When Zane woke up he felt even weaker than before. He felt like falling asleep again right then and there. But something inside him told him that he couldn't, that he couldn't fall asleep again now. He slowly lifted his hand, which felt as heavy as a boulder and looked around the small hut. Mira was nowhere to be seen, he was all alone. The lanterns hanging from the ceiling were all lit, a fire was going in the fireplace and he was again covered in clothes.

Was she with me the entire night again?

Zane slowly got up from the mattress, letting the clothes fall onto it. His body was aching. Each one of his muscles was in pain as he used them. Once he stood up he nearly fell down to the ground again, being dragged down by the weight of his right arm that wasn't balanced out by the left one anymore. Zane looked out of the window, onto the ocean in the distance. He could see a mountain that looked tiny from this distance. At the foot of the mountain, he could see land, land as green as grass with more tiny mountains on it.

Never noticed that one could see another continent from here.

At that moment Zane heard the door open and saw Mira step in. She was only dressed in the coat Zane gave her days before. And just like yesterday, she was holding multiple rilvets with it.

"Oh Zane, you're awake," Mira said.

Zane noticed that she was still uncomfortable as she walked. Often she would stop for a split second or stiffen up slightly. She sat down at the table and put down the blue fruits on it.

"H-How much longer until . . . we reach the village?" Mira asked.

"About three days if we're fast . . . maybe four," Zane said.

"Alright . . . maybe it would be better if we hurry to get there, who knows what will happen out here," Mira said.

"Oh, now you're suddenly a fan of the idea?" Zane said.

"S-Shut it . . . I just thought about it. I-If y-you stay out here for too long . . . your condition might get worse," Mira said.

She looked down at the table.

"Although . . . I don't understand. T-That healing potion, it should have completely h-healed you," she said. "Y-You shouldn't be in this condition. Not a-after drinking s-such a power . . . powerful potion."

She's right. She gave me one of Vin's potions . . . is there more to this wound?

"Don't worry too much," Zane said. "There's a powerful and old witch in the village, he might be able to tell us more. But for that, we first need to get there."

"You're right," Mira said as she grabbed one of the rilvets.

Both of them began eating. Once they were done, Mira dressed herself and they left the hut. The sun had nearly reached the zenith and shone down on them, causing the trees to cast shadows on them. Zane felt anxious, standing in the shadows of the trees. He walked to the bridge as quickly as he could and Mira helped him cross. The platforms that followed slowly began to be flatter. The grass became darker and the trees fewer and smaller until the platforms were just grass and a few rocks which laid upon that grass. The water beneath them, be it that of the ocean or the rivers, crashed against the cliff walls with loud crashing sounds.

Without stopping they continued. Mira stopping every so often when she became too uncomfortable and Zane often leaning against rocks ore wooden posts placed by mercenaries and travellers to regain some energy. The feeling of weakness never left him and it just became worse as he continued onwards. As they travelled they heard the twittering of birds all around them, never once seeing the birds that made those noises. It irritated Zane greatly. By the time the sun had disappeared behind the mountain tops and the moon had appeared at the horizon they finally reached the next hut.

It was just like the first one, made of wood. The inside was nearly a perfect copy. Just like the night before Zane was so tired that he immediately went to bed, without even thinking about eating or drinking something.

He woke up the next morning, covered in clothes again. The fireplace had been lit just like last time. He lifted his head that felt just as heavy as it did the day before. Mira was sitting at the table, a few rilvets laid on it.

"Oh, you're awake. Good," Mira said when she saw him move.

Zane got up and the two ate, afterwards they continued on.

The platforms changed again. The grass became lighter again and there were more and larger rocks and plants now. Some of the platforms even had small springs where the two got some water. But both of them still had problems walking. Mira was constantly rubbing her legs against one another each time she didn't have to move them and Zane had trouble even standing still now. Now even with Mira's help, it took a while for him to cross most of the bridges. They were in luck that some of the bridges weren't shaking whenever they took a step. It took them longer than usual to reach the next waypoint. And just like the nights before Zane immediately collapsed onto the mattress and fell asleep.

Again he awoke the next morning feeling weaker than the one before. Again Mira sat at the table, fidgeting around a bit and with a few rilvets before her. They ate and then continued with their journey to the village of the native's. They crossed many bridges, still having many difficulties. They reached the next waypoint even later than yesterday and again Zane fell asleep immediately.

He woke up the next day, and it was just like the days before. Mira sat at the table with rilvets laying upon it. They ate and then continued onwards.

"T-Today should be the day . . . the day we reach the v-village, right?" Mira asked.

Zane nodded slowly, his neck hurting just from keeping his head up. His entire body was aching, burning with indescribable pain. It felt as if something was eating him from the inside, devouring all his energy and strength to keep itself alive. He had gotten used to the weight imbalance of his body but his back still hurt badly with every step he took. Balancing himself while crossing suspension bridges was still difficult. Every time he was about to fall his legs tensed up, making his muscles hurt even worse than they were already.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"Shouldn't we be able to see it already?" Mira asked as the sun disappeared behind the mountaintops and the sky began to change its colour.

"Y-Yes," Zane said as he lifted his arm with all his remaining strength.

He pointed towards a large mountain in the distance.

"Right . . . right there," he said.

The platforms they crossed were now beginning to become much larger. Some had very old-looking ruins on them, others large trees. After a while, they came across a platform with multiple bridges leading off of it. Zane led Mira to the right bridge and with great troubles they reached the other side. Once they reached the platform on the other side of the bridge Zane began stumbling a little.

"A-Are you alright?" Mira asked him.

"Y-Yes, yes. I'm f-fine. Don't worry too . . . much," Zane said.

At the same moment, he could feel himself lean forwards. He felt his feet leave the ground and then he felt the pain of hitting the ground with his entire body. His vision became blurry and after a few seconds, he lost consciousness.

The last thing he heard was a loud, "Zane!" from Mira.

"'ow come yer always sick Zane?" Viola asked.

"I dunno, just happens," Zane replied.

He looked up at his sister who stood over him. He lay in his bed, tucked under his thin blanket.

"Get some rest, call if ya need anythin'," his sister said as she was leaving his room.

"Yeah, yeah," Zane said as he reached for the book on the small cabinet next to his bed.

He opened it and began reading an old tale about the one who conquered the first tower. His name was Vaylock, Vaylock the Conqueror. Someone born in a time where there were still many native tribes. Vaylock and his group managed to take on the first tower, just he and his three friends. But sadly their names had been long lost to history, only Vaylock was remembered and granted the title of conqueror. There were also multiple versions of the story. Zane had read both. In one all of Vaylock's comrades die in the tower, leaving Vaylock as the only survivor. The other one, the one he liked more, ended up with Vaylock and all his comrades emerging from the tower alive and well. According to that version, Vaylock married one of those comrades and had five children with her. This was the story that Zane believed to be true because his mother said so. She also always said that they were the descendants of the second child Atorious and that Vaylock's name was actually Vaylock Larcadia.

Gripped by the story Zane read it over and over until he could see the moon through the window above his bed. He heard his door open.

"Zane, I brought ya some food," his mother said with a bright smile on her face.

"Thank's mum," Zane replied as he watched her put the plate with the food on his cabinet.

"What are ya readin'?" she asked.

"The story of the conqueror," Zane said.

"Ah, the story of our great ancestor," his mother replied. "A truly facinatin' story. Ya should hear yer grandparents tell it."

"I'd like to," Zane said. "When can we visit the village again?"

"Soon my dear, soon. But we have ta take care of the farm," his mother said. "But that aside, make sure ya sleep well tonight so ya can get better soon."

His mother smiled at him before leaving the room. Once Zane had finished his food he turned off the small lamp that stood on the cabinet and closed his eyes.

Zane woke up in a strange, yet familiar room. He was in a bed large enough for most dire beasts. Wooden beams went up from each corner of the bed and went up to the ceiling. Chains with animal teeth and horns and scales hanging down from them were hung between each of the wooden beams. Right above him was the head of a dire bear placed on a shield that hung from the wall. He could see the rest of the dire bear lying on the floor in the form of a carpet.

A soft blanket had been laid over him and Mira was next to him, holding onto his body tightly. He could feel the warmth of her naked body pressing against his, he felt everything. Her nipples, that were pressing into him, her stomach and even he even felt her most intimate part pressing against his leg.

We made it to the village . . . but I don't remember how . . . I fell . . . and then I had that dream. What happened?

Zane looked around the room. Nothing had changed since the last time he had been there. The large shelves and wardrobes were still at the exact same spots they had been last time. The massive mirror with the silver frame was still at the same exact spot. The collection of basilisk fangs was still at the exact same spot. The only thing that had changed was the door, or rather its frame. Last time it had been made of wood, but now it had been replaced by the bones of a basilisk and the door had been changed to fit their rounded shape perfectly.

Zane also noticed that the weakness he had felt before had left him. He didn't feel it at all. But he also didn't feel well either. His throat was burning and he had a weird, disgusting taste in his mouth.

Witchcraft?

At that moment the door flew open and a woman stepped inside. In her hands, she held a tray on which were multiple different potions. Long, snow-white hair fell down, past her face and chest, ending around her waist. Both of her light green eyes, the same shade of green as his own, were fixated on Zane. She wore a light brown-yellowish dress, white feathers, which dragged over the floor as she walked, hanging down from it.

"You're awake," the woman said with an annoyed undertone.

"V-Viola?" Zane asked with a shocked expression.

"Yes, who else would I be?" she replied with a sharp tone. "Now drink these. I'll get the rest of the family," his sister said.

"T-The rest of the family?" Zane asked with a confused look on his face.

But his sister ignored him. She put the tray down on the cabinet next to the bed, turned around and walked out of the room with long steps. Zane looked after her as she shut the door close. The loud noise woke Mira.

"Z-Zane," she said with a shaky voice.

He sat up in the bed turned his head to her, looking down at her two different coloured eyes. She was completely naked, only half covered by the blanket as she sat up just like Zane had.

"Y-Y-You . . . you're fine," Mira said with a smile on her face as tears run down it at the same time.

She jumped at him and wrapped her arms around him, forcing him to lie back down. Mira was now on top off of him, with her arms wrapped around him and her legs slightly fidgeting on him.

"I-It's alright," Zane said, finding it difficult to talk with Mira on his chest.

He felt her naked breasts push against him which made him slightly excited.

"S-Stop th-" Zane began but Mira interrupted him.

"I'm so glad you're alive. You slept so long again . . . and th-they didn't know when . . . when you'd w-wake up," she said.

Zane felt her tears running down her face and onto his chest. They were warm.

"It's alright," Zane said. "I'm fine now."

"A-Are you really?" Mira asked, lifting her head up slightly to look him into his light green eyes.

Zane nodded with a smile on his face. Mira got up and was about off Zane when the door burst open and multiple people stepped in. Mira quickly grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself while still sitting on him. Zane carefully took her and laid her down in the bed, still leaving some of the blanket for himself. Then he looked to the people that were about to enter the room.

The first was a tall woman, with snow-white hair so long that it dragged over the floor. Her two, tear-filled, light green eyes fixated on Zane and her lips slightly trembling. She was about to approach him but a man taller than her stormed past her. He had short snow-white her and the same light green eyes as the woman. The man walked up to Zane with a look of anger in his eyes, reeled back his hand and then moved it in the direction Zane's face was.