I awaken to the smell and sound of meat being grilled above a fire.

I don't quite remember when I fell asleep, having to listen, or more accurately read, Siros directions. I really hope that Vona will be giving the directions when I am actually travelling.

They are a great storyteller though, deviating and telling me stories of their worshippers for any landmark they come across in their directions.

"I am glad we met you," Merah says to Kara, grabbing a stick of meat from the campfire, "we would have just left the Hydra to rot."

"It's a delicacy," Kara says, spinning the sticks over the fire. She is completely absorbed in the cooking, spending ludicrous amounts of care to ration out the spices for every stick of meat.

[Vona: Skewer, they're called skewers. Surely you know that.]

I groggily sit up and look over at Kara, trying to catch up. "What do you mean Hydra?"

"Fleur showed me what they killed yesterday and I didn't want to leave a mountain of quality meat laying around."

Darryl looks at Fleur as he grabs a second meat stick "Didn't you take the watch?"

Fleur glares at Kara as she answers him "Yes, but we got… distracted."

Darryl and Vikram grin at each other as Merah looks between them confusedly. "Wait, do you mean…"

"She got laid!" Vikram exclaims, swinging an arm around Fleurs shoulder, "that explains why she is so talkative today."

Merah smiles at me before turning to Kara. "And you are okay with this?" She asks.

Fleur winds out of Vikrams grasp, punching his shoulder and stomping to the campfire.

Kara looks at Merah, blinking in sheer confusion, "Y- Yeah."

"Ohh," realisation hits Merah and she buries her face in her robe, "Sorry!"

"Wait, is that why you had Merah heal you this morning?" Darryl asks Fleur, which just earns him a slap against the shoulder.

I- am not saying anything. Anything I say can and will be used against me later so staying silent is my safest bet.

"Yes," Fleur says, talking through her teeth, "she isn't a wimp like you."

[Siro: Oh yeah, I've made that mistake before when Vona-]

The message abruptly cuts off, but unlike the earlier disruption, it keeps the colour.

[Vona: Sorry about that, he seems to have run out of Mana.]

Ookay. Going to ignore that, not getting in between two deities.

Vikram and Darryl continue to tease the two for a while as I enjoy Hydra Meat for the first time.

[Grant: Where did you say the artefact was, Siro?]

[Vona: Give him some time to recharge his mana and talk with the others, he has to heal a wound.]

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[Vona: or two.]

Fleur pulls Kara into her lap, putting a hand around her waist. "You two are just jealous."

"About you getting bitten and needing to ask Merah for heals?" Darryl asks, grabbing another Hydra skewer, "I can get bitten by a cat without all the hassle."

Kara's hand goes straight for her dagger, trying to stand up and jump at Darryl.

Fleur pulls her back down, keeping her in her lap and glaring at Darryl. "Don't compare her to a cat."

"Right," I say, mentally noting it down for later, "as long as she doesn't kill anyone."

"He deserves it," Kara hisses, straining against Fleur's grip.

"Chill," Darryl says, scooting away from her and raising his hands, "Cats are cute. No need to cut my throat."

Kara literally hisses at him like a cat before snuggling into Fleurs lap. "Kick him for me on your next job."

Fleur finishes her skewer and starts massaging Kara's thigh.

Merah takes this moment to speak up "What's your plan after this?"

I pull out my firearms and put them on my bedroll as I answer "We've got a divine mission to retrieve an artefact somewhere in this swamp."

Vikram looks at me with a hand on his sword. "What does the artefact do?"

I start cleaning up my revolvers and rifle which have been completely caked in mud, sending a quick question to Siro. I am going to be so glad once we get out of the Swamp. It's a hassle to clean up everything so regularly even if Idanu takes longer to catch up.

[Siro: It's a way for the Chosen successor of Death to grow stronger, transcend your limits as a human and make the best out of every shot.]

"It's something to make me stronger, they aren't the most concise person," I explain.

"Right," he says, "Nothing that spreads Death or pestilence or something?"

"No, they wouldn't leave something like that lying around!"

[Vona: Well, most of mine have been stolen or destroyed.]

[Siro: I only made the one but I poured my soul into it, I won't let anyone destroy it!]

[Stan: I never bound my magic to an object, I spread Death myself.]

"Mhmm," Merah says, "half of the old tales are about Artefacts from the God of Death destroying communities."

I finish up my maintenance as Vikram starts packing their things. Throwing my rifle on my back, I glare at Merah "They are still deities. They've got their reasons."

Darryl starts helping Vikram clean up as Merah cleans up her own bedroll. Kara and Fleur continue to cuddle as we do the actual work.

"So what is your plan when we split up?" I ask Kara, rolling up my bedroll.

"Come with you," she says, "This is just a one time thing even if it was very pleasant."

Fleur scowls down at her, clearly thinking that this was more and that we'll Tag along. "I thought you liked me."

Oh. I turn away, trying to give them some privacy while packing up.

"I do," Kara confirms, "but I can't leave him alone. I'll gladly meet up when we're in the same town but this is..."

She trails off, searching for the right word.

"Just a fling," Fleur offers.

There is a tense silence as everyone else is packing their things, respectfully ignoring their talk without going into the swamp and putting themselves in danger.

Kara answers weakly, voice barely a whisper, "yes."

There is a soft thud as Kara drops on the ground, Fleur rushing off into the woods.

"Ughh," Darryl says, "I'll go after her."

Vikram sighs "don't, you'll only make it worse."

"Fuck off," he says, storming off, "I'm her brother."

Oh crap.

Vikram looks after Darryl before groaning and continuing his packing.

I quickly pack the rest of my belongings, not having much to start with. Kara solemnly packs her stuff and walks over to Merah, whispering something in her ear.

We quickly say our goodbyes and depart, making plans to meet up in Brightgate once we finish our mission and they find out what's happening there.