Licht died.

It was from an infection.

Iota hadn’t known Licht for long - not more than a couple of days but his cheerfulness and ever-smiling face made him feel a pang of sadness.

Iota worked in the fields that day once again plucking, pulling and planting crops. Death’s wretched hands weren’t unfamiliar to Iota.

He glanced towards the opening at the end of the wooden walkway that crossed the field. .

The cave was the only part of the village he hadn’t been allowed to go to, Licht hadn’t given any information and had hurriedly changed the subject any time Iota tried to bring it up. Now that Licht was gone and not always around him he could go further and maybe get some answers.

He looked around him checking that the sight was clear, the few people that were there were carrying plants back to be stored, there backs were turned and they would not notice him. He made his way towards the cave. A chill swept across his body, the cave had given him a bad feeling as soon as he laid eyes on it. It wasn’t a concrete reason but it had gotten him out of more than one pinch in his many years of wandering the outlands.

He entered the cave.

It was dark and took a moment for his eyes to adjust.

It was an anima.

There was an anima in the middle of the cave.

Its body took up most of the cave. Its barrel shaped body wallowed in the muddy water. Moss was growing on its back. Its mouth which was a third of its body length was open revealing razor sharp teeth and a grayish tongue.

Insects pecked between its teeth. The jaws snapped shut crushing up the critters. The mouth opened again, bug legs and bug body parts still littering the teeth. the ones that hadn’t died went back to pecking between its metal teeth eating the very insects that moments ago were side by side with them.

What is this? Iota was disgusted what was an anima doing here.

Cast away to the side of it something metallic gleamed in the mud. Iota withdrew it, it was a pendant. His eyes widened in shock when he realized who’s it was.

He rushed out and ran to the village chief. “Why the hell is there an anima here!”

“Calm down, “ Said the chief.

“What questions do you have about the Life-Giver.”

“Life-Giver, anima kills people.” Spat Iota

“It sustains us, without the Life-Giver this village would have perished long ago.”

Iota dangled the pendant in front of them.

“You killed him, you killed Licht.” He shouted with emotion he didn’t know he had welling forward.

Iota’s vision blurred.

He was surprised to find tears in his eyes. He blinked them back.

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Iota took out his pistol and aimed it at the chief. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now!”

Chief Honaly remained calm.

“Where’s Zeno?” He shouted

“The Nemrire is safe. We would never hurt one of our saviours, it would be unthinkable to lay a hand on him.”

Just then one of the villagers burst into the room. “Chief Honaly, The Nemrire is awake.”

The villagers face turned white when he saw the pistol in Iota’s hand.

“Chief..” Began the villager, slowly reaching in his robe.

“Stop.” barked Chief Honaly. CHief Honaly redirected his gaze to Iota.

“You’re friend won’t stay awake for long you should visit him before its too late.”

“Tsk” said Iota, lowering his gun and going out of the hut. He knocked into the villager on his way out.

Zeno had been moved to a bigger hut in the center of the village, no doubt due to his status. When Iota met Zeno he was sitting up. His face was pale and his eyes were half closed making one doubt his consciousness but the words he spoke changed that.

“Iota, what is this place?”

“You’re alright. ” Said Iota reassuringly

“We’re in a village underground, we somehow made it here among some ruins.”

“Why did you save me?” asked Zeno

“Don’t worry about it, just get some rest.” replied Iota

Zeno coughed heavily into his hand. When he took it away from his mouth, it revealed blood on his hand.

“You there.” said Iota pointing to someone there.

“Tell me what his situation is.”

The panicked villager was pulled by his clothes outside the hut by Iota.

“He has shattered ribs, many broken bones, but that is not the worst of it . . .”

The villager squirmed nervously among themselves

“He is heavily poisoned, was he by chance poisoned by an anima?”

“Yeah, “ Said Iota nodding eagerly “it was a large reptilian anima! Do you know how to fix him ”

“hm , that sounds very troublesome..” Said the villager thinking to himself. “Ask chief Honaly.”

Before he knew it Iota was back in front of Chief Honaly

“Zeno is poisoned” said Iota bluntly “can you help him.”

“I am afraid not.” Said the chief. “We don’t nearly have the resources, or knowledge to treat him.

Iota’s grip tightened around the pistol. He struggled to maintain his composure, as much as he didnät want to believe it Chief Honaly was probably telling the truth. They Nemrire were clearly important to them. He had no choice but to believe him. Iota could feel the despair overwhelm him. They had come so far, it couldn’t end here. Zeno had thanked him for saving his life, and he had felt proud even though in the end he might as well as not done anything at all. What the hell have I even done though Iota I haven’t saved him one bit

“But.. I believe there is an antidote, "said Chief Honaly. “It is only a legend though, passed down through generations. You see, we haven’t ventured above since our forefathers and have therefore not been in contact with anima venom.

“We are well versed in many plants and perhaps there is a plant that could heal him that has trickled through time to us as a myth, It’s called the Golden dawnflower

Chief Honaly withdrew a scroll from his robes.

“We were already looking into an antidote before you came clamoring about it. This is an image of what it looks like”

He unfurled it revealing a yellow flower. Spikes lined its dark green stem. Its petals ere long and wide forming together a round tube shape. , According to the myths and legends it only grows within the Sagrarian forest.“

The Sagrarian Forest was the most ferocious part of the Outlands.

It is one of if not the only places where the wildlife survived in the destructive world where metal creatures survived. The plants and animals alike living in close proximity to each other and fighting for the same resources had brewed something that could only have been described as hell on earth.

Iota couldn't leave things like this, he couldn’t let Zeno die. He wasn’t sure what emotions he was feeling but he knew that if Zeno died he would be sad. He knew that if he left things like they were and pretended that they never happened then and just left… What would even be the point? Just surviving, leaving everyone and everything behind. He knew deeply that we wouldn’t be able to deal with doing that. If he did that he would never be able to live with himself.

“I’ll do it.” Said Iota firmly