"The survivor who lives today is tomorrow avenger."

- Grad 'Blood Hawk' Stras, the Bandit King

"Never become comfortable with stability, it takes only a spark to start a fire."

- Unknown

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It had been two weeks since they began ascending the mountain, and they were very much lost. Uncertainty in their leaders and even more annoyance towards a certain scholar grew as they ventured onward. The airs surrounding this group of twelve was terse and snippy.

At this point, Grenvald and Fores occasionally argued to the next way they should move, as this massive mountain would take likely a years time to properly corkscrew their way up, thus ineffective to the already short window they could spare for this mountain that remained.

However they were closer to their goal then they would realize, and too closer to the source of it. The point they sat was at the correct height up the mountain in fact, should they turn right and simply walk said direction, they would find their impromptu destination.

Should they, however, turn left and walk the same distance, they would find themselves right at the mouth of a certain adopted parent and child's humble abode.

They group bickered slightly, some wanting to descend the mountain and just report they saw something but couldn't locate the source, others arguing not finding it would be in violation of the duty to their lords and lordesses. The final two groups simply argued over left, right, or further up.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Only two people were for turning back, which no surprise, incorporated the 'wise' scholar and the groups' chef. The other group, split by direction, was left, favored by Fores. The group seeking to move right was by Grenvald, his instincts being correct upon this case at the least. The group seeking further up was led by one of the groups' trackers, Estrai.

Time was well wasted in argument here, as slowly but sure the sun reaches its height and its decline, causing no further discussion necessary as they had little choice but to seek a decent flat or cave to camp within.

The trackers separated in direction, looking for such optimal locations for the quickly coming night. The no longer, or at least currently prevalent, argument for the next direction being dissolved by the end of the day caused much of the building tension to fade gradually from their eyes and shoulders.

After some time, the three trackers returned citing the results of their quick look around. It took little discussion, thankfully, for the group to decide their place of respite for the night. Following the tracker Mondrav, the group made their way to the location, immediately setting up the newest of the series of their impromptu campsites.

It was made quickly enough for, at this point, trained veterans of camp making. Twelve tents lined up, in what would first seem randomly scattered, in a defense system against attacks. The tents were easy to get out from, as well as barely nailed into the earth, in case simply exiting was not a possibility for a plethora of potentialities. Five fires were lit, four in the camps corners with the final being dead center so the entire site was well lit. If this was a military camp, this set up would be rather poor since their opponents would be fellow humans versed in similar situations.

However since they were adventurers, and the potential threats animals and other non-intelligent species, it made it an impromptu ward against night hunters who abhorred the light and found sanctuary in the dark of shadows.

Soon enough the moon rose full, and the group set out their watch schedule for the night. Ten of the group went to bed, while two were the first shift guards. Each held a torch for further light source in the gaps between fires.

However, their was a massive flaw in their defense structure. It assumed all threats would be unintelligent monsters. Whether it was set up in arrogance in their ability or stupidity at the possibilities that existed, was unknowable.

Thus during all this, they were rather unaware of a pair of very intelligent golden eyes, hungering some distance away with the light of their fires glowering within them, its lips already savoring new prey.