"These woods are magic." Luca whispered as he led me down the forest trail. The light poking through the leaves as it danced across our feet.

"Are they really?" I replied cynically, one step behind him.

"Yes. I did say it didn't I?" He said in a fake serious voice.

"You did, and never said I didn't believe you."

"Good. You can never be too careful." He shrugged. I chuckled at him, this was a new mood for him.

I looked around, studying the vegetation. "Where are we anyways? Not like where in the forest but where are we in Tetrad." I asked, noticing a significant difference from the plants in Lattice. "East, between Discord and Manic."

"Makes sense if Broc is from Manic." I replied, forest derby clutching under my feet. I nodded peering further down the path. It twisted through the trees, leading us who knows where.

"You said these woods are magic, but how so? We're not going to get lost in an endless maze or pulled into a deep sleep by blood thirsty trolls, are we?" I grinned, pulling from some magical forest stories I knew.

"Oh no, at least I don't think so." Luca answered, "You never really know what can happen, but it's not a tragic ending sort of magical." He corrected.

"Thank goodness."

He looked back, hiding a grin.

"Have you ever heard of the living waters? Water that literally contains the power of life."

"No I haven't." I replied curious, always eager to hear a new story.

"Well there's a legend handed down from the time of the ancients, of such a pool existing. Nearly impossible to find, it contained the literal embodiment of life in its depths. Those who sought it and took their fill of it, caused a disruption in their own life blood. This disruption caused people to have a closer connection to the pulse of life. This was the first emergence of giftings. A unique reaction to this closeness passed down through blood lines. That's how people like us exist. Our life blood is stronger, more in sync with the life that's interwoven in everything. At least that's how the story goes." Luca conveyed, looking up to the trees. "Sometimes people just make things up." He echoed, mulling over something I couldn't quite see.

"It's hard to figure out what the real stories are." I paused, offering a grin. "True." Luca nodded, slowing his pace. "Whether or not the story is true, I'd like to think that if it was, the pool would look like this one."

Pushing aside some branches he revealed a little forest pool. Clear, reflecting the sky, it shone. Churning from the water pouring into it from the stream above, the water danced. Shaded by the overarching trees, the world seemed to surround it. Wildflowers, pink and blue, followed the edges and left with the connecting stream. We walked through the trees getting closer to it.

"I think you might be right about this place. It's magical."

"It's one of my favorite spots." He said, stepping toward the water's edge. Staring into it, he knelt by the bank."I can see why." I remarked, admiring it.

I popped off my boots sitting on the shoreline and rolled up the edges of my pants. "Are those my pants?" Luca asked, blinking in shock. I let out a nervous laugh, "Ya Broc gave them to me." I replied, feeling my face go red. I dipped my feet in the water, looking away.

Luca laid his head back, "That rascal." He muttered as he stared up at the sky.

"If you need them back I-"

Luca shook his head, "You're good, don't worry about it." He said, putting his hands behind his head. "I'm just surprised by his audacity."

I let the red in my cheeks fade. I wouldn't worry about it now. I sighed, turning my attention to enjoying the view. The gentle trickle of the stream playing, as the stream danced. I swatted a bug from my face, not letting it stop me from enjoying the sun. I could sit here forever.

"What's your plan after this?" Luca asked, a daydreaming look, directed to the sky.

"I don't have one." I admitted watching the water float by my ankles, moving aimlessly.

"Would you consider helping me? With stopping the catastrophe." He sat up, looking at me. "I know you turned me down in Euphoria but-"

"Yes." I interrupted. My voice reacting before my thoughts. He almost jumped up, his eyes shining.

"Ya? Are you sure? He searched my expression. I nodded, "I think I need this." I clenched my fists, feeling the determination flood through my veins.

"Good because I can't do this without you." He said sitting cross legged in the grass. "I have one more capital to warn, and time is not on our side." His voice turned serious.

"Is it that bad?" I asked, noticing a tremble in his hand.

"None of the others have listened. I don't even know if one will be enough. Euphoria was sorta the linchpin" He hung his head, suddenly raising it.

"But I have you now and that gives us all hope."

I furrowed my brow, "I don't know how much I can do."

"Don't underestimate yourself Phyn." He smirked, jumping his feet. "I need to show you something." He motioned for me to follow.

Leading me closer to the falls. Walking beside it, he ducked behind it. My eyes grew wide, a cave. I quickly jumped after him, avoiding the pounding water. Biting back a laugh, I wiped a few drops from my hair.

I stopped, looking up. Caught in awe at what I saw. Floor to ceiling, the cave walls were covered in parchment, all with ink pictures sprawled across them. Delicate, lifelike ink drawings, much like the picture Luca had at the camp.

Various characters covered them, a lot more action and great destruction. I recognized some of the landmarks in the pictures. All four capitals were represented. Some places I didn't recognize.

Symbols and creatures, fire, there was a lot of mystery in them. I turned around the cave, taking in the sheer amount of them. Luca stood stiff, looking at me nervously. Drops of water dripping off his hair, he watched for my reaction.

"I had no idea it got this bad." my voice echoed. "It got much easier after I actually started to try and stop this. I was plagued with dreams before." He stood joining me to look at them.

"I wanted to keep this stuff away from Broc. I've already lost him enough because of it." He said, my eyes caught on a drawing of a woman wearing a jacket patterned the same as the one my other self was wearing in the looking glass. The woman stood on a table, all heads turned, fixed on her. A glimpse of the future. It was kinda frightening. Emery's cryptic phrases bouncing around my head.

I frowned, looking down. My eyes stuck on something I wasn't expecting. The shadow groups symbol standing out against the rest of the pictures. I stumbled back.

"What is it?" Luca asked, trying to figure out which picture caused my reaction.

"This symbol." I said hesitantly, pointing at it "I've come across the group that uses it."

"When?" Luca's eyes grew wide, his voice deathly serious.

"A few days after Euphoria. They kidnapped a friend of mine and they tried to use me as bait for Birdman."

"Are they still coming after you?" Luca spoke fast and panicked.

"No, it's okay! I got help from someone. He made a deal to keep me out of it, showed me how to cut out my outline from their weird mirror thing. They won't find me again." I tightened my fists. My heart pounded, remembering Wren. I should have convinced him to come with me.

"Good." Luca said, picking up the drawing. "The Remedy is extremely dangerous."

"The Remedy?" I whispered the name.

"That's what they call themselves or their grand plan. You don't want to get caught between them and Merle." Luca's eyes went dark, he threw the picture on the ground. I stared at him wanting to know more.

Luca looked up sighing, "The group consists of six powerful bloodlines, one heir from each takes a seat at the table. That's what the symbol represents the union of the families. Trained in the art of magic and war, their small but extremely strong." Luca frowned, picking the picture back up, he smoothed out the edges.

"Merle was one of them, an heir even. Something went wrong and they threw him from his position. Whatever destruction is coming is a result of their conflict." He put the picture back on the wall.

"So the old alliance, that's the four kingdoms with the Remedy." I stared, across the other pictures. "Yes, I think so, though I have no idea how it all leads up to their destruction." He sighed. He walked along the pictures. "The dreams...they don't connect well. I can only hope as we get closer it will make more sense."

I stared over the pictures again, unable to offer anything new. They did seem disconnected, unimportant, or wildly strange.

Searching for words,a low growl echoing from deeper in the cave.We both turned, Luca shooting me a nervous glance as we faced the silhouette of a creature. I carefully picked up a stick close to my feet. I was the closest to the sound in the darkness. Two glowing eyes emerging from it. We froze staring at it, a wolf emerging as it got closer to the light. It was larger than most wolves, silver fur, and sharp teeth. It glared at me with gold eyes, snarling.

He pounced, leaping for me. I swung my stick whacking it across its face. The stick broke, turning the wolf's course just enough to miss me. It landed on its feet to my left.

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"Phyn!" Luca yelled, pulling me towards the entrance of the cave. "Run!"

The wolf gathered itself to attack again. It chased after us, bounding with strong legs. We ran out, stomping past the waterfall. The wolf came out behind us, howling as he did. His call was met by two other wolves, they sounded close.

Luca ran looking around, "Are you familiar at all with climbing trees?" He asked, stopping at a large one. I nodded not hesitating to start my feet up, taking a hold of branches and pulling myself up. Luca followed close behind. The wolf jumped up snapping at our feet as we got away. His two friends ran by circling our tree. All three unusually large, with nearly white fur.

"What kind of wolves are those? They're huge." I hissed, staring down.

"I don't know. I've never seen wolves like that."

We shuddered, holding onto the tree branches. "Um I guess we just stay up here till they get bored." I said shaking off the nerves. Luca gave a nervous nod.

I swung my leg around to sit better on the branch. "If it takes too long I can get us back but I don't want to waste my energy."

"It's okay I have nowhere to be." He sat back, resting his head against the tree. "Good, me neither." I smirked, trying to pretend there weren't giant wolves waiting for us at the bottom.

"I haven't climbed a tree in awhile." I remarked, remembering how good the height felt.

"You had quite a reputation for daring feats, back in Enfold." Luca chuckled, he settled back against the tree. I was surprised he would remember that. We didn't interact much back then.

"Ya well I was kinda obsessed with the shock value of the other kids." I admitted, rolling my eyes at my younger self.

"You inspired me though, with your courage."

You mean my stupidity? I was pretty reckless" I laughed.

"Maybe, but you weren't afraid of Merle and that shook my world."

I paused, surprised at his response. I hadn't realized it had affected him so much. One action seen in two different ways.

His tired eyes, smiling slightly. You could see the weight on his shoulders. All those dreams, that was a lot for one person. He had been fighting this on his own. Up against bigger forces than he was.

"I'm sorry you've had to do this alone." I intentionally found his eyes.

"It's not so bad." He echoed, looking off. I shook my head, "No but it is." I wouldn't let him get away with it.

"You're trying to save a world that doesn't listen. That's got to wear down a person."

He met my eyes, "It does, but it doesn't matter."

"You don't have to water it down for me, I understand."

"That goes for you too." he raised his eyebrows, "You think I believed that, I was too busy to eat, crap." He countered. I lost my words. He sat up, lowering his eyebrows.

"I know whatever happened at the camp, was hell for you. No one cries like that over nothing." I looked away, nervously picking at the bark. I wanted to avoid thinking about it. I didn't want to deal with it yet.

Luca leaned his head back against the tree, "You're entitled to your privacy but I'm just saying I know it was bad." He frowned, the wind rustling through the trees. I held my gaze down, trying to keep my emotions steady.

"I'll always be in your corner Phyn, no matter what."

His voice was so certain. I bit my lip, looking up through teary eyes. I opened my mouth to speak and couldn't. The wind rattling the branches. His messy brown hair, getting in his face.

"And I'll always be in yours." I promised back. I meant those words. An odd pact made trapped in a tree. We were in this together now, good or bad. I could take strength in that. Maybe the odds were slim but I was stupid enough to try.

"How about a story? Since we're stuck up here anyway. " Luca's face lifted, his tone brightening. I gave a nervous laugh.

"Only if you don't mind." He added, raising his arms."I don't mind." I shut my eyes, thinking of a good one.

"Have you ever heard the tale of how the great war began?"

Luca grinned,"I am somewhat aware of the general events, but go on anyways."

I nodded, taking a breath,"Well, the King of Euphoria, Darius the Bold, was an idealistic young man." I grinned, sitting straighter.

"When he ascended to the throne he was consumed with pride and ambition. He was determined to make a bigger show of his power and might than all his predecessors. He threw elaborate parties, strengthened his military arm, and built huge feats of architecture, but none of it was enough to satisfy him. He dreamed of bigger things.

In those days the Tetrad was fractured, the borders a rough and wild mess. He sought to create order of the whole thing, to create a nation that would be unstoppable." I stared up at the sky dramatically.

"Euphoria was then, as it is now, the most powerful of all the kingdoms. He could've tried to take the land by force but instead he proposed to create an alliance. Inviting diplomats from all the kingdoms he planned to pitch such an idea. A union of the nations like nothing the world had seen. He boasted that he was going to change the world." I smiled at his nativity.

"The party started, the diplomats arrived and everything was coming together. Strangely enough when he was set to give his speech to the crowd, he didn't show. His advisors went looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found. His room tossed about, strange scratches across the walls. There was a note, a brief goodbye. They searched the palace, high and low, unsuccessful in finding their king. They couldn't believe he would abandon them now.

He made lavish promises, promises they didn't know how to keep. The kingdom panicked. The diplomats complained about the King's absence. Unsure of what to do they told the guests that he had fallen ill. On the last day of the procession, something even stranger happened, every other diplomat was found dead. The same scratches across the walls." I narrowed my eyes.

"The capital fell into chaos, the present diplomats fleeing back to their countries each spinning their own tales. Unable to explain the violence Euphoria was caught in a shroud of suspicion. War was quick to break out, every kingdom getting in on the action. A fearsome desperation, every one seeking what they thought was retribution. The great war had begun, a war like no other. A bloody all consuming war that would shatter Tetrad worse than ever before. No one ever learned the fate of the king. He was never found dead or alive." I echoed, the mystery sending shivers across my spine.

"The king's efforts to unite the kingdom seemingly a distant dream. Yet as the conflict grew tired and their neighbors loomed over, they became the nation he had fought for. Tetrad was ultimately formed. Against all odds it rose up from the dust." I finished, with a little bow. Luca offered some applause. I grinned at the formality.

"Never heard it quite like that before." He grinned.

"Well I'm not sure if it's the real story." I added sheepishly. Hoping it wasn't too ridiculous.

"Strange that it doesn't give an explanation of the King's disappence." He added, thinking aloud.

I shrugged, peeking back down at the ground.

"I don't see the wolves anymore if you wanna chance heading back." Luca said looking down. I nodded, slipping off the first branch, preparing to climb down.

"Ya sure, I'll make sure to be ready if we need a quick getaway."

Luca swung over the branch, climbing down after me. "Sorry that my promised normal adventure, turned more into hiding from ravenous wolves." He apologized, causing me to chuckle. "Well it turned out better than most of my adventures, so I would call it a success." I said, my feet landing on the ground.

"Life must be interesting around you." He smirked, jumping down himself. I laughed, turning to see a pair of golden eyes fixed on me, teeth open in a snarl. The wolf was launched midair poised to take a bite out of me. I stared at it in horror, having no time to react.

A shot quick sound whizzed by followed by a thud. The wolf yelped, falling at my feet, bleeding all over my boots. I blinked stunned, stepping back I looked up to see Broc with a crossbow, aimed where it had been.

"Unfortunately a little too interesting." I hissed at the dead wolf at my feet.

Broc motioned for us to shut up, reloading his crossbow. Luca scanned our surroundings, taking a protective stance, he was listening for the others. I gulped, copying his stance.

The bush to my right rattled, I caught a glimpse of a second wolf barreling out of the bushes. Making Luca his mark, he lunged at him. Luca caught it's head, before it could bite him, struggling, he chaotically threw him aside. The wolf ended up on the ground in front of him.

I picked up another stick, knowing that any second the wolf could attack again. I steadied myself, stepping forward. Probably looking silly, wielding the little branch like a sword.

The wolf turned and I whacked him with it in a frenzy. Knowing no fear, I beat him with the stick. It did nothing but annoy him. His angry eyes locked on me.

The wolf jumped to snap at my hand. Luca quickly pushed me aside. I lost my balance, stumbling back.

Another arrow flew through the air. Hitting the wolf straight through the skull. It collapsed in a heap. I breathed a sigh of relief. Broc hoping over the bush.

"That was a close one." He called. I nodded, freezing my smile.

"There was one more." I murmured, looking up at Broc.

His eyes grew wide, turning he pulled his sword, just in time to run through the last wolf, straight in mid air. Pulling his sword from it's corpse, he let the body fall to the ground. I blinked in shock, Broc unaffected.

"You two okay?" He looked between both of us. I nodded, "We're good." I breathed, feeling slightly shaky.

"Your rather ferocious Phyn." Broc laughed, "Chasing that giant wolf with a stick." My face went red.

"Phyn can hold her own." Luca smirked, "A true warrior at heart."

I snorted, "Ya whatever. You guys did much more than me."

I stepped back from the mess. "Man those are big suckers, aren't they?" Broc commented, examining the wolf bodies. "Unnaturally big, look at those fangs." He pulled back the wolf's cheek to show the enormous teeth. I shuddered, grateful we escaped unscathed. "Even their colour, it's too light for this climate." He continued, frowning. "What does that mean?" I asked, looking to Broc for an explanation. "Means there's been some human intervention in the ecosystem. To get a wolf like this, this far south."

"Maybe even sorcery is involved. Their behaviour was irregular. Hiding and waiting for prey as big as us." Luca interjected, wiping the sweat off his brow. "There have been a growing number of strange creatures in the area, it's not far-fetched."

Broc's expression grew sour, "I'm not ready to jump to that conclusion. There have been a number of skirmishes along the Tetrad-Vitriol border. That can send animals migrating."

Luca shook his head, "This far inland, with near arctic climate wolves, that's a bit of a stretch."

"But not impossible. I don't think it's fair to assume something you don't have proof for."

Luca frowned, opening his mouth to argue.

"I'm not in the mood Luca, let's just head back." Broc huffed, turning to leave.

"He can be very infuriating sometimes." Luca hissed.

"I heard that." Broc called back. Luca rolled his eyes and I couldn't help but chuckle.

We started heading back to the cabin, I looked back once more at the wolves. It was strange to think someone could alter animals like that. It was creepy to think about.

I looked down the road at Broc, "How much does he know?"

"He knows as much as I said in Manic, about the coming doom. He also knows about my dreams, but besides that not much. He doesn't know about your gifting, Merle, or any of the other frightening details. Not that I don't trust him with any of that but I don't want to scare him." Luca kept his voice low.

It seemed funny to me that Luca was trying to protect someone as big and strong as Broc from this. Then again it was probably out of his wheelhouse, what could brawn do against someone like Augustine.

"He doesn't handle that stuff well, it stresses him out." Luca muttered, "You don't have to hide anything from him, just be aware that he doesn't know a lot about what we're doing."

"What are you two talking about?" Broc turned his head slightly.

"Nothing." Luca said, widening his grin. Broc shook his head, "Sure you are." He sighed, "Fine leave me out, see if I care."

I chuckled, rolling my eyes at them. "You guys are hopeless."

"Ya? Well we'll see if I change your mind when I make the best roast pheasant you've ever eaten. Then we'll see who's hopeless." Broc exclaimed proudly.

"That'll have to be some awesome pheasant to change my mind." I called back. Luca chuckled at my response.

"Why are you laughing at Luca? You couldn't cook yourself out of a paper bag."

"Since when was this about cooking?" Luca called back.

I laughed, "I don't know, I never said anything about cooking."

"You still want me to cook for you guys don't you?" He threatened, pointing his finger back at us. I chuckled at his fake annoyance, "You are very appreciated Broc."

"Thank you." He said, turning forward. The cottage coming back into view, I was glad to be back safe. Ready for whatever the next adventure would throw at me.