Maybe I don't wish to. I think I can find my way just fine to Weptswur from here."

Terran's face turned to a scowl as he thought of what he could possibly respond with.

No longer than a few minutes that they had been in Weptswur and the first spat between the two was happening.

The sound of leaves crunching sounded behind them back by the foothills and they both turned quickly, but nothing appeared.

"That's it, I'm going to check it out," said Hildebran.

Terran put his hand on his shoulder to try to stop him but It was no use. Hildebran unsheathed his longsword and walked back towards the bend in the pass to find out what was hiding out on top of the foothills. He had to know. He hated being followed.

Suddenly Hildebran was stopped in his tracks by Terran's voice which suddenly was commanding and forceful, "Stop, Hildebran. It's a trap. Go no further." Hildebran froze, but his sword remained in his hand and he faced the foothills pass still. Cold wind whistled as it kissed his face. His overgrown hair now blew in his face, but he ignored it. He was feeling paranoid now.

Terran's voice sounded so controlling he feared to turn and meet the voice. The threat in the foothills suddenly seemed equally daunting. "Terran...I don't know what's happening to me." He dropped his sword and faltered to his knees. His mind was fogged.

Terran dropped down beside him, "You will follow me now. You are too weak on your own, Ki'vatsu. We must go now, Weptswur is waiting for us."

"Yes, Terran. I feel much better now. Let's go now before they catch us." Hildebran's words came out in a slur and sheathing his sword back in its scabbard he was on his way with Terran once again. They carried on down a sloped hill and then before them was long plains on nothing-ness but vast rural land.

"We are on our way, Hildebran. You'll be glad we didn't take the main road, there are a couple Magi travelling that way. You hate magic, don't you?"

Hildebran nodded his head but furrowed his brows, his head was pounding.

"Did you know King Steed was a Magi Knight?"

"He was?" Hildebran winced as he trudged down the slope.

"Yes, it was his love for the dark side of the magic that led him to where he is."

"Well it would be no matter, but someone murdered the Maldur King who separated man from Mestrane, ending the curse that preserved us all."

"Ahh, the curse. It's still magic though, Hildebran. And you hate magic."