Everyone had mercilessly eaten the animal Raymond and Peeta had caught. Well, Estella had a wheat and grain-based breakfast that Kalos made specifically for her. He went on and on about her health and how it would affect Keema who was breastfeeding.

Estella begrudgingly ate her meal before demanding a piece of meat, but the time she asked, the meat was long gone.

Everyone eventually packed their things and prepared for travel.

Reeca was about to get on her horse when Kalos approached her.

“Ahem. Could I speak with you for a moment?” Kalos asked, mimicking the say she spoke when she asked him the same thing the night before.

Reeca followed him to a spot not too far from the group.

“What it is?” Reeca asked.

“I want to try and solve your problem,” Kalos said and Reeca’s face immediately lit up.

“But you must know that I’m not a doctor or a healing type magic-user. This is new territory for me and I hope you understand that this could all end badly.” Kalos warned.

“It’s ok,” Reeca said before Kalos extended his hands as he sat.

Reeca did the same as she held his rather big hands.

“Ok, don’t panic, but I’m going to send some of my magical essence into you,” Kalos said as he closed his eyes.

“You’re going to what-" Reeca gasped for air as she felt something storming into her body.

It recklessly crawled around her insides as it searched.

She could feel Kalos actively studying her body as he worked.

Reeca then felt Kalos as he sent magic into her head.

Her eyes rolled back as she experienced what could only be described as pure bliss, but it was short-lived as intense pain assaulted her eyes shortly after.

She tried to scream out in pain, but her throat wouldn’t cooperate. Tears ran down her face as Kalosýni’s magic tore apart her eyes.

Blood trickled down her face as she violently convulsed and then in the next instance, it was all gone.

Kalosýni’s presence within her disappeared along with the pain.

Reeca felt quite good, but it wasn’t the lack of pain that concerned her.

“Kalos? Kalos, what happened? I still can’t see!” She screamed desperately. Her voice hoarse.

“Umm… try opening your eyes,” Kalos suggested.

Reeca slowly tore open her eyelids and was immediately assaulted by brightness.

She squinted in an attempt to reduce the glare, but she dared herself to keep her eyes open.

In the next moment, as her eyes adjust, she then saw a freakishly large young man sitting in front of her.

But aside from his scruffy short black hair and rugged appearance, he had a kind smile and beautiful brown eyes that regularly flashed blue.

“You’re Kalos?” Reeca asked as tears rolled down her blood-stained face.

“Yes,” Kalos said with a gentle smile.

Unable to contain herself any longer, Reeca jumped into Kalosýni’s arms and squeezed him tightly.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” She said as she wept.

Kalos placed his hand on her head and ruffled her beautiful long hair until she calmed down.

He then accompanied her back to the group where she higher both Alis and Trevenor before they helped her wash her face.

Peeta approached Kalos on horseback and let out a grunt.

“Why did you help her? I mean, you barely know her.” Peeta asked.

“I know. But she doesn’t seem like a bad person and she isn’t actively trying to harm any of us, so I didn’t see any problem in lending a hand. That and I also learnt a lot about the human body, so we both got something out of this.” Kalos said as he walked towards the carriage.

“Wait a minute. So, you’re saying that whenever you share your magic with someone, your thoughts are connected?” Peeta asked.

“No, not really. Our minds will be connected, yes, but it’s only surface level. Things like awareness, pain-"

“Pleasure?” Peeta interrupted.

“Y- yes.”

“So, when you and Eevana… oh. Hehe.” Peeta said with a dirty look.

Kalos ignored him and entered the carriage.

Peeta returned to his position in the rear, alongside Alis and his group as they rode along the path that led to the northern border.

Alis noticed that Reeca had been looking around and taking in all of the sights since she’d gotten her eyes healed. He could help but smile as she stared in wonder at the world.

Reeca noticed Alis was staring at her.

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“What’s wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing. It’s just that you look so happy.” Alis said.

“Ugh,” Olif grunted as he rolled his eyes.

“It’s a miracle, right? Kalos really is the son of the eminence. I wonder what the limits of his capabilities are.” Trevenor said.

“When it comes to that boy, I suggest you keep an open mind,” Peeta said as they rode along.

“Oh? Forgive my curiosity, but who are you to Raymond?” Alis asked.

“Well, I was his retainer back in the day,” Peeta said.

“Oh? I was a retainer too.” Reeca said excitedly as she analyzed Peeta’s life force.

On the surface, he looked like an ordinary human, but Reeca could feel great power oozing out from his every pore.

“Is that so? What made you abandon your post?” Peeta asked.

“Well, I started losing my sight a long time ago, but that wasn’t what got me in trouble.” Reeca paused.

“You see, I’d been so caught up in my job and being a knight that I completely forgot that I had a family,” Reeca said.

“You had a family?” Alis asked.

“Yes. A loving husband and a son, but it would seem that my time away tore us apart. I returned to an empty home. Anyway, some time passed and I found myself wallowing in a pit of self-hatred. Then one day I decided to become a mercenary. I was so desperate for some kind of purpose that I took whatever jobs came.” Reeca said.

“You thought being a mercenary was the best option?” Alis asked.

“Well, there’s not much else a woman like me could do. I couldn’t see, so normal jobs were out of the question. I can sense the life force of living things so it was pretty easy for me to fight against anyone who wasn’t skilled enough. Anyway, some time passed and I got bored of the whole mercenary for hire thing-"

“Wait a minute. How did you lose your title?” Alis asked.

“Didn’t I say? I took whatever jobs I could find.” Reeca said but received blank stares from Alis, Trevenor and Peeta.

Olif ignored everyone as they rode along.

“Ugh, must I spell it out? I’m a killer. What do you think killers do?” Reeca asked.

“Oh.” Alis and the others said simultaneously as the afternoon sun bathed the land.

Meanwhile, at the front, Raymond’s eyes widened slightly.

He could see a little outpost in the distance and he couldn’t help but smile at this.

“See that?” Raymond asked Crimwal, who looked far older than he did when all this began.

“Yes. Does that little place mark the border?” Crimwal asked. His voice had become a low rumble, which Raymond didn’t mind.

“Yes. Oi, Kalos! We have arrived. Behold, Carimae in all its dryness.” Raymond bellowed and, in an instant, Kalos opened the door of the still moving carriage and flew out.

His gaze fell upon what looked like an endless savanna.

“Go ahead, boy! Explore the land that birthed your mother." Raymond yelled and with a shockwave, Kalos jetted across the sky.

He sent as much energy as he could towards his legs and flew upwards. The world slowly shrunk and the air changed as Kalos flew above the clouds.

He could feel all of the worlds magic beneath him.

His chest began to ache and his fingers grew cold, so Kalos decided it would be best to return to the ground.

Kalos snuck a glance into the vastness that existed beyond the limits of the world. He saw countless stars and his eyes ached when he looked at the sun.

With a nod, Kalos charged himself up with magic before rocketing back to the ground.

He didn’t bother slowing down as he readied his legs for impact.

Meanwhile, back at the carriage.

Raymond saw his son shoot into the air.

“Woohoo!” He yelled with joy as his son disappeared into the clouds.

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Crimwal asked.

“I don't know. I’ve never been that high before.” Raymond said as something shot down toward the ground at an incredible speed.

Silence followed as the object reached the ground.

Raymond then saw something approaching the carriage at a dizzying speed.

Kalos came to a complete stop just in front of Raymond without making even a whimper.

Kalos smiled before grabbing his father and carrying him off his horse.

“Put me down!” Raymond yelled as his son hugged him tightly.

“Ok,” Kalos said before dropping his old man back on his horse.

The group made their way to the outpost in the distance only to find it half deserted.

Yes, there were a few knight's here and there, but the buildings were in shambles and the people looked filthy and hungry.

Raymond and the others stopped just outside the settlement.

Raymond walked over towards one of the knights. He barely had any pieces of armour, his skin was extremely dry and his eyes sunk deep into their sockets.

“You there, may I ask where your superior is?” Raymond asked.

The knight looked Raymond over before sighing.

“He went out to hunt. Should be back by nightfall." The knight said.

Raymond nodded before heading back to the group.

“So, this place is a ghost town. I see no point in staying here, but the horses need rest. Aluin’s tribe should be another day’s travel north.” Raymond said.

“What do you mean? I thought your objective was to reach Carimae.” Alis asked.

“Yes,” Raymond answered.

“Then Crimwal, isn’t it time you went back home with us?” Alis asked.

Crimwal’s face darkened.

“Uh- I’m not sure if I’m ready to go back,” Crimwal said as the last of the tents was set up.

“No. We didn’t sign up for this. You’re coming back with us whether you want or not.” Alis said before quickly turning to Raymond.

“And before you kill me, try to see this situation from my perspective. Crimwal is supposed to return to Ianndor in one piece. How do you think that’s gonna happen if he spends even a second in Carimae?” Alis asked.

“What do you mean? What’s wrong with Carimae?” Raymond asked.

“Oh crap, I forgot that you haven’t been here in almost two decades. Well, to be frank, there’s nothing in Carimae. No people, no animals, nothing.” Crimwal said.

Raymond looked at Kalos, then Estella.

“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Raymond asked as bits of his power leaked.

“I thought you knew. I thought you just wanted to show Kalos what Carimae looked like.” Crimwal said as Raymond extended his hand toward Kalos.

“I did. But there must be at least one more tribe.” Raymond said.

Crimwal looked into Raymond’s eyes before sighing.

“There might be a handful of Carimaen's out there, but after what the order did to them, I doubt they are of sound mind,” Crimwal said.

“You would know. Isn’t that right… Raymungr?” Reeca asked.

“Don’t call me that. Not now, at least.” Raymond said as he shot Reeca a death stare.

“Why not? Dad, why can’t she call you that name?” Kalos asked.

Raymond looked at Kalos with widened eyes.

“Do you know what your father has done to get to the level of infamy he’s at? I’m sure you’ve heard about the time he killed a thousand knights, but did you know that those knights were his men. People he grew up with, served with and how did they end up? Dead.” Alis said loudly.

“So?” Kalos asked and everyone was silenced.

Alis’s eyes widened.

“That’s not all. His name in the old tongue literally translates to destruction. Your father was one of the few things that dark beings feared. Hundreds, if not thousands of my kind died at the hands of this monster. Oh, and let’s not forget those that your father slaughtered beyond the borders of Crafia and Carimae.” Alis said as his eyes changed into their true form.

Multiple pupils filled his eyeball creating two big black eyes.

“Alis…” Trevenor tried reaching his brother, but he stopped himself.

“He wears the guise of a father now, but beneath that façade is a monster,” Alis said with hatred coating his every word.

Kalos then stood up.

“So?” He asked again.

Raymond’s chest ached when the words left Kalosýni’s mouth.

“No, son. He’s right. All life is precious and I… I’ve robbed so many of theirs.” Raymond said.

“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re my father. Yes, you’ve done many horrible things but if anyone tries to take you away from me, I will stop them.”

“Well, what do we have here?”

A voice said.

It echoed throughout the sky and the world trembled as a result.

“What was that?” Crimwal asked before particles of darkness started gathering around where everyone stood.

The particles grouped up near the campfire Raymond had made, revealing three human-shaped silhouettes.

The tallest one then gained physical form, revealing a remarkably handsome young man.

His hair was jet black and a strange armour clothed him.

“Who are you?” Raymond asked.

“I’m Kraeven.”

“Who?” Peeta asked.

“The dark lord,”