I pull my black cloak around me, so it covers my skeleton frame. My hands lift the hood up, so I can embrace the darkness of the cloak. My khopesh still lays on the ground, the explosion pelted it away from the body of the dead ogre.

I can still see the mana in the air from the explosion, but it faded after a few seconds. I may have not turned out how I expected, but the spell was fun to make.  I know for sure that the reverse repair thread works, but I may have to tone down things a bit. I'll have to name the mana spell to mana battery since it did act like one. I'll also just start calling it the reverse spell from now on. 

An ogre he called it, that’s funny.  The only ogre I have ever seen is the one from Shrek.  I always thought I would' have made good friends with one, but now not so much. I heard the sound of Nia’s tiny wings buzzing in the air. It warned me of her presence so, I look around in hopes to find her. 

“Thank you, I did not expect we would meet like this “The man said to me, his eyes completely examine me. What did he mean by meet like this? He frowns at the red haired girl, who was busy whipping her black daggers on the fur hide that Mother wore in a loincloth fashion. She then slid the blades skilfully back into the sheaths on her belt.

“ What?” she asked,  perplexed at the man’s frown.   

“You were supposed to scout ahead fully.” He said, with a displeased voice. 

“I did, you were one who said these things don't come so close to the outer regions of the Badlands and I wasn’t the one who got caught. “she responded. 

“Is that what you think happened? Laziness kills. You have much still to learn.” The man retorted.  I could tell that she was going to say something else in return, but choose not to. The man sees the miserable look on her face and was about to say something else, but Nia’s presence steals both their attention.

“Is that a fairy?” The man who held Isaac said, the boy is still unconscious in his arms. He looks both surprised and curious. Nia stands on my shoulder, her wings still beating to keep balance. She sticks her tongue out towards the man to tease him. Seems the fairy is back to her usual unpredictable self.  

“A fairy! Jax, you said they don’t exist anymore.” The red hair woman said with excessive curiosity. Are people not scared of walking-killing-sword-wielding-magic-casting skeletons anymore, or is it just these two. And why are they showing me so much respect, but at the same time somewhat ignoring me.

“Clearly they do it would seem. Though, I’ve never heard of any being sighted for hundreds of years. A skeleton priest and a fairy, what an odd pair.“ He paused as if rethinking his words. “I meant no offense prophet, may I ever be humble. “ 

Jax walks towards one of the dead looking trees. He puts I sit up against a tree trunk. I move closer, since I have a vested interest in the boy and want to know if he is really dead. Jax gave the boy a couple light slaps on the cheek, trying to wake him up. 

“Isaac was really brave! He tried putting up a fight.” Nia said, her voice ringing with happiness. I cannot picture the boy putting up a fight, probably that is how he got knocked out? He did have a bruise on the forehead. I watch as Isaac began to wake, he looks confused at first, then scared. I think that is the first time I have seen him genuinely scared. 

“You hit me with your head!” The boy said, his legs buckled, as he pointed towards Jax. 

“You were screaming, I had no choice boy. I apologise.” Jax said to Isaac. However, Isaac still kept his distance away from the man. Isaac was slowing trying to get up, but Jax held him down and said, “Sit still for a while, you’re bit wobbly.” 

Isaac spots me rather quickly, he stops from glaring at Jax to look at me. He shows a bit of calm on his face. I am unsure what the boy saw when he looked at me to. I did save him, but only because for the memories I could have received doing so. Plus, I only came back for him since I need him to travel around quickly. Well, I can always convince these two to come along, he is a child, surely they would tag along to help a child reach his destination. It should avoid me having to save Isaac the next time, they seemed capable of protecting themselves. 

“Nia, ask them who they are.” I direct my thoughts to her, hoping she would be listening in on my mind, or was she always listening? I believe she could only hear the thoughts directed to her, or else she would have seen the kind of person I really am. And probably fly away.

Nia asked both of them the question. I know this because they both turn their heads to look at the fairy on my shoulder, then at each other. 

“Did that come from the fairy?” The red haired woman asked. She walks closer to Nia, reaching out her hand to touch Nia, but the fairy slid to the other side of my shoulder, not wanting to be touched.  

“You heard that as well. I’ve thought that was only a myth.” The man said, his eyes looking around for something. I now see what is on his back, I have never seen much lutes, but this was certainly a lute I was looking at on the back of Jax. 

“Forgive us for the rudeness prophet, our travels have been long.” Jax said as he bowed to me. All this prophet talk is confusing. I rather just get the boy and leave. 

“I am Jax Vaath, seeker of the First King and guardian to his prophets.” Jax said with pride and a deep bow as he extended his arms out. He put a lot of emphasize on the word prophets. So basically he was some holy man. 

“And I am Thea Eruk, apprentice to seeker Jax and also of the bloodline of Naxus “ She also tried taking a bow, it was without grace. She almost fell over doing so. All this was well and good, descriptions and jobs and all that blah blah, but what does that have to do with me.

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“Nia tell Isaac we are leaving.” I sent my thoughts towards her.  

It is best if I just take the boy and leave. Nia flies over to Isaac and hugs his neck. Isaac quickly got to his feet, he is just as happy to get out of here as I am. He walks pass me, moving to the horses. I had forgotten the horses are still here, just shows how much I want to leave. They are fenced in by logs. I move to help, but Jax moves to help Isaac before I could. The horses are happy to be back out in the open, and the snuggled into Isaac. The boy dips into his pocket and takes out something to feed them with. They graciously lick his hand clean, and move their heads to his pocket for more.

I gave a wave to Isaac after he got a hold of the horses reins. Soon after I start to walk out of the clearing and Isaac follows along. I walk the path I originally came from to reach our wagon, hopefully it is still there. I did not ask her, but Nia led the way. She used the same blinking glow that I can see with my mana vision. She did not have to help, since I mostly knew the way back, but it made me confident that this is the correction direction.

It is about fifteen minutes into the walk back when I finally notice the sound of extra footsteps behind me. Isaac is either walking really fast, or the horses are goofing around. I stop, took off my hood and turned my head one hundred and eighty degrees backwards to look.  I think Jax and Thea were not expecting that because they flinched. Isaac had to calm the horses back down as well.

I wonder why they were following me. I do not like people following me.

“Nia, can you ask them why they are following us.” I once again send my thoughts to her.  

Nia flew ahead of us, so I am unsure she would hear. It may be a good idea to test the distance of this mental connection in the future. She turns and fly back towards our direction. Nia lands on a low branch of on one of dry, leafless trees. Jax and Thea are about ten feet behind us. Jax now had on a brown coat. A reply came a few seconds later. 

“It’s my duty to guard the prophet, and follow your teachings, while you lead us to the First King.” Jax replied. It is a shame I could not laugh, that was damn funny. Does he think I am like his Jesus? I do not even know them. Wait, why were they searching for me? And how did they know where I am. Do I have a tracker on me? 

I nod my head twice in their direction. This actually could be good. I never thought they would follow on their own will. It would be good to have reliable people around. At least until they realise how stupid of a mistake they made. Me a prophet?  I still do not trust them. They could be bandits in hiding. Their story is just too convenient.

 “Nia, keep an eye on them, I don’t trust them.” I send my thought to the fairy. 

“Really? They don’t seem like they are lying.” She replied, with a curious voice, taking quick glances at Jax and Thea.

“Still, I rather be cautious.” I replied. 

“If you say so Laoch” She replied. Nia then flies off the branch to once again fly in front.  

The wagon is still where I left it when we returned. A sign of how infrequently this road is travelled. The crate which I threw and broke, still lays on the ground. Furs from the broken crate lays exposed on the ground. I pick up the pieces of broken wood and rest them next to the coffin on the wagon. I gather the furs and stack them into one of the other crates.

I ask Nia to find out if either of them knew how to handle a wagon. Isaac driving a wagon could look very suspicious to certain people, unless that is natural for this world. Isaac began to attach the two horses back to the wagon, leading them by their reins. 

Jax and Thea both said yes and It took us little time to once again be on the road. Jax is in front, with the reins in his hands, he talks with Isaac. I can sense the boy is still wary of Jax, since he seems reluctant to reply to Jax. Isaac occasionally looks back from his seat in the front. Thea sat next to me, on my coffin and I could see why the boy is so curious. She has her eyes close. I keep looking at her, and for some time she does not open her eyes.

I start to repair my hand, since this is the best possible time. I began create my weaving. I use a generous amount of mana while forming the weave. Nia is also on my arm, taking interest in the healing process. I make the healing weave quicker this time, I could be because I am healing myself, which would require a few less sub-threads, and only the bone thread. Perhaps it was my practice. I cast the spell and watch the bones in my arm slowly regenerate. It is not a quick process, bone takes quite a bit of time to form and after twenty minutes I only regenerate up to my wrist. 

“Is everything okay with her?” Isaac asked. Jax. He looked back at Thea, who still had her eyes closed, looking forward at the trees we passed by. Jax also turned around briefly, to see what the boy meant. 

“She is okay boy, Thea is somewhat blind, she is just resting her eyes. “Jax replies. 

“Blind? But she was walking before, I thought blind people couldn't walk, or see.” Isaac said, his head shifting back to Jax then once again to Thea, who was smiling at him. Isaac looks at Jax with a confused face.

“I’m blind, not lame or deaf, I can hear you. And I can still see, just not what everyone else sees.” Thea answered, a frown appearing on her face when Jax chuckles at her retort.

“You will be amaze at what she can see boy, even with her eyes closed. Thea has to rest her eyes every now and again, it comes with being part of her bloodline along with having a thickhead.” Jax said. I can see Isaac smile a bit as well.

A pretty blind girl that sees the world differently from everyone else. A man who calls himself a seeker and claims to be my guardian. A boy who seems to have little fear, but big dreams. And, a mysterious fairy. Lastly, me, an undead. I can tell things will start to get a bit interesting around here.