“The edge of the world?” The Lich questioned.

At that point, Drew had awoken from his slumber due to the incessant commotion. His body had slightly recovered, enough to the point that his arm was at least a little usable.

“How do you know so little about this world? You’ve had to have been around for ages, yet…” Aborsphinx paused before continuing, “Never mind. If you truly do not know, the edge of the world is exactly how it sounds. It is the furthest point that the inhabitants of this plane of existence can reach. Many theorists believe that nothing but void lay beyond, but since there’s a barrier stopping anybody from continuing, no one knows. The Forest of Mythos is said to encircle our world at the border of the edge.”

The Lich turned towards Drew before asking:

“Is this true?”

Drew nodded.

“How absurd,” The Lich said.

Even though he didn’t trust either of them, the human seemed to have created an attachment to him for some reason. This made his information a bit more trustworthy than the chimera’s.

“So, why exactly are you traveling to the forest anyway?” Abrosphinx tossed him a mana potion to further fish out an answer.

After guzzling it down, The Lich reluctantly answered:

“To fulfill a request you could say. That is all you need to know.”

Aborsphinx wasn’t satisfied with that answer, but he knew probing any further could lead to conflict.

“Now I have a few questions.”

“Ask away,” Aborsphinx invited.

“Not for you,” The Lich clarified with a harsh tone.

The Lich faced Drew. “I have a few questions for you.”

“Alright,” Drew responded.

“First off, why have you become so attached to me?”

Drew wasn’t very happy with the tone or word choice his companion used, and saw himself as more of an aid than someone who had become merely attached.

“Well, my last companions, and especially my brother, took quite a liking to you. To be honest, the only reason we attacked that thing back at the village was to help you. Otherwise, we would’ve left. Since they’re dead now, I thought it appropriate to continue to help you in your endeavors.”

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The nonchalant way he spoke and the neutral expression on his face, even after mentioning his own brother’s death, slightly disturbed The Lich. Not necessarily due to the fact that he seemed fine with his own brother’s death, but because it deviated from what he expected from a human.

“How can you not be affected by their deaths? They’ve barely even been dead a day, that shouldn’t be enough time for you to get over it.”

Drew shrugged. “Death is death, what would mourning do? And anyway, it did affect me.”

His eyes showed a hint of sadness, but it was wiped away in mere moments. The human had begun to intrigue The Lich quite a bit. In fact, if he were to guess, what sat across from him likely wasn’t even human in the first place.

Still, even with this fascinating specimen, The Lich wasn’t keen on being followed and regarded as their companions. His fate was to remain alone, and nothing would change that.

He rose from his sitting position. He had wasted enough time chatting and he desired to begin traveling again. The lack of mana potions he had was a problem, but a minor one. He could just visit the next town if need be.

Drew also took to standing in preparation to continue following him.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Aborsphinx asked whilst fiddling with his overgrown claw-like nails.

“I am going to continue my journey. And do not dare act as if you have any control over my actions.” He glanced towards Drew before specifying, “I am going to continue alone.”

Drew understood, but refused to acknowledge it. He was self aware of his own lack of emotions, and the only thing he felt he could do to honor his companions’ death was to continue aiding who they cared about.

“I thought I made this clear before, but maybe you did not hear me. You are too much of a hazard to yourself to be left alone. You cannot aid my master if you’re dead.”

The Lich knew that there was no possible way that this chimera was unaware of his immortality since he had been watching him for sometime. Although, it still seemed a bit strange to him that this beast revealed itself knowing that. Maybe this creature assumed that he wasn’t truly immortal, and that he was only undying under a condition.

At the end of the day, he could have just killed them. But something stopped him, something, or rather some force influencing his actions, decided to allow them to live. It conflicted with his own inner feelings, but a war between them could’ve possibly caused another breakdown.

The Lich sighed heavily before he spoke:

“Whatever. However, let me make a few things clear. I will neither protect nor support either of you, no matter what. If either of you get in my way, I promise I will not hesitate to erase you both from existence.”

While both Drew and Aborsphinx heard this, Drew was the only one who nodded in agreement. Aborsphinx did not appear to care, however in actuality, he disregarded what it had said and was actively ready to disobey if need be. After all, he was on a mission, one he wouldn’t dare deviate from.

With that, the trio had begun their venture towards the edge of the world.

A piece of tattered flesh wriggled its way over a hill near the town of Herstel. As it descended upon the mutant moles’ bodies strewn across the area, it had begun to feast and devour their carcasses. With each meal, its size grew and bubbled upwards.

“Mmm~ Wonderful,” it gargled from its newly formed mouth.

The Skinless hadn’t felt as much wrath yet excitement in its whole life. It was no longer after The Lich to fulfill some petty request, but to quench its own desire to consume the magic user whole.