When they came back to the inn they got a meal and then went upstairs to sleep. Alessia did not sleep really fast. As a matter of fact she struggled to sleep for so long she ended giving up around ten in the night. Instead, she got up and cleaned her entire body, stopped to gently wash her hair, changed idea midway and cut a little of her hair. It was getting too long after all, no one would notice and it would be easier to manage, Joan was right, long hair is not ideal in a fight. But she was not going to go and cut them as short as him, if people already looked at her weird for the trousers they were going to burn her at the stake if she arrived with short hair. After a while she was satisfied with the amount she was left with, she still felt like she could have done more. But the it was late and eventually she felt tired. She finally went to sleep well past midnight.

Joan struggled too, he found that, for the first time in a week, reading the language materials he had taken brought him comfort. Language and History share a common reason for him to study them, but, History had always been the one he pursued with the most assiduity, mostly because he had had a lot of trouble remembering the dates at first before finally getting the timelines right whereas languages had always flowed easily with him. He could confidently say that he could speak three languages and read four more, and that was only the living languages, if he looked into his skills in dead languages Joan would often say that he could read three, including ancient Sal, Sal being the language most spoken in Suloo and ancient Sal being the root of this language. History professional put it's death around the end of the second Era, the Great Floods Era, when the language had changed so much in contact with proto-Hemerien that it could be categorized as a new language, what would become Modern Sal. Funnily enough, Sal was also the name of those living in Suloo, and most people would not point out the difference between a Sal and a Hemeriano-Sal, the two people having coexisted for so long together that today they considered themselves to be part of one people, the Sal of Suloo. Hemerien, or Hem, was still taught in school and most people could at least understand it, yet it was still the second most spoken language in the country.

'Alessia's name finds it's origine in ancient Sal whereas her last name has origines in Hem' Joan thought has he reordered his work in his folders 'And my name has roots in Hem but my last name is Sal, I never thought about it' Joan was one of these rare people who actually learned Hem first as his parents only spoke Hem at home, yet their last name, Archebus, was distinctly Sal. Since his parents were married his father must have take his wife's last name, as the tradition states, his parents were really traditional so he had no doubt about it. Yet his mother, he was almost sure of it, spoke only broken Sal as if she learned by listening on the streets. So where did his last name come from? 'Funny, I never questioned that before!' He thought before finally closing his work for the night.

The next morning when they went down to eat their breakfast a man was waiting at the counter speaking with the innkeeper. As soon as he saw them he got up and greeted them. He was built for tough physical work Alessia remarked.

"Professor Archebus, Lady Voder ! I am glad to finally see you here! We were starting to dread that the worst had happened to you!" He was in a jovial mood

"And you are ?" Joan was more on the cautious side, he had seen enough to doubt every second person that looked at them. Alessia had a step back, the man arched his brows.

"Ah, professor, I am Mr.Cervac but just call me Silvio, I am the guide sent by Master Berel and his team to bring you to the research site. Seems to me that you had a wild ride coming here."

"Worse than you can imagine, as you may know, our driver unfortunately passed. We had to finish the rest of the road on our own."

"Oh my, I...I didn't know" The man concerns was painted all over his face

"Surely you can understand that we would want to be able to eat our breakfast in peace" Alessia added, she tucked at Joan's shirt in his back, the man caught the hint.

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"So please leave us alone for the time being, we appreciate you being here don't get us wrong, we just want to have a moment."

"Of course, of course, I understand, I will be outside readying the carriage then."

"We will ride on the one we came here with, right?"

"Of course."

The man bowed slightly at the lady and then turned around and left. Alessia immediately relaxed with an audible sigh. She was slightly paler than she should have been. Joan unbuttoned the first button on his shirt and took a deep breath. He signalled to the waiter to bring them breakfast after they had sat at their table.

"Is it just me or...?"

"We should stay cautious" Joan cut her, "Better be safe than sorry, the man might have our best interest at heart, we can't let down our guard. There may still be exterior threats awaiting us on the road."

"Alright then, if it has to be like that. I better fill my stomach then, I doubt that the site will have food like that."

"Indeed, but still it will probably taste better than my poor attempts"

"I believe that you got better, not a chef yet, but you are on a steady path."

"New carrier path to prospect then" Alessia laughed at the joke, somehow, imagining the great Joan Archebus as a chef was as hilarious as imagining him courting a lady. The vivid images made her snickers, Joan arched his brow failing to understand what had caused his young friend's hilarity. Once done they packed the rest of their stuff and met with their new driver and guide outside. Around noon they left Meriam, they had allowed themselves to sleep in, the inn was safer than the wilderness after all.

They rode for the better half of the day. As the afternoon sun began to drift downward, their driver became increasingly antsy. He would dart looks at his passengers from time to time, Joan was sitting next to him and Alessia enjoyed the sun sitting on the luggage hold at the back of the carriage. Although Silvio couldn't see her he would still turn around in her direction from time to time. He was sweating, Joan could see it. When their eyes met Joan couldn't stop himself from asking.

"Are you anxious because of our weapons?"

"No...no sir, it's just..."

"You must understand, we are not doubting you, we are weary of the wild, we have lived through hell to get to Meriam and we have picked up some habits that may seem...well martial. But it is only to ensure our safety, and yours."

"Very well, if you say so." This little talk did not calm the man in the slightest.

As the sky took on some golden tint, Silvio Cervac couldn't wait anymore. He had orders, he couldn't disobey. He couldn't bring them back to the site, they had to die before they reached it. He was going to die anyway, so why was he so anxious? So scared? He quickly drew his blade. A small knife, as long as his hand, easily concealed in his sleeve. She had given it to him Herself, She had given him the orders Herself. He couldn't disappoint Her.

Suddenly a gunshot echoed in the dusk. Alessia jumped from her seat, the horses had stopped moving, a dull sound was also heard.

"Joan ! Joan..."

"I'm alright Alessia, he...He tried to slit my throat."

"He what?!" She jumped to the driver seat with a mastery earned throughout repeated actions during their voyage. Joan was holding his neck slightly concerned, his shoulder was bleeding staining his now cut sleeve. "Let me see, is it really bad?"

"No, I protected it in reflexe I don't think he got deep." He lifted his hand, and sure, the cut was not deep, it was very thin, but it was there. Alessia jumped down and went to retrieve something to bandage it.

"Well shiii...How are we going to find the site now?" She asked as she got to the task.

"I reckon that it won't be too difficult, look." He pointed toward the North, a thick column of smoke was rising and some embers seemed to glow from within. "There is something going on there, I don't believe that it is a coincidence."

"There is no more coincidence for people like us." She looked at the corpse of the man next to the carriage, "We don't have time to bury him, we must hurry to the site, they most probably could use some help!"

"Can you drive then ? My arm is hurting a little, I'd rather reserve it for a fight, if there is one when we arrive."

"Roger that." They switched places and Alessia took control of the carriage.

It became clear, as they drew closer to the brasier, that there wouldn't be any fight. They would look for survivors but even that seemed to be delusional thinking. The air was saturated by the burning smell, bitter and nauseating. Alessia stopped the carriage far from it.

"We should walk the rest of the way, ready your weapons." She took her sword and handed him Alexis'. They took one last deep breath before tying cloths in front of their nose and mouths and then, entered the smouldering remains of the archaeology site.