The hills that lied friendly in the day were darkly ominous by night. The paths that were illuminated just hours before becoming lost in the blackness that even moonlight cannot help. The trees that were towering them before, giving them some shade out from the piercing sunlight now has become as if molded with the darkness and you could only hear them whispering and moving because of the winter wind caressing them.

The heat of the campfire struggled to penetrate the wintry air. Yurika sat as close as she dared to feel the radiating warmth, holding out her numbed hands. Sparks flew into the cold night air only to die mid-flight and fall unnoticed as a blackened charcoal speck.

Her wary eyes glanced at the people around her, the night brought such silence that the crackle of the campfire was all that could be heard. The flames that licked at the wood and the red spark that danced like an exotic dancer. No one started the conversation, not like Yurika wished or even knew how to break the icy cold atmosphere; colder than the snowy night itself.

As they started their journey together this morning, a heavy silence settled over them, thicker than the uneasy tension in the atmosphere. Unsettled eyes glanced unceremoniously around and tried to avoid catching the other side of the party as they rode their mounts. They hardly said anything by much, talking to their own team most of the time. Jace as the lead of the party only gave short orders to both sides but never really made any effort to lighten the atmosphere.

“Will we be okay?” Yurika mumbled to herself.

“I know what you mean,” said Wen who was sitting next to her, “to save the world, with these kinds of people is like working together with your enemies. No one knows when we will be stricken in our sleep.”

“W-Wen don’t say that out loud. They can hear you,” Yurika tried to remind her.

“Why? It’s the truth and pretty sure they have similar thoughts too,” Wen glared the people who gathered around the campfire, “I don’t trust them and I am sure the feeling is mutual.”

Yurika glanced around anxiously. She could feel the cold air became denser.

“I don’t understand out of the people the Goddess could pick, they had to pick them,” she continued on without fear.

“Anyway, where’s Lucia?” Yurika obviously trying to divert the conversation. 

“I don’t know, she said she needs to check on something and will return in the morning,” Wen shrugged, “I hope they don’t do anything while she is away. Not that I can’t beat them.”

“Oh really now?“ a velvety voice came from their back, made them jump in surprise. Scry stood not far behind them with a mocking smile, “I still remember someone was so blue that she needed the Zanj help to get the antidote. Little witch, don’t you forget that.”

Wen scrambled up from her seat and faced Scry in challenging stance, “You were using poison! That’s not a gentleman way to fight! Oh wait, you can’t, because you’re not a man from the start!”

“Wen!” Yurika warned her, but Wenona was too flared up to care.

Scry howled at Wen response, then suddenly he stood in front of her. His right hand was around her neck. With a loud thump, Wen's back hit a tree behind her. Scry pinned her there as his right hand tighten its clutch. 

“Oh, I am a man alright. Should I gladly proof that to you?” He whispered menacingly on Wen’s ear. His breath was all over her face and his amber eyes sparked with eerie ecstasy. He lowered his head, blew at her ear then bit her earlobe hard enough that blood started to trickle.

Wen winced on the pain. She struggled to push him away. With Scry hand on her throat, it was almost impossible to breath more over to cast any conjuring spell. She had to think fast. Her hand scrambling out something from her right pocket, but before she managed to use it an astral arrow hit the tree behind her just a couple inches away from her face.

“Let her go or I will shoot you!” Yurika shouted a warning, her shaking hand was stretching an astral bow with a bright arrow ready to launch. Her fuschia eyes glowing with ferocity.

“Scry!” Zeke shouted, surprised at how thing escalated so fast.

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“Scry, let that girl go,” Jace ordered him assertively.

“Come on Scry, aren’t we supposed to be The Goddess savior group,” Lyall trying to appease Scry.

“Scry, let her go, she’s just young and careless,” Amierra added in.

"Let her go," Marc materialized next to Scry, his hand was already on Scry's right wrist. His dark eyes glinted threat at Scry.

Scry chuckled eerily, he tilted his head as if he was thinking, but then he finally let the girl go. Wen fell down on her knees coughing, but it didn't stop her to glare at Scry.

“Tsk, I didn’t know you guys already so set to be friends now? I was just joking. You know that right? If I wasn’t…,” Scry paused as his wicked smile grew wider, “she would be dead already.”

Then he winked at Yurika innocently, “No need to be so agitated now, chosen one,” and he strolled away as if nothing had happened.

Yurika quickly dropped her bow and ran to check up her friend. Before the bow and arrow landed to the ground, it dispersed back to Fetuu La Rossa pendant. 

“Are you okay Wen?” asked Yurika. She could still vividly feel the tension in her body. She was scared not just for  Wenona's life, but also Eireen's traumatic memories of Scry made her feel vulnerable. 

“I am, don’t worry,” said Wen. She coughed some more, rubbed her sore neck and touch her earlobe unconsciously; the blood has stopped.

“If only I have Zanj with me,” Wen grumbled quietly, but then she realized that there was that young man stood next to her. She quickly glanced at Marc, making sure that he didn't hear what she said. Marc was staring at her with the same look he had before when they were in the meeting room in Adventure guild.

"What are you staring at?!" Wen growled.

"Wen! He just saved you," protested Yurika while apologetically smiled at Marc.

"Fine..., thanks," grumbled Wen and she averted her gazed toward random space.

Marc said nothing in response. He just nodded at Yurika and walked away.

Then Jace stood up and walked toward Yurika and Wenona. The moment Yurika saw it, she quickly put up a defensive stance. Jace stopped and stared at her with the same expression. His face looked flat and cold, but at the same time, there was a slight curiosity that Yurika accidentally captured.

“We might have started from the wrong foot,” Jace finally said in a formal tone, “ we need to work as a team, despite our difference and obvious dislike. Good teamwork is needed to keep everyone alive and also to get the job done.”

He then offered his hand out, “Let’s start over, I am Jace Ursa and I will be the leader of this mission and party.”

Yurika slowly dropped her defense and cautiously accepted Jace stretched hand. It was a short handshake but it was good enough considering how it was before.

“I know that Lucia told me to treat you and your friend as equal and I am the man of my words, so I will keep my promise,” Jace added on in matter factly tone, “but in the real battle and dire situation I expect you understand the need to listen to orders and respect it.”

Yurika and Wen were quiet, but they understood what Jace was implying.

“Anyway that’s all for now, you should rest and maybe tend your friend,” Jace gave a formal nod and walked away.

“Scry, you are in charge of tonight watch,” ordered Jace.

Scry looked annoyed. He then bowed and answered in mockery tone, “sure my liege, your order is my command.”

Jace glared at him but decided to ignore his attitude.

Yurika offered her hand to Wen to help her stand up. As they walked back to their tent Wenona inspected Yurika curiously.

“What’s wrong?”

Her blue eyes gleaming with excitement, “I don’t know that you can just create a weapon out of thin air like that, shiny one too.”

“I didn’t create any weapon, I think that’s just shaped like one but it’s basically nothing but energy,” answered Yurika while entering their tent, “I thought u realize that since the first arrow that was on the tree disappeared already.”

“Oh I didn’t pay attention, I was well... you know...,” Wen’s face flushed with anger but she quickly shook it off, “ anyway could you do that thing anytime you want?”

“Thing? Oh, you mean that? Nah, not really I am still learning. It’s not easy, to be honest," Yurika face looked thoughtful, “ I started to see how important in learning all class ability.”

She had managed to pull the image of a bow and an arrow just because she imprint the image of Amierra when she held her bow in her mind. The power as a Fanaura didn’t fail her in the speed of learning and copying. But if she was ended to actually fight Scry, she knew it well enough that the chance of her winning it using hunter ability was zero. Because it was nothing but an empty threat, she hasn’t really learned any of the hunter skill. She could just randomly shoot arrows at him. But it won’t be as useful as it would with real skills.

“Uhm?? What did u say?” asked Wen.

“Oh nothing, I was just talking to myself,” Yurika shook her head but then she looked at Wenona with a really serious face, “actually, Wen, could you promise me one thing?”

“Hmm? Depends.”

“Could you stay clear from Scry?” Yurika looked directly to her blue eyes, “he is not someone you should… taunt in any way.”

“Hey! Who is taunting who?!” Wen protested.

“I know, just stay away from him, please? He is dangerous.”

Wen scrutinized Yurika suspiciously, “for some reason you gave me the vibe like you have known them before.”

“No, is not like that,” Yurika stuttered trying to cover it, “he had hurt you with poison before remember? I just don’t want you to get hurt like that again.”

Wen didn’t seem to buy her reasoning, her brows gathered and met in the middle of her forehead. Then she decided to not peruse any further.

“Okay, I’ll try, but I can’t promise you anything,” she finally answered, “I am not going to stay quiet and rising any white flag if he started anything. You know me well enough to know that right.”

Yurika nodded in agreement.

“Okay we should sleep now, so we can go early tomorrow,” Wen said, “ I am worried for everyone, even Moira. If only I could just use my skill and created another kite to fly there. But that would mean revealing myself, urgh~~"

“Was it much better than Camelous?”

“YEP! Well, I can’t compete against teleport scrolls that you guys use before.  It’s a crazy expensive tool from the start. I wonder how rich is Lucia from selling those kinds of tools. Anyway that kite is second best compared to it, but it is much faster than riding a mount passing through the jungle and mountains,” Wen said with a sour look, “but since I am now a part of this broken group, I can’t just do that without raising questions.”

"Wait, Lucia? What do you mean by she becomes rich?"

Wen glanced at Yurika's confused face, "that teleport scroll is made and sold by the adventure guild. You didn't know that?"

"No, but if that's true. Why do we ride mounts instead of using that?"

Wenona shrugged, "How would I know? But to be honest it has been a while since I saw it on Adventure Guild shop. Z is sure lucky to have one. Not even that turnip king has it, I think."

"Oh my goddess Wen," Yurika couldn't help herself chuckling, "you know his name already."

Wen giggled, "I don't care. For me, he is a turnip."

"Just don't do it in front of him."

"No, promises," said Wen while sticking her tongue out, "anyway let's hit the sack. We have a long day tomorrow."

She then lied down followed by Yurika that pulled up the blanket covering both of them. Night time in the Mork forest, especially in winter, could be painfully chilly.