Kiran retrieved his original spear as they made their way through the tunnel and Osias — now on foot, sought to be of use at last.

They needed to pass through the ever-encompassing mist that they so warily avoided until now, but there was still a grand slope to descend that connected to another vast mountain with a ridge.

Most importantly, Kiran needed to replenish his lack of a strong weapon. And so, every being made of blood they’ll encounter will be entirely drained with True Extraction, and if it isn’t enough to bring up a weapon equal to a weak Third Ordeal Path Beast, they’ll thoroughly cleanse the mountain until they can.

…Unless there was a Path Beast even stronger than the Heron, of course.

They walked in silence for a while, but Osias quickly grew bored.

Eventually, he spoke:

“Brother, why do you use a spear?”

Silence hung in the air for a few seconds before a reply was callously returned:

“It’s what's given to the youth of the Band, had you been born a few years prior you’d understand better. As an Ordinary, we are thrown into skirmishes. Mainly against other Ordinary, but there are times you must face a First Ordeal… It is said that there is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a spear and send him forth to battle, the beast stirs. The taste of blood is all it takes to wake it — either their own or their enemies. But for us who were born from blood, the beast is born awake.”

He paused and added with a low shrug:

“It was the easier weapon to wield and to teach with. Until you achieve merit and prove yourself you are given more privilege. Most turn away from the spear and turn to blades, but I kept my polearms.”

Osias nodded to himself. It certainly made more sense to use blades and shorter-distance weapons than those of the Band. You could be more reckless since Blood Mend was so common amongst the Path of Blood.

“Many would find trouble with my reach with a blade, but with a spear almost the length of two and a half men… the distance is vast. Besides, it’s not always that I use just the spearhead — see this?”

Pointing to the sharp hook and prongs that branched off the shaft, Kiran brought the great spear closer to Osias.

“I can’t do it with this spear, but using True Extraction I can change the shape. I’ve always kept you away from battle so you couldn’t have seen it from afar, but there are times I change the head into a great blade. Like the glaives used by the few Blood Riders of the Band.”

Osias recalled the Blood Riders… the few men who wielded great weapons, mostly curved blades as they rode atop the war mounts of the Band. From horses to enthralled Path Beasts, they were so few yet always seemed to be present.

Kiran cut off Osias’s thoughts as he continued with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips:

“But I can see where you are going with your thoughts — how about the Blood Path Finders who fiendishly fight amidst the fray, those that do not care for their body as they cut their enemies down? I think we are alike. I too have learned the same War Art. I too have Blood Mend and can ignore most blows. But that only means I can stay afar without fear.”

Cutting, stabbing, bleeding the enemy — all at a vast distance… It made sense for Osias. If Kiran’s style revolved around keeping his enemies at bay from afar, they’d be forced to close in on him.

But Kiran is likely just as dangerous in close quarters. Besides, what’s stopping him from sustaining damage with Blood Mend to render their attempts futile as he creates distance again?

“Brother, will I grow as big as you?”

Osias’s abrupt question took Kiran a little off guard as he let out a small chuckle:

“Maybe. Those of our Path are either the smallest of men or the largest. Depends if they were privy or not to Blood Essence as they matured — so you’ll grow large and strong. Of the Band, I was a little different so it wouldn’t be fair to compare yourself to me.”

Nodding, and stepping through the tunnel’s entrance, Osias found himself warped in the beautiful night sky. The stars and moons were beautiful and brilliant, and it was difficult not to be enamored by the scene.

Heading out first, Kiran reached for Osias he helped him climb out of the dark tunnel and into the full brilliance of starlight.:

“The War Art of our Band, the ironclad principle of to kill no matter the cost. Take it as you will, Osias. To sacrifice an arm is nothing compared to sacrificing something truly precious.”

With his feet planted amidst the rubble that surrounded the tunnel, Osias took in the pure sky, crisp with the scent of pine and wet earth — brought up from the treeline and upturned earth of Kiran’s battle by the wind.

“I see — something precious, huh.”

‘Something precious…’

—

The coming morning was rejuvenating for the pair, as uplifting as a journey through the hellish Outer Valleys can allow.

A night of uninterrupted rest, perhaps due to the presence of a Third Ordeal beast deep within the mountain, but nevertheless it was much needed.

When Osias came to, Kiran was already awake, resting as he sat against a towering tree. His spear was leaning against his shoulder. An impossibly hard blackened wood shaft and a warped stone-like spiraled spearhead.

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Osias raised his arms and extended his legs in a stretch. All he could think of was how great it was to move once again. To feel once again.

Just then, his stomach rumbled.

“I’m hungry, brother.”

“I know, we still have parts of the boar I took apart a few days ago. I took it upon myself to search through where I fought those dark Path Beasts. Our other belongings perished, but I found the wrapped meat untouched.”

Turning to his side, Osias found a dimmed fire burning below an impaled flank of meat. Fat glistened, and its surface was slightly charred. Last night, he was too tired to think of anything but rest, so this cut of meat looked delectable.

Practically jumping to his feet, Osias walked to the small fire and grabbed the skewered meal, and began to hastily devour the blessing.

‘Hehe, Kiran knows exactly what I need.’

Wiping his lips with his arm as he finished, Osias checked his clothes and brandished his short blade. His eyes found Kiran and asked:

“To the next mountain?”

“Mm.”

Well rested and well fed, nothing else could give a better start to the pair.

Throwing a glance at Kiran, Osias noted how little belongings they had in possession. Clothes, weapons, and grit, nothing else. Having gone through all their rations and the spare boar, they needed to find an Ordinary or Path Beast to butcher.

After checking and securing the small vial of blood from their parents, Osias and Kiran set off — first for the ridge they must cross.

The ridge looked narrow and long, descending from where they were currently. Yet it fortunately did not descend deep enough for the mist to envelop it.

Although… they must eventually cross that obstacle. This mountain range was coming to an end, and the deep obscured valleys replaced it.

Peering over the edge, Osias couldn't help but think that there weren’t any valleys within the mist. That there wasn’t any land at all.

Perhaps it was just… an endless gorge that sunk straight to hell.

Hiking downwards they made for the northern face of the mountain to enter the ridge.

And from where they were standing they could see what lay ahead of them in its entirety.

The lonesome ridge.

A bulky mountain connected to it, the last of its kind for the probable future.

And the ever-encompassing mist that refused to reveal what lay within...

Swallowing a thick lump of fear down his throat, Osias and Kiran continued along the barren ridge. Fortunately, no abominations of the Path laid before them. God knew what would happen had a battle arose and Osias was sent over the edge.

Falling to death seemed more tranquil than braving the whispers of the mist alone.

Glancing at his short blade, Osias felt… out of place.

It was an average First Ordeal weapon. Since all weapons, tools, and armor pertained to the strength of Path Beasts rather than humans, it was almost too strong for someone like Osias, an Ordinary.

A little too heavy for him, but it was made with the knowledge that hell slowly grows into it as his reservoir increases and his body grows stronger with time.

And yet, just how many Second Ordeals have they come across in such a short period?

Too many to count. Some were too strong to deal with without dire repercussions and so they were avoided or they ran from them. Kiran was wary, never risking a fight in case they alarmed other, more powerful, Path Beasts to a fight.

“Brot-”

“Osias, I’ll find Ordinarys and First Ordeals for you. I won’t lift a finger to help unless a Second Ordeal arrives, but only then will we run, not fight.

Osias frowned a little as Kiran cut Osias off as if Kiran was almost expecting a question of what his purpose was as they traveled. But it was a welcome answer. Osias was practically itching to be of use.

They traveled the ridge uninterrupted and stepped foot at where the ridge met the final peak of this nameless chain in the Outer Valleys.

“Hey brother, how far North are we now?”

With a thoughtful pause, Kiran replied:

“I don’t know for sure, but going by the mainland's measures, we are a little past the Southern Border of the Tailed Brothers… at least the borders before they swallowed the Band.”

Ruffled leaves from the distant treeline and the far roars of beasts sounded off as the mountain’s air hung quiet at Kiran’s words.

“I see.”

“Let’s keep moving, Osias.”

As Osias recalled at the once distant mountain, he knew that it was quite wide and irregularly shaped. The southern face they were was adorned with many trees, natural paths, and cliffs as it seamlessly blended with the northern face.

Suddenly, Kiran threw his spear without warning, and a wet thud sounded along with the last caws of a bird-like creature.

Falling from a thick branch by the crown of this tree fell a massive bird, yet not so large enough to tell at a glance it was a Path Beast.

“Get used to the feeling of Blood Reave, don’t lose to the bloodlust. It's best to feel it and acclimate away from battle first… it's been too long since you used it after all.”

Nodding at his brother’s words, Osias ran ahead after doing a small scan of the clearing before he arrived at the bird. With his free hand, he tried to pull out the hefty spear of his brother, but alas it was too heavy for someone like him.

Nevertheless, his fingers traced the outer edge of the gaping wound and he dipped his fingers in and used his Innate Ability.

Blood Reave…. It was difficult to describe how he could use it. It was as natural as moving his hand. If he had to say, it was like drinking from his fingers the moment they touched blood, it felt belonging and right.

And then the blood itself — an ecstasy so easy to fall into depravity for. As if the act of Blood Reave demanded his mind and body to continue to drink.

This feeling never went away, even at the later Ordeals, hence why it was so important to instill discipline in the youth like Osias.

Although the feeling invigorates one during battle, it is important to think. To will yourself into a thoughtful action. Otherwise, you were bound to fall for deceit amidst battle.

Quickly, the bird was drained of its blood essence, and as Osias pulled his fingers away from the beast, it was already a withered husk of its former self. Small and grey-like.

As he got up, Kiran came beside him and pried his spear from the corpse, and motioned to continue forward.

After that, they circled a small tract as Kiran conversed some knowledge he couldn’t do so before. With Osias lively, Kiran took it upon himself to berate Osias the moment his control over his essence waned. Hammering the essence of the Band’s War Art, Osias slowly began to recover his lost progress.

And to Osias’s dismay… he was clumsy. Very much so. The long period of inaction took a large toll, more so than Osias thought.

Before, he was only beginning to understand the indomitable and insidious way of fighting that those of the Band did so well.

It was to go against one's instinctive sense of self-preservation, that was what the Blood Warriors of the Band used to say.

Only then would they teach how to use essence best with this way of fighting in mind.

Osias has yet to learn this method of using essence, only using his most rudimentary knowledge and sense of his own essence to manipulate it.

So he was compensating skill for the sheer amount of blood essence at his disposal.

“Osias, far ahead.”

Honing in on where Kiran pointed, Osias took a moment to find what Kiran wanted him to see. His senses just weren't as sensitive as Kiran's.

And there it was, a mountain boar. It wasn't amongst the largest of their kind, but it was most definitely an adult. It outsized Osias many times over.

An Ordinary beast, capable of mauling grown men. Multiple, even.

Glancing to his side, Kiran then said:

“I won't lift a hand, even if you were to die. Sharpen yourself, Osias.”

Silence hung in the air as Osiaz steeled himself.

And with a small swallow of fear, he replied:

“I wasn't expecting you to.”

Kiran smiled slightly at his response.

“I'll make sure nothing interrupts you.”

Nodding at his brother's reaffirmation, Osias began his hunt.