Gripping his scabbard tightly, and with his heart filled with a desire to makes things right, Elliott continued his travel south.

"If my memories serves me right, there is a city somewhere around here."

"But I can't see a single trace of it. The border is over there, so it should definitely be around here."

From the place he was standing at, he could see a part of the wall separating Triazils to the Frigoria Plain, which meant that Ryghs was supposed to be close.

"Well, this might be the moment I ask. Why are you following me?"

He very slowly turned his face sideways and glanced at the shadows of the trees behind him.

"I should have known that stalking you was useless. Though, I was simply planning on observing, nothing more."

Nylon walked out of behind a tree, clad in dark clothes. It was difficult to make any guess as to who he was thanks to the black scarf he received from his father before leaving his house to help Orion.

"I knew that already, that's why I haven't done anything so far. Out of respect for Orion, I wouldn't have killed you if you were to try your luck, but it would have been pretty painful."

With his usual cocky smile, he looked forward.

"Thanks, I guess? Anyways, you asked why I followed you, right?"

Elliott simply nodded without looking back at him, his hand still gripping his sword.

"I am curious. I understand well that you are powerful, and that you don't need any help from some guy you've never seen before. What I'm doing is just learning, you could say."

"Learn? From me? You are an assassin, aren't you? My methods might be a little too... unorthodox for what you strive to become. You shouldn't try to mix different approaches unless it is unavoidable."

Crossing his arms and pressing his right shoulder on the tree next to him, Nylon agreed.

"I'm not here to learn how ruthless you can be, or how to use a sword. No, what I want to learn, is the choices you will make. The mind of someone like you looks simple, yet correct me if I'm wrong, is more intricate than you let it shows."

"Oh~ and what makes you think that?"

Elliott finally turned around, with a smile on his face.

"Being one step further than anyone is one way to prove it. You are quick to word your thoughts, and quite clearly too. You also know what you want, you wouldn't be going to that beast crawling place alone if you hadn't decided on that long before."

"You don't make any decisions lightheartedly, aren't you? I know, it's difficult to judge someone I've never knew until know, but you look very similar to Orion in that way."

For a moment, he looked surprised at the comparison, but quickly agreed with him.

"Give him a few years, and more tragedies to live through, and he will be closer to what I am today. Though, I hope it never happens."

"..."

'What did this man see to be so different from the man in his story?'

"Then, if you were the only one to not return, have you at least told him you were following me?"

"That I did. Only Orion and my father knows of this. Father told me to watch carefully, and to find any weaknesses you could have, so that I learn not to have the same."

"What about Orion? Did he told you to report to him or something?"

"Why would he ask that?"

"Because he is a cautious man. I could be doing anything else when I'm far from his sight."

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Nylon shook his head.

"That would be giving him an excuse to hunt you down, and you don't want that. Not until your goal to end Miasma arrives at least. So no, Orion only told me to be careful, and to not get in your way."

Elliott breathed a sigh of relief and released his grip from the scabbard.

"Alright, if it is just that, then I don't have anything against it. In fact, I might be glad to have someone to discuss while on the road."

"Since you've found me, I guess I can indulge you. Your stories will be great tales for my father to hear later on."

"Suite yourself, but I'm expecting some stories from you too. I am missing a lot of crucial information on this era."

That was how Elliott and Nylon entered a friendly partnership. One wished to not be alone, the other wished to learn.

...

"I see. You might be looking for Ryghs then. It might be difficult to find with all the snow."

While running, Elliott explained to Nylon that he was looking for a place to rest before the sun set in the horizon.

"Why is that?"

"Orion said that it was a lifeless city. Everyone had left, living the Apostle living here defenseless. He was killed without much effort I heard."

"That's something father probably missed since it was near our release. I still want to rest, and it might in fact be better to stay in a derelict building than in a crowded area."

Nylon nodded.

"On that, I agree. I'll give you some directions since I've had a few missions in the area. I remember where it stood."

"Please."

They both continued for a little while.

...

"Wait."

Elliott abruptly stopped, scrapping his shoes on the muddy snow, forcing Nylon to do the same. They entered a forest of pine trees not long ago, not expecting to stumble upon a corrupted beast.

"..."

Noticing the massive beast on their path, he became a hunter in a split second.

"Do you mind showing me what you can do?"

With his hand on the sword's hilt, ready to withdraw it out, he glanced at Nylon. Depending on his answer, he would quickly erase the ash grey creature from the surface of this world.

It was a seal, or maybe a monkey. It was strange, but not very tough. A thin torso and legs. It had the body of a monkey, and the arms and tail of a seal, a weird mix it was. The most troublesome feature was that it was four meters tall.

"Don't blink."

Nylon instantly erased his presence. Elliott quietly hid behind a tree and observed him.

Just like Orion was taught, when hunting a prey, you had to be careful of the noise you made, you had to remove yourself from the prey's line of sight, and avoid having your scent being noticed.

For Orion, having a higher position meant having more opportunities to strike at the weak spots of his enemies from afar, but what of Nylon?

Dylan taught him one simple rule.

When the beast lower its guard, strike swiftly while making sure of finishing it. A clean assassination.

That's what Nylon did. He moved along the trees, avoiding stepping on the branches and making noises stepping on the crunching snow. Rapidly, he closed the distance between him and the beast.

The cloak covering his body split in two, revealing two weapons, his metal claws, strapped above his waist. He equipped them, and waited.

'Not yet.'

He watched the monkey/seal creature until it looked away.

*Flash*

Elliott kept his eyes opened, and he wasn't disappointed. Nylon, as if he had the wind behind his back, launched himself and managed to execute the monkey/seal by slashing its chest and removing the black core from its body, impaled on the other claw.

In what was less than a second, the ash grey beast fell to the ground, lifeless.

"That was very interesting. This was worth watching."

While saying that with a huge smile on his face, Elliott grabbed the hilt of his sword and went to pull it out, but ended up clicking it back in.

Five bodies of similar monkey/seal beasts fell from above, all around him, cut in three pieces each.

"I don't need to draw it completely for them to die, what a shame. Vanitas, good job, as usual."

He caressed the sword's scabbard lightly, and joined up with Nylon, but not before picking up four chunks of a monkey's corpses that he placed inside a thick cloth inside his bag.

After packing everything, they quickly went back on the road.

...

Noctelagia was a fair distance from the southern border. For a carriage, it took around two weeks to travel the distance. For an army, three week at most.

But for Elliott and Nylon? One day. The difference between them and the rest of the world was, in fact, their high stamina, and the constant work they had put in their training. Though, Elliott still felt a little sluggish.

"Is that the city we've been looking for?"

In the distance, Elliott saw a rather suspicious formation of snow. These formations were the pilled snow above the roofs of the houses.

"I'm pretty sure it is."

They finished the remaining distance walking. Once they walked past Ryghs' dilapidated protective walls, the lifeless city opened itself to them.

It hadn't change since Orion left. It was even worse in fact. The snow managed to break many houses, the wildlife took over certain parts of the city, mainly the wolfs in the opposite side of the city they were at.

"Let's find a house quickly, I have a feeling a snowstorm is coming."

In the distance, a dark cloud was either being formed, or it was too far to notice its actual size, but Nylon knew it wasn't a good sign.

"This one seems in good shape."

After looking for broken windows, they decided it was a good point to stop their journey for now.

As the wind began to pick up, and the windows rattled more violently, Elliott went to the kitchen. Nylon focused on heating the house, as it was going to be a cold night.

"Here, eat."

Elliott gave him a plate with two pieces of meat, and a few baked potatoes on it.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

They both ate, and without saying another word, went to rest in separate rooms. The next day, the snowstorm had passed, and it was time to enter the cursed Frigoria Plain, where only corrupted beasts could live in.

Elliott's birthplace.