Gasping for air, bursting into a violent cough. The smell of cinders and smoke fills my nostrils as the trees part in front of me to reveal the campsite. My voice cracks during my attempts to call out to the group. Ivian perks up and turns his head to the sudden noise. Immediately realizing my presence, he calls out to the others, who rush to my side. However, before I could take another step further, my body shuts down, falling to the ground, barely conscious...

-

Ivian called out to us. I quickly turned my head in the direction to spot Caleb slowly approaching. First glance, his body was obscured by the shade of the trees. I looked with wide concern as soon as he stood in the moonlight. His body was soaked from head to toe in blood. I feared that he was viciously attacked and was the first one to sprint forward. Everyone else followed close behind.

"Caleb!" Aiding him, I examined his body. Herk laid his hands and poured his last remaining magic into healing him. A wound on his chest had fully closed, but he didn't regain consciousness. Burning with a high fever, I take him into my arms and rush him to our camp. Yann lugged the deer over his shoulder, and we quickly laid him to rest.

"I don't see much more wounds on him other than scrapes and bruises. The wound on his chest was the only thing serious. All this blood is probably something he killed while hunting. Relax for the moment and help me get his clothes off." Herk pats my shoulder, and I nod to him. Listening to his advice, we quickly strip off Caleb's clothes, and Herk uses the water he collected to promptly wash the most vital parts of his body before wrapping him in a tight blanket.

"The kid is a natural-born survivor. It takes a lot of heart and guts to make it back here while carrying this deer." Yann says as he begins to skin and gut the dead animal—ivian proceeds to help him. Loose from the tension, a deep sigh escapes my mouth. Focusing on pressing matters, Lukia is still in terrible condition, and now we have a child in a similar situation.

"Will that be enough for us?" I tell Yann, hoping we can survive from one simple animal with sick members. He shrugs his shoulders before setting the meat onto a cloth and gets a large pot on the fire.

"Turning it into a stew will be a lot more plentiful. I noticed some fruit trees and vegetables that have been in the local area. I'll be back shortly." Ivian sits up and lifts his mask over his mouth and blends into the shadows. I didn't have the energy to stop him, knowing he would have ignored me anyway.

"What a day..." Laid flat on my back, a long string of sighs endlessly pour from my lips until a soft tap on my forehead snaps me out of it. Herk extends his hand and pulls me to my feet. The metal is clinking together with my armor, and his singing loudly.

"Our night isn't over yet, leader." With a soft smile, Herk gives me the support I needed. I nod briefly and watch Ivian return with fresh ingredients for our stew. Herk takes the time to prep everything with Yann, and soon, everything is put together. All that was left was to wait for everything to be cooked and ready to eat.

In the meantime, I took the opportunity to take off my eyepatch and slowly cleaned my damaged eye—the caved-in crevice where my eye was still felt odd after all this time. After removing the arrow and patching up the wound, the eye needed to be removed. The pain of losing my eye and my pride against Caleb drove me insane and furthered my already terrible alcohol problem.

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For years in my youth, I struggled to make something of myself in Saiana. With my only family killed, homeless, and lost. I was just a runt who got lucky. A traveling sword master in his final years of life decided to pass on what he could to me in his last few years. His eye for talent in me proved correct, and I am now an advanced class with the rank of Platinum. Master never told me his name; his master did the same thing before him. His master forced him to make a name for himself and not to be the one to tell it.

Maybe I screwed that up a bit, but I won't forget what he did for me. Only that I did disgrace his efforts by being constantly drunk, and my quarrels with Caleb led me on a disgraceful path. I nearly killed a kid who did nothing to me. What kind of person who calls himself a man does something like that? Well, I did suffer for it. Drunk and filled with rage, a child who took a single month of training was able to defeat me and our group completely. We underestimated him while being stupidly drunk. After losing my eye and facing my sins, only then was I able to reach the strength of my former master. I still wonder if he saw me now, if he would forgive me, or if he would teach me another lesson and make me hate his guts.

Lukia and now Caleb. Two young people who depend on me now. For the sake of my master and my pride as a man, I owe it to them to make things right. If we can save them from their ailments, I promise I won't let them down, not ever again. Does that sound good enough...master?

"Hey! Gale!" The sudden voice of Herk shakes me awake. Not realizing I had been dozing off the entire time. Springing to my feet, I look around with my hand on my sword. Herk places his hand on my chest to calm me down. "There's nothing to worry about. Just that, Caleb is awake; I thought you might want to talk to him. He's currently eating; we saved you a bowl, so hurry up before it gets cold."

"I-I see. I didn't mean to be asleep." My cold fingers scrape across the dry skin of my brow. Turning my attention back to camp, I sit next to Caleb, who is still weak from his fever. He drinks the broth of the stew and lays it gently to the ground before hazily looking toward me. I gently grab his shoulders and lay him down. He coughs a bit and shivers.

"Gale...?" He calls out, his voice sounding like a child for once. I smirk and lay my blanket over him. I won't need it for tonight.

"I'm here, Caleb. You did a lot today despite your condition. You know, you're pretty amazing, you know." A soft grin across my face as I adjust my eyepatch. Caleb smirks and curls in his blanket.

"You're doing a whole lot yourself..." His voice is quiet, already falling back asleep. His illness will make it difficult for him to get any rest.

"Not as much as you. Rest as much as you can." I grab my bowl from Herk and slowly consume the contents. The meal is warm and tasty. Our bond as a party is unique. It's only grown stronger after accepting Caleb and Lukia. I felt for a long time now that something was missing.

Part of me wishes this journey would be a lot easier after we regain our bearings and stock up in the next village, but doubt never leaves my thoughts. Herk and Ivian fall asleep after we finish our meal. Yann helps me slowly feed Lukia her share, but she barely keeps it down, with her condition being as bad as it is. Any more, and she would just throw it back up. Yann fidgets a bit as he relaxes as we take watch.

The dark clouds of the storm near us doesn't approach despite its looming presence. I guess it is true that some sorcerer is behind it. We'll know more when we reach the next town. If Caleb can recover by tomorrow, it should take us about a week to reach that town. If Lukia can survive till then, we can get her the help she needs. Feeling this powerless to help her eats away at me.

Before giving up our shift to Ivian and Herk, I take one last look at our supplies and map. Adjusting our course, path, and some luck, we could possibly make it to the village a day earlier. I shared the information with everyone as we woke up that next morning. Caleb's eyes barely open as he stands to his feet. His fever has died down a bit, enough for him to be moving.

"Caleb, don't force yourself to fight as you have before. Stick to support and cover us with your bow. That will be enough if we run into any trouble."

"We won't run into much trouble as long as we keep moving in open fields. But going slow for Lukia is going to make it difficult to avoid any ambushes." Caleb saddles onto his mount. I follow his lead and help Lukia onto mine, holding her still as he continues toward the next village...