‘I can't understand what she’s saying…’

Viran was perplexed and frightened by how Marianne was acting, it was too just too much of a sudden change in her character. Before she had been kinder than anyone else, someone that Viran had taken a good liking too. The days he had spent on the road with her thus far had already become precious memories for him. He would ask about the trees, the roads, the people, so many questions he had asked not so long ago. He could feel her breath on his neck, and how it would increasingly get lighter as time went on.

Viran was afraid, the redemption she had spoken of, the endless cycle, it would naturally confuse him. The adrenaline steadily left Viran’s body and the pain in his gut became more evident as time went on, his arms were unsteady and his knees weak. He wasn’t sure they could reach the forest within a day with Marianne’s condition, not to mention his own, but if they stopped it would be too dangerous.

“You… You should’ve killed him when you had the chance Marianne.” Viran inadvertently thought out loud.

In between her deathly pants, Marianne struggled to say the words she needed to say to Viran.

“I… Can’t…. I owe too much, and I can’t. Even if you are redemption I seek.” Marianne spoke, her body weighing heavier on Viran’s body.

Viran’s eyes turned hazy as her words were spoken, it was crazy to him. Just what redemption was this?

“Redemption….?”

Viran willed himself to forget those words, those words unnatural to his ears. She had never spoken of shame or redemption before but that didn’t matter.

He took upon more of Marianne’s weight and carried her near lifeless body away still, she had begun to become cold to the touch. Her face increasingly became pale, her eyes drooped.

Her worsening figure was terrifying to Viran, he had thought that Embren wouldn’t really actually try to kill Marianne. But maybe he did so inadvertently? Viran was thinking as fast as he could, to think of something. The only spell he had was useless in this situation, and his mana was already almost completely depleted. Once his mana was gone he would likely collapse with Marianne in tow.

He didn’t know what he had to do, what he could do.

“Don’t forget I can… See every...thing.” Marianne muttered. “If… If you’re that anxious about me… Don’t be, I won’t die… I can’t die.” Viran could tell this was her way of comforting in this moment, but it didn’t help me.

Her labored speech, her light breathing, and her increasingly pained expression only served to make Viran’s worries greater. But still, Viran carried on with a dim hope.

The scenery surrounding him, didn’t look as good as it had before. A haze covered his eyes, and then darkness.

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His eyes open in an instant. The stillness of the night plagues his body, no amount of his own will can be manifested to move even an inch. Opposite of the boy is the lifeless body of an older woman, her golden hair standing out the most out of the surroundings. But his eyes weren’t drawn towards that, instead towards the cascading stars above. A sharp light was illuminating over his surroundings, though he could still barely see.

“Ha.”

An empty chuckle leaves Viran.

Though it was true the situation wasn’t the best, he still felt glad deep within for the fact he was still alive. The small laugh he had seemed to expel the tension that was held deep within his body. Viran felt his stretched nerves turn to calm, his hoarse voice called towards her.

“Marianne?”

Viran shockingly held his throat with his hand, it was unbelievable that his voice sounded so rough. Upon realizing how scorched his throat felt, he realized just how terrible his entire body felt. He was hungry, thirsty, and in agonizing pain all over. The tension in his body was probably used to relieve the immense pain he felt all over.

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He struggles to his feet, unsteady yet filled with determination. The feeling coursing through his body was filled with an agonizing pain, yet he still stood high. He breathed heavily through his nose, his grunts filled with an arduous pain aroused a small noise from Marianne.

‘She’s ok…’ Viran felt relieved.

It was already the middle of the night, they had been asleep for quite awhile. Viran gazes into the distance, towards their distance. Bright dots appear in his sight, an obvious sign of torches. In all likelihood the Knights had spread out through the entire area, looking for him. If any of them find him, even those loyal, he would be in serious danger. Especially with Marianne still in such a dark state…

Viran had felt he had lost control of his own life long ago, yet even this was too much for him to handle. It was one thing to ensure his own survival, but Marianne’s too? It was simply too illogical. Thinking about everything that happened… Viran felt guilty to a large degree, if he hadn’t just gotten angry that time maybe they could’ve been prepared for Embren. Or maybe Marianne wouldn’t have hesitated so much to kill him… Just what happened to Marianne for her to have such a mindset? It made no sense to him.

Just what is wrong with her? What happened to her?

“Dammit, I can't be thinking of this right now.”

Viran walked towards the satchel hanging off the neck of the woman and opened it. It was hard to see inside, but he could tell there were two canteens of water and some provisions alongside a small sack filled with currency. Finally his hand brushed upon a rough substance, its edges scraped along his skin. Picking it up revealed its origin, a small pin the size of his thumb. Imprinted onto the metal pin was a large eye surrounded by an unknown language Viran couldn’t understand at all.

He didn’t care much for the pin anyhow, and placed it loosely within the satchel again. After checking over Marianne he could tell that she was largely fine, though some parts of her leg and arm were sticking out in some wrong places. Not to mention her own breathing was still light… It was unnatural for Viran but he couldn’t tell what was happening. He didn’t learn anything about first aid, he barely knows anything.

Opening the provisions revealed a cracker like subsistence, it was hard to bite through and the taste was like chewing on a stick. But it was still food to the boy and his stomach didn’t reject it as much as his tongue had. Afterwards was Marianne’s turn, her near conscious body was able to drink water but eating would be another matter. With a sorry look, Viran dunks the crackers in water and breaks them apart making a sludge. He was sure they tasted terrible, but he wasn’t willing to put his taste buds at risk for finding out.

Of course Marianne’s body still wasn’t awake to fully eat everything he had given her… Viran had almost inadvertently made her choke to death in her unconscious state.

With grimy fingers covered in sludge Viran heaved himself onto the floor with a heavy sigh. During the entire time Viran had made sure to watch the bright sources of light in the distance, but he couldn’t tell if they were getting farther away or closer.

‘Maybe they’re the research team Marianne mentioned…’ Viran thought.

Viran, though, wasn’t sure whether finding the research team would be a safe bet. Ry had never mentioned them to him so he was completely in the dark. Maybe finding the research team would be even worse? The convoy Knights were definitely surrounding the entire vicinity, losing the Lord’s son was a crime punishable by execution of course. If they were to lose track of Viran, they wouldn’t be forgiven by the Lord or their “real” employers.

Viran was in turmoil… He wasn’t sure what he should do. Marianne’s health seemed to get somewhat better but there would always be the chance that her health would deteriorate with some sudden turn. Some bad footing in these tall stalks of grain could easily make Marianne hurt, or Viran for that matter. Still, if they were caught now it would be terrible for them…

“If only I had a spell for better vision… That would make walking through here easier-.” Viran said to himself before coming to a sudden realization. “Wait… Nightvision…!”

Viran quickly turned towards the light that blazed far away. He didn’t know of the complete possibility, but what if that was only a decoy? The real hidden enemy that threatened Viran and Marianne were really the Knights with night vision!

Jumping to his feet Viran quickly scrambled towards Marianne. His body felt fresher now, and the mana surged through his body. Normally carrying the toned body of Marianne would be difficult for a boy as young of Viran, but that was possible with the use of his magic.

“Resilient Hold.” His throat growled.

Viran wouldn’t tell it straight to Marianne’s face, but she was extremely heavy even with the plates of metal ripped off of her leather armor. With a deep groan Viran is able to fully lift her off of the ground, and still she is not in full consciousness.

Viran’s feet stamp down hard, a noise very visible to the ear. Viran turned his gaze around a moment and saw that his path was clearly shown through the grain that he had crushed while walking. But he couldn’t slow down his pace any, ever since realizing that Knights could be prowling in the dark this very moment Viran was paranoid.

The one way for him to survive with Marianne was to get out of the area as fast as possible! There was one large problem plaguing Viran though, his own mana supply. The spell that brought his muscles and tendons explosive growth simply used up far too many that he wished for, and despite increasing his own mana supply two-fold since he began cultivating it, it was nowhere enough.

His heart thumped, his eyes bloodshot, and his nerves taut once more. Yet Viran didn’t let the fear and anxiety he felt show on his face any longer, it was already more than enough for him to have someone like Marianne be able to see straight through him with only a glance.

“No… Not now…”

His body grew hot as every second had passed, and it hadn’t even been more than ten minutes since he began running. Though he trudged on still, his mana inevitably drained through him. His pond of mana was now a small cup worth. His veins were tense, showing through his skin. His umbar hair was messy and covered in stray pieces of grain and dust, and his mouth was in a grim frown.

His feet stopped, and Marianne’s body was slowly laid onto the ground. Fear overwhelmed him, he wanted to run. He wanted to leave her. He wanted to save himself, and leave Marianne. But he couldn’t.

Whether it was through Gregory’s own betrayal, his own morals, how Sir Renault would look at him, or perhaps he was just too tired to run anymore. He couldn’t. He despaired over the chance he could never see Marianne again, or have another conversation. Viran was pained at heart, but he couldn’t give up. He wanted to, but he didn’t.

He could feel death’s scythe rest itself onto his neck, yet he remained motionless.

The Knights in front of him, cladded in cloaks, remained just as motionless.