Ten minutes had past and the pain had grown too much and Xeranus fell to her knees with a cry dropping Vreel. Who after finding out that she was much faster after nearly leaving Vreel behind then and much stronger too when she remembered that fact she had shattered a man's jaw which so when she had picked Vreel up he did not put up much of a fuss not that the meek man would apart from stuttering a few words before falling silent.

“M-miss Xeranus a-are you okay” Vreel exclaimed as he was picking himself up and looked toward at Xeranus and stopped in shock as she was kneeling clutching her arms close to her chest shivering her face a rictus of agony. Xeranus then abruptly doubled over as she felt the skin at the base of the spine where her tails were split open, elating a scream that was animalistic sounding.

Then Xeranus eyes screwed closed now felt something force its way out tearing through the rear of her leather trousers finishing the ruin the over tails had started then after a few moments it stopped before a sudden jolt raced up her spine. Xeranus just knelt their panting eyes sterling into space as Vreel hurried over to her side hunching down beside her to see any wound that way be there.

“M-m-miss X-Xeranus you h-have another tail,” said the young man his tone made out how quite unsure he was. Xeranus did not have to be told as she could feel the third tail as she could feel the other two. Turning her head around and moving the new appendage into view, its hair was still growing colour was the same as the other tails and her hair. There were still patches of blood covering it as well as the over tails making the strange urge to lick them clean come back stronger. She shook her head, quashing the urge as they still could have pursuers after she tried to stand up shakily but she collapsed back to her knees Vreel grabbed her arm to steady her.

“P-put your arm o-over my s-shoulder ill help y-you stand” doing as she was asked Xeranus managed to rise she glanced at him and gave him a weak nod of thanks which seemed to brighten up his face then taking a step forward supported a stranger they moved slowly onwards.

They did not make it very far before she had to rest. Fortunately, they found a large tree hollow surrounded by dozens of scattered irregular jagged boulders covered in yellow lichen. Xeranus was the first to crawl in the hollow surprisingly spacious enough that three people could have squeezed themselves in with some discomfort. Vreel then came through just as she sat down on the dry ground when he sat down he seemed to be lost in his thoughts and not looking at her which seemed reasonable. After today's events, the sight of her in pain and growing a new appendage would disturb many and would bring up many questions. Xeranus used this time of silence to process her thoughts on the day's events and how she could not after gaining this reprieve.

The first thing that her mind turned to was what the energy that seemed to be resting within a metaphorical bowl was. It was being fed by the occasional drip of energy from somewhere. And merely thinking about it made the energy stir slightly. There was something else surrounding the bowl as being points on a triangle. All Xeranus could describe them as were holes that promised something if only energy was poured into them. One of the holes felt like light and shadow that would bend to her wishes; the other had the feeling of unrelenting force that would bowl over or tear anything in its path.

The last one made Xeranus clench up inside and tremble slightly as it promised a towering inferno the world devourer anything it touched and render it unto ash. Xeranus relationship with fire could be at best described tolerated at best for small fires like cooking fires but towing infernos were things she would rather avoid. Pushing any thoughts of fire out of her mind quickly.

Xeranus was now certain that from Ara’s passing comments to the sparks that came from her fingers to Vreel being pulled out the way to the arrow being swatted aside meant that she had used magic. It was almost certainly related to her change and it raised so many questions that only Ara who was incredibly vague and annoying and as much as Xeranus did not want to talk to her after she questioned her right for revenge.held all the answers to many of her questions

“M-m-miss Xeranus m-may I a-ask you something i-if its not too much trouble, “ Vreel said quietly dragging her from her musings.

“What is it, Vreel,” she said, glancing up at the young man. Tiredness permeated her voice sounding as bad as she felt.

Vreel fidgeted slightly, his blue eyes looked at hers for a moment before looking away before speaking“I-I want T-to Know what happened back t-their what happened.

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There was a long pulse as Xeranus considered her answer to this inevitable question she could lie and claim that it was part of being a spirt. But that did not sit well with her. She owed Vreel a lot and he deserved the whole truth taking a breath she began to explain.

She told him what had happened over the course of the past few days. From the shame trail to being tied on to a rock and attempting to escape to meeting Ara in the place of mist for the first time then the second and how she was as a person and how she acted when her tail was burned. Vreel then had asked if she had looked at the tail and when she did it shocked her

“ Thats thats t-hats impossible” she exclaimed staring at the now imacclet tail “it should not have healed that quickly Ara only put something on it in a dream” said Xeranus feeling a sense of dread as she not really began to comprehend what Ara was she had only asked questions for herself.

And in her stupid rush for answers did not think that Ara may not Just be a simple spirit or woman that appeared in a dream and may infect be a great spirit that could affect the world and that she thought why had she just go along with it unquestaning and with how their last meeting ended...

“Oh Arcas i may have offended a Great spirit” loudly whispered Xeranus hands covering her mouth in mortification and horror.

“ M-miss Xeranus d-dont worry form what i can g-gather from what Great Spirit Ara I-is like as a p-person she seems to like you”

Xeranus turns her mind back to Ara and there last meeting and how Ara looked before the smoke blacked her vision was golden eyes looking at her with pity and something that she may have heard her say something comparing them together but Xeranus was not sure

“ I do not know but i am certain that she was calm while i accused her of standing in the way of my revenge before i was dismissed as some of your previous acquaintances found me” Answered Xeranus leaving out what was said to her as she did not carry any great wound her revenge was not unjustified.

“S-s-speaking of other things m-miss Xeranus what was your life l-like before you w-were put on that trial if i'm not b-being too presumptuous ” said Vreel with a panicked relistion waving his outstretched hands in front of him as if to ward of Xeranun’s potential fury.

But Xeranus did not feel angry at this mans innocent curiosity for wanting to know her past she would divulge some of it but not all as this sudden change in topic would bring her mind away from Ara and the consequence of a possibly displeased great spirit

Sighing she began to talk “ when i was born their was a new moon so i was supposed to called Yorranus or child of the dark sky but due to my heir it was changed to Xeranus”

“I-i bet that their was quite a d-descussion as the day and time you a-are important “chuckled Vreel

“You have know idea how long my mother argued with my father over my name change “ said Xeranus with a wry smile that was one of fathers favourite story that he liked to tell when he was in one of his better moods.

“I -i have a brother whos n-name got argued o-over for a month until it became Nillaris my p-perants did not speak for a week” chuckled Vreel fondly at the memory

Xeranus smiled at that while thinking of something to say before an idea popped into her head “what was the most trouble you got into as a child wanted my father to celebrate his birthday so tried to make a wild fruit cake”

“And how did that go” replied the young man intrusted in the story

“ i ended up setting the oven on fire and filling the house with smoke after farther put the fire i got a very angry lecture and was sent to bed without supper and the next day farther could only squeak like mouse because he had yelled so hard” Xeranus said giggling into her hands as the memory never failed to.

“H-hahaha that is better what i did miss Xeranus I only poured muddy w-water over my brother for stealing one of my toys e-ending up fighting him our father had to pull us apart. He said smiling at the memory before his face turned thoughtful before opening his mouth to speak

“M-miss Xeranus may i ask why are y-you telling to person you just met these things to a s-stranger as i am to you” he asked frankly which Xeranus could see were he was coming from but she had her reasons.

“I owe you a debt you did protect my purty so are most likely to be a decant person she paused before continuing “ and i have not had a chance really for friend what with living in the wilds since i was twelve so i just wanted to talk to someone that does not scream witch at me“

“I-is that the reason t-that you were to be feed to t-the shrikes for being a witch I t-hought that you only just could use magic”

I can only just use magic but my village was rather insular like most snowlands villagers are very distrustful of outsiders are they not?”

I-indeed miss Xeranus most of snowland b-being like that is the norm sighed Vreel deeply

Xeranus could sympathise with him as the people of snowland could be very intolerant to and petty at times and quick to jump to conclusions. But wanting to avoid answering part of the question of why she was to be feed to the Shrike while she had extended quite a bit of trust to Vreel she was not going to divulge the desire for vengeance she held in her heart and Vreels fixation on her awoken magic had made made him forget that titbit

That was good as she was feeling tired after today's events and did not want to divulge anymore to Vreel. He was nice but she did not quite trust him she had not lived this long by trusting others. Yawning loudly as drowsiness slowly overcame her she could see it had reminded her temporary companion of his exhaustion effectively cutting off any further questions. It was dusk and trying to find more suitable place of rest would be unwise with the solders likelty still coming the area for them.

With a mumbling wish good night to Vreel her mind slipped into the lands of sleep to await the mourn or that insufferable woman