Towards the end of the month of Prosh, approaching winter at a time which was certainly noon. The gathered foot soldiers were marching on their way to their respective homelands, led by man clad in full armor bearing the insignia of the empire in his chest.

The infantry men were walking in heaving steps, catching their breaths as they go, and occasionally groaning from pain. They wouldn't have such a problem marching prior to the war, which they defended from just a couple days ago.

Said infantry men were marching to the direction of the imperial capital, located at the northernmost peninsula where the soldier was to report to his superiors. A certain infantry man, though his body was commited to the march was staring at the ground with deep focus and was holding on to a pouch as if his life depended on it.

"11,000 paces further north, that's still a long way". The man thought as he briefly gazed into the sun. "This heat is bearable, but is hot enough that it gives a chill in my body, I wonder why. Come to think of it, I've read from an article that the sun, which supposedly gives life to all beings, was allegedly harmful to humans, a higher dose of it anyway. It mentions something about a ray that destroys the cells of the body. Bah! As if those scholars couldn't get anymore insane!"

The man was of slim body, above the average height with dark, sharp predatory eyes and a dark hair to match. He is well built alike most of his current peers and wears a dirty tauron leather cloak aiming to hide the clothes beneath, that are not so much as clothes as they are rags.

Soon he began to seek for something around him - anything of particular importance. Whether observing his fellow infantrymen, what they carry, their expressions, or any such observable traits. He liked to think himself an intellectual and was purposely avoiding a certain subject in his mind.

However , as the time goes on , and the harder he tries to avoid , the stronger his mind drifts towards it.

Now their steps were relatively fast, executed in a uniform motion, coordinately their feet was pounding at the ground creating a sharp and hard monotone sound.

He didn't notice that his heart began to mimick it too. The thrumming battery of his heart, ringing from his ears.

"It's only been three months, in that time they must've fend off for themselves. Yes, certainly they must have. I didn't have choice in that matter. Jacob had only a slight fever and Helena was surely tending for them. I've limited my expenses during these travels, the money from the draft was hardly disturbed."

Once more, he looked around at his fellow men.

"Are they all aware? Or did the size of their brain shrunk after they fought the war? The lives of these men barely survived it too, that they rejoice and value every bit of their time, failing to come to a realization? Or was the information suppressed? That must be it, knowing the empire it was to prevent panic, but would that really help? Gah! I'm tired of all this assumptions, and even then all this is but a trifle."

3 hours passes, the army arrived at Caryolia. A fairly large town by the woods near the forest of Trideen. It has a reassuring wooden wall ranging up to 6 meters, seemingly made from the wood of Vera, that was said to possess some magic qualities. This place was the origin of a war hero of old, Gurnav, known for his knowledge in alchemy with many discoveries leading to an advancement to the field of medicine. His statue of stone can be seen beside the gate at the entrance.

"Halt! We'll set up camp here by the wall, we march on again by sunrise; resupply and rest until then! Whatever you chose to decide." The soldier said.

The army did not bother to lodge in an inn as most of them were probably saving their expenses, and even if they ought to, the town wouldn't be able to accommodate all of them. But of course not all share the same sentiment, or the same motives, as some men entered the gates as soon as they arrived.

"I should perhaps visit the guild to look for a small quest, and if it is worth the trouble, I wouldn't mind to be left by the march. Indeed there would be competition, but I am quite confident that there'll be a use for a fire mage such as myself in this large town."

"Kyren!" A tall stout man called out to him. " I would like to invite you at a certain place, as a symbol of gratitude for saving my life. I would absolutely delighted if you decided to consider this request. But of course! All this is fully on my account, I won't let you spend even a copper. I won't allow it.

"Oh, so it seems you haven't forgotten it still, I only fired it by chance, a fluke as I see it. In the first place, saving you was the last on my mind, preventing the horror to become a reality is what I meant to do, at the best of my ability entirely for my own well being. And I suppose booze is what you offer?"

No,no,no,no! Nothing of that sort! I think you misunderstood. You see, I wrote a letter to a relative, who happens to live here in Caryolia , or at least that's what the beloved grandmother said. However, we have sent it at a time when I was almost on my way to the X front, and as such the reply wouldn't be able to reach me, if they ever had one, so by that I was anxious. See this?"

The man hastily held out a savonnete full of rust and seemingly broken. But it does have a slight, unique distinction amongst other kinds he has seen. It's lid hinges gives off a slight emerald glow and the chain attached to it, though rusted too, was a coil of bendable metal of some sort.

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"What do you mean to say?"

"This is an evidence I can show upon my arrival, and no doubt only my family has such. Our relative was said to be a loving person and they are sure to receive us, I should think, and if I'm rightly informed they too, were longing to see one of their blood. And if you were to come with me, my saviour, I will see to it that you'll be atleast accommodated, and I, no, we will look upon you as my bosom friend whom I met recently and fought together with."

The man was rambling in an anxious excitement and was staring at Kyren's eyes with great anticipation.

"I have yet to know your name."

The man tapped his forehead in agreement. "Oh, how could I forget?! Then let me introduce myself, I am Dante Buch and I am pleased to make your acquaintance"

Dante, as the man called himself, offered his palm for a handshake but Kyren was yet to take it and was simply staring at his hand with confused agitation.

"So you say that I'll be acquainted for the time being?"

"Indeed that is so! I have thought it right to take you with me there upon my arrival, and I am telling you all this to ease your mind, as I see you are still far from comfortable on my account."

"I suppose it would be worth a try"

The town was quite lively to Kyren because as soon as they entered the gates, they were directly at the market. There was a kind of stench particular only to this place and as you inhale it the first time, the smell of a rancid decaying meat or perhaps a corpse of some sort enters strongly through your lungs and what's more, is that it gives a mild cooling sensation, one refreshing that it gives a certain clarity, with that he felt the odious odor at full effect, as if the only purpose of his senses was to simply absorb it.

"Bloody Hell!" Dante uttered a sudden loud cry.

"I apologize, my good sir. Perhaps you may take an interest into this myrma potion, it helps heal abrasions as well as swelling, all you have to do is rub it in."

Amongst the bustling crowds in the market, an old man, wearing a grosteque round hat of thatch appeared in front of them, and in his back he carries some sort of rack in which his products are stored.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Again, I apologize. My name is Jarkin, an aspiring merchant though of old age, but never mind that! Know that these concotions are entirely from the House of Meyer, a reputable alchemist, and the best one too in this town. Of course, one can buy from there directly if they like, however, it would take weeks for the order to be complete."

The merchant leaned closer, now his presence being a tad bit uncomfortable.

"So you see, my good sir, as all of us know time is as valuable if not more valuable than money, and as such I strongly recommend you to purchase from me as this potion may very well save your life."

"May I ask as to why it smells so horrid?"

Dante quickly glances at the moving crowd and then whispered to Kyren beside him with a slightly anxious but nonetheless disturbed voice.

"Kyren, perhaps we should go. We are yet to find my relatives and the sun is nearing dawn. If we stood any longer, we might as well consider ourselves lost donkeys."

"Yes!" The merchant assertively retorted. Most of the raw materials came from the forest of X, it is manufactured here too, and as such this is the place where you can acquire them the cheapest! Quite a steal eh? In the capital it can cost so much as twice it's value.

"Is that so! There must be a job for a mage then!" Kyren matched the merchant's vigor. "Let us go, Dante! Let us go and come away!"

"But wait!" The pair was already walking when the merchant grabbed them by the shoulder. "There may come a time that you'll be in dire need of help, consider purchasing this map too as I know you've only been recently here" He pointed to a symbol of an eagle's talons in the map. "Here lies a tavern with the same symbol, wherein they might be able to provide assistance, to whatever it is you have qualms with."

"Anything?"

"Yes, Indeed."

"How much for it?"

"48 copper coins"

After saying farewell to the merchant both of them headed to the inner most part of the town, in proximity of the market. They walked through many stalls, mostly selling fruits and a wide variety of utensils, there are also some fashionable artistic works of art and other miscellaneous items. One item that particularly stood out for Kyren was a wooden sculpture of a bipedal obese frog, wearing robes with fine detail, and at the head he also wore a majestic crown with an elongated braids of beads at the sides it.

"It says here that we are a couple streets away from the residential area."

"Then should we ask some establishments on our way?"

"Yes we do that."

Trudging along they walked through establishments of all sorts including what they assumed was the alchemist's house as it releases fumes of toxins from its chimney, and there they saw the church from a distance, giving a sermon to all the gathered people.

"This way."

They turned to a corner, when a sudden arm latched tightly into Kyren's leg, and having caught by surprise, he, without hesitation, kicked the man with full force.

"Kuh!" The man flinched in pain and recoiled back into the ground, with his sides being grazed by the rugged stones.

"Are you alright?!" Dante walked towards his direction.

"No need to fret, I am fine"

Dante disregarded him and kneeled over to the old man.

"My daughter! Help me! We must find her. Yes, she is alive! I am sure. The longer we wait the more danger she'll be in."

The man shouted with extreme worry, whilst grabbing Dante by the collar of his clothes. He stared at him with posseses wild eyes and was frantically breathing laboriously, between his cries he mutters something too quiet for anyone but himself to hear. From first glance, it was quiet obvious that the man was of poor status, in which visibly it was hard to imagine he'll be able to sink into a lower of ebb, his ginger hair was disheveled and his unkempt beard reached out to his abdomen, his clothes were also full of dirt and dust, his coat in particular, has holes revealing more than it can cover.

"Kyren, we should act right awa-"

"Don't listen to his nonsense!" A leatherwork from the balcony shouted. "That man has lost his mind, he's been saying the same thing for ages, almost half a decade now."

"Leave him be, he is simply mentally deranged. There is no hope for him."

Dante rose up in confused disappointment.

"The accursed men! God shall bring forth justice, as I rightfully deserve, for the people and him I have served!"

Is he from the war? Kyren asked

Perhaps, we do not know either. He appeared out of nowhere too.

But is he telling the truth?

"I suppose, but he lost credibility over the years now, I say the best course of action is to simply walk away."

"Is that so, then Dante, let us not waste anymore of our time." Kyren walked ahead, and moments passed he looked back irritated seeing Dante hasn't followed him, in the first place, he doesn't have the map at hand and also oblivious of where to go.

Let us go Dante! There's nothing left to do!

"Kuh-he-he-he You!" He began to laugh maniacally and pointed at Kyren. "You are the same as them, and will suffer the retribution. You see, I have prayed and prayed and prayed, to see monsters like you burn in the deepest depths of hell. Yes! Monsters, what difference have we from them, if not a slight intelligence, for as much as you try to be good, or to think that you are in the right, your heart will not stop until it satisfies it's unending ravenous desires.

"Dante!" Kyren shouted once again

A handful of people were shocked in bewilderment from the man's sudden nonsensical speech and took attention if only for a moment but soon they have gone to their own businesses just as fast.

"Everyone has abandoned their own humanity, the only semblance of what we truly are!"

The pair headed towards the street with uneasy expressions, with Kyren getting more irritated by the time.

"That man was beyond absurd." Kyren scoffed.

"That man, he is of good health, without visible disabilities of any kind. To think a man, who willingly put themselves into a responsibility would rather be a beggar than to act. Truly a madman of incredible proportions, one should act for his own ideals, and if led to death as it rightfully should then so be it, but to beg- to live only to beg, is he not ashamed? either way he will die as he should, but he has the choice to go with dignity. See, this is why I hate uneducated individuals, poverty is not a crime, of course, but ignorance is. Then again, why should I find reason within a madman, all I do is waste my time. Daydreaming on a fantasy, a fantasy to amuse myself."

Dante asked the residents as usual and this time, finally, someone knows about who they search for.

Katerina Ryberg? "Perhaps you mean the wife of the late captain Markus?."