Chapter 24:

The second day of our journey was pretty uneventful.

We continued toward Lind, exchanging small talk now and then. I kept asking Annabel as many questions about Axel as I could, but she was cautious, never revealing anything too important. Every inquiry about their personal life or Axel’s abilities was met with a, ‘I think you should ask Axel yourself’, or ‘He’ll get mad at me if I tell you that’.

During the day, many people and carts passed us by. Some stopped and asked about Ren’s condition, wondering if it was related to the blast of white fire everyone saw yesterday. I lied and told them she was just tired and needed rest, and thankfully, they left us alone. Our encounter with Jhad and his crew was still fresh in my mind, and I wasn’t ready for a repeat of that.

Most of those travelers seemed more interested in the explosion than anything else. They were on their way to see what had been left behind, convinced it was a sign from the gods. The thought sounded foolish to me, but who was I to judge their beliefs? I just figured the gods had long abandoned us and had no intention of worshipping them if that was the case. How else could I explain the existence of Hell?

If the gods still cared about us, how could they allow demonic breaches to exist, dragging their faithful to Hell? How could they allow a place like Vedem to go on for so many years? Vitara’s name was used to deceive countless men, women, and children over centuries, yet the Goddess of Life refused to intervene...Why? The only explanation I could think of was that she, like the rest of them, simply didn’t care anymore.

The only thing that mattered today was that I managed to keep my word. We only stopped once in the afternoon for a brief rest, enough for me to eat and catch my breath. After finishing the meal, I swallowed the last two turmibark pills I had left, lifted Ren onto my back, and pushed through the pain.

Now, as evening fell, the faint lights in the distance told me we were finally reaching a village. Lind.

As we drew closer to the village, it suddenly dawned on me - I had no idea what I was going to say to the villagers. They wouldn’t be able to see Annabel. Do I just tell them Axel Bane sent me? Would they even believe me?

“Hey, so how do we go about this?” I asked Annabel.

“What do you mean?” she replied, sounding confused.

“Well, they won’t be able to see you. So, what do I say?”

It seemed like the realization just struck her as well.

“Oh. Right. Axel and I haven’t been here since I got sick, so I was getting too excited.” She admitted, momentarily disappointed before switching back to her usual cheerfulness. “So excited, in fact, that I forgot I’m dead!”

I raised an eyebrow, expecting her to continue, but she remained silent, seemingly lost in thought.

“Well?” I prompted.

“Yeah, sorry.” She said quickly. “I was hoping Axel would suggest something, but he’s not answering.”

I guessed she must’ve tried contacting him through their psychic connection. That would explain the brief silence.

“Okay. Just say that you’re looking for Seb and Leia.” Annabel instructed. “If someone asks how you know them, it should be safe to say that Axel sent you. It’s not widely known that they travelled with us in the past, so it should lend you some credibility.”

“Should?” I asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

She nodded, giving me an awkward smile. “Yeah...I’m pretty sure.”

“What about your friends, though?” I pressed. “I doubt they’ll believe someone like me could be a friend of Axel’s.”

“Give them some credit.” She said reassuringly. “It’s actually the fact that you don’t look important that will convince them.”

“What?” I frowned, not sure if I should be offended.

“Oh, sorry.” She quickly backtracked. “What I meant was if you were some visibly rich person, they’d be suspicious. But you being...well, you, actually works in your favor. How else would you know they’re Axel’s ex-comrades? Again, it’s not public knowledge.”

She had a point, so I nodded reluctantly. “Alright, I’ll go with that.”

We continued in silence until we reached the entrance of the village.

Even in the darkness, I could tell Lind was nothing like Vedem – at least, visually speaking. The village was surrounded by tall wooden walls, and inside, rows upon rows of small houses stretched as far as I could see. Larger structures stood in what seemed to be the center of the village, likely the civil institutions such as the village’s council building, schools, a post office, and perhaps even the local infirmary or clinic.

Two guards manned the entrance. One, an older man with a sword, looked like the epitome of seriousness. The other, younger and holding a bow, wore a matching chestplate and had a quiver slung over his back.

“Halt!” the swordsman shouted, his voice firm.

“State your name and reason for visiting the village. Especially at such a late hour.” The archer demanded, his tone more measured.

I glanced at Annabel, who nodded in encouragement, and spoke. “My name is Luca Meret, from Willox. I’m looking for Seb and Leia.”

The archer’s eyes shifted, as if just noticing Ren slumped on my back. His expression softened and he stepped forward.

“What happened to your companion? Is she okay?” he asked, concern on his face.

I couldn’t help but think how careless he was, moving so close without hesitation. It could’ve been a trap. We could’ve been bandits feigning distress. He should’ve stayed at a distance, with his bow drawn – ready to respond. It was the swordsman who should’ve approached us, not the one with the ranged weapon. Luckily for them, I wasn’t here to cause trouble.

“She’s not.” I replied sharply, still taken aback by his reaction. “That’s why I need to get to Seb.”

The archer looked sympathetic, but his companion wasn’t as easily convinced. “I see. Please provide us with your personal documents.” The older guard demanded.

Personal documents? I didn’t even have those.

Every citizen in the kingdom, once they turned eighteen, received an identification document that recorded their name, date of birth, and place of residence. It was legally required to carry these at all times, and anyone representing the kingdom could demand to see them. But we were thieves. None of the Blood Moon Foxes ever received such papers. And Ren? She was still a few months short of eighteen.

I quickly weighed my options, exchanging worried glances with Annabel. She seemed just as uncertain.

“I don’t remember anyone ever asking for documents in Lind. Like, ever.” She said, frowning in confusion. “Maybe it’s a new rule.”

Realizing there was no other way around it, I leaned into a lie. “Listen,” I said urgently, “we were attacked on our way here and barely made it out alive. Look at my face!” I gestured to the bruises covering my skin. “And I was the lucky one. We lost everything, including our documents, when we had to run for our lives. Now, please, let us see Seb. My friend needs a healer.”

I believed my performance was convincing. The archer seemed to think so too, as he glanced at Ren’s limp form worriedly. But his partner remained unmoved, his stern gaze fixed on me.

“I see,” the older guard said, his voice measured. “But I’m afraid that without documents, I can’t let you in. Times are tense right now, and those are the rules.”

“Oh, c’mon, Den! The girl looks like she needs help!” The archer turned to his partner, his tone pleading. I couldn’t hide my surprise at his willingness to help us.

“Den?” Annabel’s voice was tinged with surprise as she moved closer to the older guard, who was oblivious to her presence. “Oh my gods, it’s actually him!”

“Olen, we can’t just bend the rules whenever we feel like it. Rules are rules.” The swordsman, Den, replied firmly.

“But he already said he knows the Thornwoods.” The archer, Olen, pressed. “So, he’s not a complete stranger. There’s no way he just happened to hear about them. Seb, I understand, but Leia? C’mon.”

“Did he say he knows them?” Den countered, his eyes narrowing. “Or did he say he's looking for them? Cause there’s a huge difference between the two.”

Olen faltered, clearly confused by his partner’s reasoning. His gaze turned to me, waiting for an explanation.

“Tell Den you know him through Axel!” Annabel urged excitedly. “His name is Den Langley. He was the Head Guard in Willox for many years.”

The two guards continued to watch me intently, waiting for my response. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to run with Annabel’s suggestion.

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“You’re Den Langley, aren’t you?” I asked cautiously.

The old guard’s eyes widened, his brow arching in surprise. “And how would you know that?”

“My friend, Axel Bane, told me a lot about you.” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “He was also the one who told me about Seb and Leia.”

The younger guard’s expression brightened, and I silently hoped that the lie was believable. To my relief, it seemed to work. Even Den’s rigid stance softened a bit.

“Not many people know that Seb and Leia are acquaintances of the Dragon. Or know about me...” He murmured, the suspicion in his eyes slowly fading.

“You see?” Olen chimed in eagerly. “The Dragon even mentioned you to him. We should take them to Mr. Thornwood.”

Den exhaled deeply, clearly torn. He didn’t look happy about it, but after a tense moment, he relented. “Very well. Follow Olen. He’ll lead you to Sebastian.”

As we passed him and stepped into the village, his voice called out sharply behind me. “Hey, you.”

I froze and turned back slowly, meeting his stern gaze. 'What now?' I thought.

“On second thought,” Den said, his expression hardening once more. “We’ll do a body check first.”

***

After I assured them that I had no weapons and that my magical minerals were not of the offensive nature, Den still insisted on a body check. I wanted to protest, worried that they might ask tough question about the calcite once they see it, but I knew resisting wasn’t an option if I wanted to get in. As he approached, I slipped the calcite between my index and middle fingers with a practiced motion, keeping it hidden as I raised my arms. Its small size and my years of thieving experience made it easy to shift the stone subtly between my fingers, always keeping it out of sight.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Den stepped back, a faint look of disappointment on his face as he hadn’t found anything suspicious.

“Clear.” He grumbled, motioning for me to proceed with Olen. “Welcome to Lind.”

I felt relief wash over me.

This Den seemed sharp despite his age. Everything about his demeanor and the way he conducted himself reminded me of Willox. A given, considering he was the Head Guard in the past.

Since it was already evening, few villagers were still outside. Those who were gave me wary, suspicious looks as we passed by. But instead of finding it unsettling, I actually felt relieved. The memory of Vedem’s villagers smiling warmly and welcoming me when I first arrived there seemed almost surreal now.

These guarded and skeptical glances felt right. This was how people should react to a stranger showing up in their home. It was a good sign in my book.

“Don’t mind the unwelcoming stares.” Olen said, his voice carrying a note of embarrassment. “Folks here aren’t used to visitors showing up this late.”

In the dim light, I couldn’t see his face completely, but he seemed just a little older than me. He had short, dark hair, tousled and slightly messy in a way that almost mirrored mine.

“I don’t mind.” I replied simply. “In fact, it’s kind of reassuring.”

He gave me a puzzled look. “Reassuring? Why?”

I didn’t want to bring up Vedem, so I deflected. “How close are we?”

“Not far.” He answered.

“It’s just a short distance from here.” Annabel added softly.

I was still the only one who could see or hear her.

“So, who attacked you?” Olen asked, his voice tinged with concern.

I remembered the lie I had told at the entrance and knew I needed to keep it alive now. “I’m not entirely sure.” I began cautiously. “We were riding our horse, and suddenly an explosion went off in front of us. The blast startled the horse – it threw us off and bolted. My friend hit her head and lost consciousness.”

“Explosion?” Olen’s tone shifted, his concern giving way to strange excitement. “Was it dark fire, perhaps?”

Dark fire? What was he talking about?

“I’m...not sure.” I lied, trying to keep my story consistent. “Truth is, I was a bit tired and wasn’t really paying attention to the road.”

“I see.” Olen muttered, visibly disappointed.

“My, my, Luca, you lie as naturally as you breathe.” Annabel’s chuckled beside us.

I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment, but I decided to take it as one, regardless of her intent.

“Dark fire, though?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“Yes.” He replied with the same excitement as before. “There’s a beast that lurks somewhere in the woods west of the village. A beast that wields dark fire. It’s already attacked two caravans heading toward Lind in the past month.”

“What kind of beast wields dark fire?” I asked, though a different question loomed in my mind. “What is dark fire, anyway?”

He looked genuinely shocked. “You really don’t know what dark fire is?”

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “No. Should I?”

He chuckled. “Well, I suppose that’s the capital for you. You Willox folks probably don’t encounter many beasts - if at all.”

His words had a judgemental edge, but there was truth to them. Aside from the demonic breaches, Willox hadn’t been threatened by anyone, human or beast, in decades now.

“Don’t take it the wrong way. I hope I didn’t offend you.” Olen added quickly when he noticed my silence. “Dark fire is a variant of fire magic, just like the white fire pillar that you probably saw yesterday, like everyone else around.”

A chill ran down my spine at the thought. As far as I knew, beasts were just that - beasts. Remnants of the demonic wars. They were basically a different breed of wild animals. For example, a dreadhowl can be compared to a wolf. But to think that there were beasts capable of wielding magic of their own...it was unsettling.

“So, what kind of beast can wield dark fire?” I asked curiously, trying to gather as much information as possible. With archdemons, Alaric Belton, and Leon Valter already threatening us, the last thing I needed was another unknown danger.

“They’re called igniferas.” Olen explained. “Beings made entirely of dark fire. You can’t cut them with a sword or pierce them with an arrow - they don’t have flesh or bones. They’re like living flames.”

“Then how do you kill something like that?” I asked, alarmed by the mere idea of such a creature existing.

Olen shrugged helplessly. “No one really knows. We were hoping the military would help us with it.”

“Let me guess.” I said dryly. “They didn’t bother to respond.”

In Willox, it was practically a running joke that the guards never showed up when you actually needed them.

“They did, actually.” Olen said, surprising me. “But their patrol never returned. They said they’d send another squad soon. Since their own people got hit, they might actually take it seriously this time.”

The fact that a military patrol was heading to Lind was troubling. I know Axel said that we weren’t officially wanted because Alaric didn’t want the news of our theft to spread, but still...If the guards saw me, and somehow made a connection. They’d report me to Alaric and seal our fate. I’d need to tread carefully once they arrive.

“So, how do you know the Dragon?” Olen suddenly asked, breaking my thoughts.

His comrades killed my friends while he just watched. That was the first answer that popped into my mind.

“He saved me once.” I answered with some truth, but then turned to a lie. “And afterward, I helped him out with some mission.”

“Nice.” Olen looked impressed, and I immediately worried that I’d made the lie too grandiose. The last thing I wanted was to stand out. Drawing attention was too dangerous.

We passed what seemed to be the main square of the village and continued down a narrow path lined with small houses.

“He’s well-respected here. At least, between you two.” I commented, referring to Axel.

“Of course he is. He’s a Champion.” Olen said, sounding a bit like a fanboy. “And as for Den, he knows him from way back. They worked together in the past. Den and the Dragon’s old party.”

“Not just worked together. Den is actually – “ Annabel began, but Olen interrupted her unbeknownst to him.

“Mr. Thornwood's clinic is right here.” He pointed to a large building standing in the main square of the village. “But he won’t be there at this hour. I’m taking you to his house.”

Annabel confirmed Olen’s words. “Seb likes to spend as much time as possible with Leia, even if she’s usually just reading and not very talkative.”

After a few more minutes, we reached a three-story house. Compared to the other homes in the neighborhood, it was taller and distinctly more ornate. Even in the poor lighting, I could tell it was built from a different type of wood, that seemed to be of higher quality. Light was coming from inside the windows on the second floor, suggesting that the owners were still awake.

“Here we are.” Olen announced as he knocked on the door, but no one answered.

He knocked again, more firmly this time, but there was still no response.

He knocked a third time, and finally a deep, irritated voice called from inside. “I’m coming, I’m coming. Would you stop knocking already?”

The door swung open, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man. His short hair, trimmed beard, and moustache were all white, yet he didn’t look particularly old – perhaps in his early thirties at most. His face held a stern, mature demeanor, and a pair of round spectacles perched delicately on his nose. He wore a simple nightshirt and matching trousers. His piercing gaze swept over Olen, then me, then Ren for a longer moment, before turning back to Olen.

“Seb...” Annabel whispered beside me, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “He looks so much older.” Of course, he couldn’t hear her.

“Who’s this?” he asked Olen sternly.

“Sorry for the late hour, Mr. Thornwood.” Olen apologized, offering a sheepish smile. “This guy was looking for you specifically. His friend needs medical help. He's a - ”

“Looking for me?” he interrupted Olen and turned his sharp gaze to me, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Who are you? Do I know you?”

His intensity made me shift uneasily. Recalling Annabel’s words about him, I quickly cleared my throat. “No, we’ve never met. But our mutual friend, Axel Bane, told me about you. I was hoping you could help my friend.”

His reaction was the exact opposite of what I expected. At the mention of Axel’s name, his face darkened, and his jaw clenched. Even in the dim evening light, I could see he was furious.

“Bane...” he repeated slowly, his voice tight with anger.

“Mr. Thornwood?” Olen asked hesitantly, clearly confused by the healer’s reaction. It was as if the very name had awakened unpleasant memories.

“Who the hell does he think he is?” Thornwood roared. “The nerve on that bastard!”

I shot a confused look at Annabel who just looked embarrassed. “I knew he was angry with Axel, but...not this much...”

Ren’s life was on the line, and I didn’t have time for their grudges or past grievances. I took a deep breath and tried again. “Please, Mr. Thornwood. I don’t know what happened between you two, but my friend is in critical condition. I’m begging you, please – help her.”

The healer remained tense, his chest rising and falling with each breath. His gaze shifted between Ren and me, his expression conflicted.

“For gods’ sake...” he muttered under his breath, eyes softening slightly as he finally relented. With a resigned sigh, he stepped inside and gestured for us to enter. “Follow me.”

Olen gave me a reassuring nod and gestured to step inside as he followed behind us.

I crossed the threshold of Thornwood’s house, Ren’s weight heavy on my back. The darkness of the late evening cloaked the interior, casting long shadows across the dimly lit corridor. The only sounds were the soft thuds of our steps against the wooden floor and the faint creak of the boards as we trailed after Thornwood in silence.

“Follow me.” He repeated, his voice low but commanding.

I nodded in response, following closely behind.

He stopped at an unremarkable door at the end of the hall, barely visible in the dim light. “Don’t touch anything inside.” He warned, glancing over his shoulder. With a single twist of the knob, he opened the door and stepped through, Olen and I entering behind him.

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of herbs and old paper. Thornwood moved calmly, his fingers reaching for two smooth orange stones resting on a nearby shelf. He struck them together with a sharp clink, and in an instant, the room burst into live as five hanging lamps flared to life, lighting the space. The sudden brightness was almost blinding after the darkness in the corridor.

It was clear this room was his workshop.

A single bed stood off to one side, its sheets untouched and clean, suggesting it saw little use, or perhaps changed regularly? Across from it, a heavy wooden table dominated the room, its surface cluttered with vials, dried plants, and the tools of a healer, but also of an alchemist.

Towering bookshelves lined the walls behind the table, groaning under the weight of thick volumes filled with who-knows-what. Meanwhile, another set of shelves closer to the door, and us, held jars, liquids, and powders, some glowing, others not.

Seb returned the mysterious stones to their place on the shelf, his movements steady and unhurried. “Bring her here.” He ordered, pointing to the empty bed.

I complied, lowering Ren gently onto the sheets.

Before he could speak, I immediately, almost instinctively, blurted out. “Just so you know, there’s no way I’m leaving her alone here.”

Thornwood raised and eyebrow, looking genuinely confused. “Okay...Did I ask you to leave?” there was a brief silence before he continued. “Just tell me what happened to her.”