Jared had mixed feelings about Naomi's new form. While it had been his idea, and he loved seeing Mimi so happy, a part of him couldn't help but wonder what he had unleashed upon the world.

He looked over to where she walked beside them parts of her shifting briefly between colors and materials as she experimented. Whatever happened, he was glad she was on his side.

After leaving the toy shop, they had run into Theresa, who had been trying to find them.

“We just received an emergency communique from Carrow’s Heath, a town to the north. They said that a Skorvok was sighted in the forest just outside the town. It’s around level twenty-five, and they don’t have anyone high enough level to deal with it. Can you two…” She hesitated as she saw Mimi.

“…Can you three handle it?”

They agreed and headed out after getting what information they could from Theresa. According to her, a Skorvok was a large, six-legged creature with thick scales. The most notable features, however, were its blindness and exceptional hearing. High level Skorvoks were reportedly able to hear insects moving around hundreds of meters away.

It didn’t seem like too bad a matchup for their party, so long as they were quiet and far enough away.

They had done a bit of preparation, purchasing supplies and examining a map of the area to make sure they wouldn’t get lost. When they felt as prepared as they could be, they had set off on the three-day journey to Carrow’s Heath.

Jared decided to use the time to do something he had been putting off for far too long: getting to know Eleisa.

“So, Eleisa, tell me a little about yourself.”

She looked at him, one feather-like ear quirking upwards.

“What would you have me tell you?”

“Let’s start with… what do you like to do for fun?”

“I do not possess the human need to recreate. When I have unoccupied time, I spend it considering my path forwards, learning, resting, or training.”

Jared stopped in his tracks for a moment, before hurrying to catch up.

“You don’t do anything for fun? Ever?”

Eleisa’s ears flattened slightly in confusion. “That is what I said. Did you not hear me? Is something interfering with your hearing?”

Jared shook his head.

“No, I was just shocked. If I tried to go without some sort of recreation for a long period of time, I’m pretty sure I would go insane.”

“Kyriens such as I have one purpose: to help the Eclipse grow in power. Anything that falls outside of that directive is unnecessary and should be discarded as a distraction.”

He walked in silence for a moment.

“Wanna play a game?”

She eyed him.

“I have told you twice, I do not need to recreate. Why do you persist with this line of questioning?”

“I didn’t ask if you need to play a game. I asked if you want to play a game. There’s a difference.”

“What purpose would playing a game have that I should want to do it?”

“To relax, take your mind off the upcoming hunt. That kind of thing.”

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“Would taking our minds off the hunt not be counterproductive?”

Jared rolled his eyes. “Okay, I get your point. If it absolutely must have a purpose, we can play a game to get to know each other better. Then we’ll enjoy each other’s company more, which leads to better teamwork. Does that work for you?”

Eleisa hesitated, then nodded. “That is acceptable. How is this ‘game’ accomplished?”

“We take turns asking each other questions, which the other must answer. If one of us chooses not to answer, that person has to do something as punishment. When I’ve played this before, the punishment was usually to drink some alcohol, but I don’t think that would work in this instance. Both because we probably don’t want to be drunk or hungover while traveling through the wilds, and because we don’t have any alcohol to drink.”

“It sounds like an acceptable activity, and I agree that it would not be wise to impair ourselves with strong drink at this time.”

Jared thought for a moment.

“Well, we could each keep track of how many times we refuse to answer a question, and whoever answers the most is the winner.”

“Your challenge is accepted.”

Jared grinned.

“Okay, here’s your first question: what’s your favorite thing to eat and why?”

She looked at him sidelong.

“That is two questions, but I will permit it. I am quite fond of lafrus fruit. It has a pleasant taste and, when prepared correctly, can give a small buff to mind magic.”

“Sounds great. Okay, your turn.”

Eleisa seemed to ponder for a moment, then responded. “Where are you from?”

Jared raised an eyebrow. “I grew up near Las Vegas, New Mexico, but I’ve lived in several other places around the states.”

Eleisa’s ears went back slightly. “I do not recognize any of those names. When we first met, you said I would not believe you if you told me where you came from.” She paused a moment, and Jared could see the gears turning furiously in her brain. Finally, she seemed to come to a conclusion and spoke again.

“To clarify my previous question, are you native to this world?”

Jared blinked. “Uh, no. I’m not. At least, I’m fairly certain I’m not. Don’t really know. How’d you guess?”

Eleisa seemed to expect that answer and his follow up question, because she answered immediately.

“It is the only explanation I can think of that fits. You are remarkably skilled, yet completely ignorant about things which I take for granted. You have strange ideas, and do not seem to fit with the concept of humans as I have come to know them. The GEAS seems to have an inordinate interest in you, and my Queen told me that you would be from another land. I assumed that meant you came from another country or continent, but it is clear I was mistaken. Now I believe it is my turn again. How did you become so adept with that strange weapon?”

She glanced over at Mimi, who was listening in with wide eyes, but seemed content to remain an observer.

Jared was momentarily stymied, then broke into a laugh. Eleisa frowned.

“I did not say anything amusing. Why do you laugh?”

Jared took a moment to regain his composure.

“Because you stated it so matter-of-factly, like me being from another world is just as interesting as a bowl of oatmeal. Then you immediately jumped into the next question. It’s not your words that were amusing, as you put it, but the way you said them.”

Eleisa’s frown deepened, but before she could question him further, Jared kept going.

“Anyway, to answer your question, I spent several weeks training specifically to use sniper rifles. Then I spent several months refining that training in the field. I won’t say that I’m the best, because I’m definitely not, but I’m passable. Now for your question: What’s life like where you’re from?”

Eleisa’s expression hardened.

“I will not answer that question at this time. Though we are working together, I consider you only a temporary ally. Maybe if you show yourself to be a friend of the Kyrien race and more specifically my Eclipse, I will change my mind. I will tell you about myself, but information about my people will remain with me alone.”

Jared nodded. “That’s fair. We are still basically strangers.”

They spent the rest of the day, and much of the travel time for the rest of their journey asking each other questions.

Jared talked about his life on earth, his military training, and everything else Eleisa asked about. When it was his turn, he tried to ask about things specific to Eleisa, to respect her race’s privacy.

Around noon on their third day of travel, the village came into sight. It was slightly larger than the nameless village he and Eleisa had been staying in, sprawling out over a large area. For a moment he stood and took in the sight, until something started nagging at him. It wasn’t until Eleisa spoke that Jared realized what it was.

“It’s too still.”

It was true. No smoke flowed from any of the chimneys. There was no movement in the streets. The mills turned with the cool breeze, but no figures worked the fields.

They picked up the pace, a terrible realization dawning in their minds. Jared prayed to any gods that might be listening that he was wrong, to no avail.

Bodies littered the streets, blood spatter indicating a lack of even more. Many buildings were partially or fully demolished, the damage having been hidden by the distance and surrounding forest. They picked through the town looking for survivors, but found only death. Even in the Hunters' and Delvers' Guild halls, there was nothing but destruction and decaying corpses.

They were too late.

Carrow’s Heath had been destroyed.