We sat on the ground, the three of us next to the dead spider. Its body lay motionless, a grotesque mass of legs and torn exoskeleton. The adrenaline from the fight had mostly worn off, leaving a heavy silence between us. The tough redheaded girl, still looking shaken but trying to regain her composure, glanced at the spider and muttered, “Gods, I hate spiders.” She spat to the side, her expression hardening.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, even though my body ached. “It was nothing,” I said, waving it off, though the wounds on my face and arms still stung, the fresh cut on my cheek throbbing as it slowly healed.

Lance, who had been kneeling next to the girl, healing her wounds, suddenly stopped. His eyes narrowed as he watched her obsidian-like hands slowly revert to their normal shape. He got up in one swift motion, pointing a finger directly at her. “Wait a minute,” he said, his voice tight with suspicion. “You’re the one who took my purse!”

The girl’s face twisted in anger, but there was something else there too—shame. She looked away, her jaw clenched. “I didn’t,” she muttered.

“I can’t believe this!” Lance said, throwing his hands in the air. “I just healed the person who stole from us!” His voice was filled with disbelief and fury. He stepped towards her, his eyes blazing. “Give it back, now.”

The girl met his gaze, her expression fierce and defiant. “I don’t have it anymore,” she said, her voice steady despite the situation.

“Prove it,” Lance demanded, not moving at all.

She let out a frustrated grunt but didn’t back down. With a sharp motion, she reached for her own small purse and tossed it onto the ground in front of us. The contents spilled out—a single Silver Pup and a few Copper Deer and Calf coins rolled across the dirt.

Lance ran a hand through his hair, grabbing his head in frustration. “What did you do with the rest?!” His voice was raw with anger, and I could feel it too, the heat of his emotions bleeding through our bond.

I glanced at the girl, her face still set in that angry defiance, but there was something else too, something I could feel deep inside. It wasn’t just anger… it was guilt. Heavy, aching guilt that pulsed through her even as she kept her chin up.

“I had debts to pay,” she said fiercely, her voice steady but her eyes betraying the shame she felt. “I didn’t have a choice.”

“You lying scum!” Lance shot back, his anger only growing.

But I could feel the truth of her words, the weight of her guilt mingling with her defiance. I got up and placed a hand on Lance’s arm, stopping him before he could say anything else. “She’s telling the truth,” I said quietly, meeting his eyes. “I can feel it.”

Lance’s jaw clenched, his frustration clear, but he didn’t argue. He let out a long breath, shaking his head in disbelief. “Debts or not, that was all the money we had,” he muttered, his anger still simmering beneath the surface.

The girl looked at me, her expression softening slightly. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, though her pride kept her from saying more.

I nodded, feeling the exhaustion in my bones. There wasn’t much else to say. The truth was out, and we weren’t really broke, so I wasn’t too bothered.

Lance sighed, rubbing his temples again, his anger slowly ebbing into frustration. “Let’s just… figure this out later,” he said, his voice quieter now, though the tension still lingered between them.

We all sat again in silence for a few moments longer. The forest around us was quiet, save for the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze. The fight had left us all drained and stressed.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

As the last bit of light faded from the sky, the three of us silently agreed it was time to stop for the night. None of us had the energy to keep going, especially after everything that happened with the spider. Without saying much, we set up a crude camp with a tiny fire, just enough to keep us warm but not bright enough to draw attention. We shared a few apples and the hard bread the innkeeper had given us. The silence between us was thick, but no one seemed eager to break it.

I knew none of us slept that night. We all pretended—eyes closed, bodies still—but I could feel the tension radiating from both Lance and the girl. None of us were comfortable, and sleep was a luxury we couldn’t afford, especially now. We were all scared. The next morning, without a word, we packed up and started walking again, continuing our journey toward Vermilion Post.

The girl walked ahead of us, her pace quick, almost as if she wanted to put distance between herself and us. Lance walked beside me, his eyes not leaving her, his annoyance clear in every glance he threw her way. I could feel the awkwardness in the air, not just my own, but theirs too. It was heavy, like a weight pressing down on all of us.

The trail led us deeper into the wilderness, the thick canopy above shading us from the rising sun. The path was still rough, more of a direction than a real road, and the silence stretched on. As we walked, I let my mind drift, my attention turning inward as I checked my soul again. The familiar songs were there, humming softly in the back of my mind, but there was something different, and also something new.

[Royal Revenge]

[Champion's Physique II]

[Soul Bond II]

[Archangel's Touch]

[Demon Claws]

I smiled to myself, realizing I must have advanced Champion’s Physique during the fight with the spider. A small surge of pride filled me. Of course, I thought, I would’ve been really mad if it hadn’t. I focused on the new blessing—[Demon Claws]—and felt its song resonate through my soul.

"Through flesh and bone, the claws will gnaw,

With strength and skill, no force can draw,

Forged in blood, obey no law,

None will stand the [Demon Claws]."

The verses echoed in my mind, but, before I could dwell on it any longer, the girl suddenly stopped ahead of us. She turned around, her eyes sharp as she raised her right hand, showing us the back of it. There, over the marks of her blessing on her wrist, was a new mark on her index finger—small but unmistakable.

Her eyes locked onto mine, suspicion mixed with something else. “How long is this going to last?” she asked, her voice flat but tense.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I don’t think I could break the connection even if I wanted to,” I said, lifting my own hand, now showing the ring-like marks on my fingers through my tattered gloves. “Besides, I quite like my new claws.”

The girl’s eyes widened, her shock evident as she stared first at her finger, then back at me. “So… this is permanent?” she asked, her voice softer now, almost disbelieving.

I shrugged. “I think so. But don’t worry—we both benefit from it. So there’s no need to get worked up.”

She stared at me for a long moment, still trying to process what I’d said, before finally nodding, though the suspicion in her eyes didn’t fully fade. Lance watched the exchange closely, his own eyes narrowing slightly, but he stayed quiet, though I could tell he wasn’t entirely comfortable with what had just happened.

As we continued walking, I leaned over to Lance and whispered, “By the way, I advanced Champion’s Physique during the fight.”

Lance smirked, his expression briefly softening as he nodded. “Congrats,” he said, though his smile faded quickly, replaced by a look of guilt. He glanced away, his steps slowing.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, noticing the change in his mood.

Lance sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I… I should’ve been more helpful. I spent the whole fight glued to that damn tree, completely useless. It was so frustrating.”

I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “It was bad luck, that’s all. You couldn’t have done anything from where you were.”

But Lance shook his head, his expression darkening. “Still… it doesn’t feel right. You did all the fighting. I was just… stuck there.”

I could feel the weight of his frustration, and though I tried to brush it off, I knew it bothered him. “Hey, everything worked out in the end,” I said, but Lance remained silent, his jaw tight as he walked beside me.

The sun had climbed high in the sky by the time we saw the crude wooden wall in the distance. Two men stood guard at the entrance, their weathered faces stern as they watched us approach. I knew then that we had finally made it to Vermilion Post.