When Ren next opens his eyes, it’s to the sound of galloping. The clomping plod of horse hooves. Ren blinks the bleariness away, angling his head towards the window and staring out at the sky. There, weaving through the clouds, is none other than the Horseman, and his team of horses.

“They’re closer than I thought,” Vane mutters. Ren turns to face him—he and Gridel are gathered around a pot, filled with broth, a few pieces of dried meat floating on its creamy surface. “But unlike the Horseman of Death, we should not be too threatened by its presence.”

Yeah, what’s it going to do? Inflict hunger upon them? In any case, as long as they stay under a roof, they should avoid detection. Ren glances over at Penny—she’s still asleep, sprawled on the lumpy mattress, her serene expression proof of her comfort. That trek must have taken a lot out of her if she can sleep through the Horseman’s passage.

“Do you think his palace might be that way?” Ren asks.

Vane nods. “Perhaps. He could be returning from his patrol.”

“Is there really anything left to patrol?” Ren wonders, rising and stalking over to them. “The only city’s crashed to the ground. Ignis is dead, and—”

“It is hard to believe that life still exists here,” Gridel agrees. “But humans are tenacious. Even Gravelle managed to thrive, despite all the death that surrounds it. The Horseman was supposed to make it as inhospitable an environment as possible.”

“Quite,” Vane says. “There may be a colony living under the ground, like we have. We’ll just have to keep our eyes peeled.”

“They may not even be human,” Ren says. “Remember Betty?”

“Indeed. Isla and her tribe were… alive and well too.”

It had been a harried escape they made, fleeing out to the stables, riding Hippocampi through the water, after Betty slew the leader of the clan. It was a long time ago, but Ren still remembers it as clear as day.

Ren shuffles over to Penny, making sure to keep his balance as he walks along the slanted floor. He reaches the bed and grasps Penny’s shoulders, shaking her gently. “Hey. It’s time to wake up.”

He throws his head back just as she swings her arm. He would have gotten a slap across the cheek had he just been a millisecond slower. He’s been friends with her for long enough that he would know to avoid that.

“Penny.” Ren sighs, moving into shake her again. “Dinner.”

At that word, Penny cracks open an eye. “What is it? Meatloaf? You know I hate meatloaf.”

Meatloaf? Where’d she get that idea? The smell? “No, it’s not meatloaf.”

“Eggnog? A log cake?” Penny scrunches her face up, as though deep in contemplation. “Or a gingerbread—”

“It’s not Christmas.”

Penny exhales loudly, but she props herself up on her elbows anyway. “Okay, party pooper.” She yawns and stretches, pumping her fists into the air. She swings her legs over the edge of the bed, almost kicking Ren in the shin, and she stands. Strangely, she’s taking rather well to the sloping angle.

“What’s for dinner?” Penny asks, glancing over at Gridel and Vane. The former is scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden ladle, filling up the final bowl with the stuff. Penny stares at the bowls with stars in her eyes, and Ren can almost see saliva drooling from the corners of her mouth.

“Catoblepas soup,” Gridel says. “I had a feeling that we’d need our energy up.” Catoblepas is one of Frosgott’s delicacies, the children offering the precious meat up to them after learning that they had to leave. It’s the tastiest meat that Ren has ever eaten, something he’d kill to have every day, every meal.

Once Gridel’s done serving the soup, they each grab one bowl and dig in. Ren savours the broth, letting it roll over every inch of his mouth, satisfying his tastebuds with each sip. Even when he’s polished the bowl, he runs his tongues over his lips, hoping for even a single droplet more of that wonderful cuisine.

Gridel wipes the residual soup from the pot, before disposing of the rag amongst the rubble of the house. It’s not like there’d be anyone passing by. Not now, anyway. Besides, water is one of their most valuable resources right now.

“I think it’s best to sleep for now. Regain as much energy as we can,” Vane says. “Gridel and I will take turns keeping watch.”

“I can do that too,” Penny says. “And Ren should chip in once in a while.”

“What do you mean once in a while?” Ren huffs, meeting Penny’s playful grin with his own half-frown. He’s plenty useful, if he does say so himself. Just a little more on the brainy side and less of the muscle.

“It’s unbecoming of us if we left such menial tasks to the Luminaries,” Gridel says. “You shouldn’t worry too much about us.”

Penny tilts her head. “But it’s weird. I mean, what makes me and Ren Luminaries, and you guys not?”

“It is by Ignis’ word that you were chosen. After all, it was the Sun’s Blessing prayer that brought you here, wasn’t it?”

Ren nods. “Yeah. But the only difference is that we came from another world. We’re pretty similar to you guys, honestly. Just less battle experience.”

“Perhaps, but it is not our place to question the words of the great spirits, and certainly not a ruler as magnificent as Ignis was,” Vane says. “The other great spirits agreed with him too, that the two of you are the heroes meant to save Zenthos.”

There’s no arguing with them, it seems. It’s really made Ren rather… intrigued. Just how far are they willing to believe their own gods? Especially someone like… Gaia? To be fair, Gaia’s the great spirit that piqued Ren’s interest the most.

Gaia was a familiar name to Sylph, and yet she remembered the earth spirit to be Terra. After they died, Sylph stayed at Frosgott, defending her castle and Gyldon, for three hundred years. That must mean that she met Gaia back when they were still alive, and yet does not remember her.

What is going on here?

If Ignis truly is as omniscient as everyone makes him out to be, then surely they would have been able to wheedle out some answers from him. Unfortunately, he’s a little… dead. Speaking of which…

“How do spirits die anyway?” Ren asks. “If you kill their body, then all they have to do is to find a new one, right? What makes a spirit dead for good?”

“Lingering spirits—that is, spirits without bodies—will perish after twenty-four hours without a host,” Vane explains.

“But can’t they just… you know, enter a random item and reset the clock?”

“Spirits cannot quite enter any object. It must enter a compatible object. In other words, something or someone that they had developed a deep emotional bond when they were alive.”

“So, like weapons, or the dead bodies of their friends?” Ren suggests. The former in the case of the warriors who tried to lead a campaign against the Horsemen, and the latter in the case of Triton and Sylph.

Vane nods. “Something like that.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Penny is the first to settle back on the bed, and Ren takes the spot he slept in earlier. Vane is keeping watch first, standing near the entrance of the house, whilst Gridel settles herself on the floor beside Penny.

Ren shuts his eyes, and he wills himself to sleep. If they’re going to find the Horseman’s palace tomorrow, then he’s going to need as much energy as he can get.

*

When Ren wakes up next, most of the others are already up and about. He yawns, a hand coming up to his nape to nurse the crick in his neck. Gridel is preparing breakfast, with Penny as her enthusiastic assistant. Vane, on the other hand, is still sound asleep, curled up on the floor.

“Ah, Ren!” Penny tosses a glance over her shoulder. “Breakfast’s gonna be ready in a bit. Just sit tight and wait, yeah?”

Ren flashes her a thumbs-up, and he leans back against the sturdy wall of the house, angling his head to look out the window. All that he sees is the massive, ruined town, and the castle not far from where they’re holing up in.

What must life have been like in a city like this? People throwing windows open, greeting the sun with gusto? Marketplaces filled with stalls selling the most unusual of goods, like back at Calysso? People going about their languid day, like the villagers of Gyldon?

“Breakfast is ready!” Penny calls. Ren picks himself up from the niche and heads over to where Penny and Gridel have got sandwiches prepared. They’re made mostly out of lettuce, some leaves of Duskbells, and a giant slice of purple tomato-looking thing. Ren chows down on it, relishing in the juiciness of the vegetable combo, whilst Gridel moves to wake Vane up.

“Oh, this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten.” Penny groans in satisfaction.

“I thought the soup last night was the best thing you ever ate.” Nothing can top Catoblepas stew, not in Ren’s eyes anyway.

“Okay. You’ve got a point, but Duskbell foods are definitely a close second.” Now that, Ren can agree with. Never did he think that the flower used to repel the Horseman’s plague would end up being such a delicacy.

Vane is the quietest of them all as they sit down for breakfast—largely to do with how groggy he is, having just awoken. Penny is the one leading the conversation, with Gridel and Ren chiming in time and time again.

Today, their plan is simple: head out into the desert and try to find the Horseman’s palace. Of course, there are really only four directions they can branch out to: north, south, east, and west. Food isn’t an issue—the residents of Frosgott were certainly a very generous sort.

“If we find the guy himself, even better,” Penny says. “We’d just follow him back to his palace.”

“And try not to get stabbed,” Ren adds.

Gridel nods. “I like that plan.”

“We can also keep a lookout for settlements too. Just… anyone who could have survived this famine,” Penny says.

Sounds like a plan. If anyone’s managed to live out here in this desert, then surely they’ve found some way to sustain themselves. And that means more food and more water, which would put Ren’s mind at ease.

After breakfast, it’s time to set out. Whilst this may be their base, Vane concludes that it’d be foolish to leave their gear in a house easily lost in the large number of buildings in this city. They end up taking everything with them anyway. Ren emerges from the house with a rucksack full of provisions, carrying Ifrit in hand, as do the others.

“All right!” Penny cries, throwing her arm out, like a comic book hero. “Onward!”

And so, they leave the crumbling ruins of a house behind, and they head off into the barren land of featureless dunes.

*

The dunes are not as bland as Ren remembers. At least, not on this side of the desert. Having walked some distance away from Heliola’s ruins, they come to what must be the biggest graveyard that Ren has ever seen.

Well, graveyard isn’t quite the right term for it, but Ren doesn’t know what else to call it. A burial ground, perhaps? Stretching as far as the eye can see, Ren sees bones. Bones eroded away by the elements, but slivers of dull grey or white can still be seen half-buried in the sand.

“This is… a sorry sight,” Gridel mutters.

“What happened here?” Penny wonders.

Famine, probably, considering the opponent they’re up against. Without pause, Vane and Gridel trudge across the desert of bones, with Penny and Ren following closely behind. As they pass the skeletons, Ren takes the time to inspect them. Most of the skulls look like animal heads, complete with horns like goats, or rhinoceroses. Their feet end in hooves as well, most of them quadrupedal instead of walking on two legs.

At least they don’t resemble humans.

It kind of makes Ren wonder where the human population perished, or where they’re still living. Surely, no one could have survived the crash when Heliola fell from the sky. That means that if anyone were to be alive now, it’s got to be tribes and other townspeople who were living outside Heliola during the fall.

“Is that… I’m seeing something over there,” Penny calls. Ren squints in the direction that she is pointing it. A foggy silhouette, looking almost like that of a mountain’s, soon comes into view. Could it be…?

“It’s a volcano,” Ren breathes.

“A volcano?” Gridel asks.

“Mountains that store up lava and all that stuff, and then they go kaboom.” Penny illustrates her point with wild gesticulation—arms thrown up into the air, fingers splayed to represent the eruption.

Vane narrows his eyes. “I… Judging from what you’re telling us, I think it’d be best if we stayed away from that menacing mountain.”

“I mean, I would recommend that under normal circumstances.” Ren holds up a finger. “But we don’t even know if it’s active, dormant, or extinct. If it’s dormant or extinct, we should be good.”

“Is there any way to tell?” Gridel asks.

Ren bites his lip. “Um… not that I know of.”

“Although, I do think that we should inspect it,” Vane says. “It is likely that the Horseman’s palace may be located at its summit, considering that it could use the mountain’s explosive power to deter potential intruders.”

“Okay, then,” Penny says. “Let’s go!”

*

The volcano is taller than Ren expected—it must reach about a couple of thousand miles above sea level. Its body is composed entirely of rugged rock, its orange colour even more vibrant than that of the bland desert.

“See anything?” Penny asks.

Ren shakes his head. “Nah.”

“It may not even be on this side of the volcano,” Vane points out. “It could be on the other side.”

“Well, it’s going to take forever to circle this thing,” Penny says. “Do you think we should stake it out and see whether the Horseman returns?”

“I’d rather take my chances with the circling,” Gridel says. “The Horseman may not return for a long while, and we’d just be sitting here, prone to whatever nature’s got in store for us.”

Ren has to agree with her. He wouldn’t want to be out here when a sandstorm hits, after all. They’d better get moving then—

The ground trembles under their feet. Ren glances about, gasping when the trembles evolve into a violent shake. The sand shifts, washing over their legs as fluidly as water. What is that? And where is it—

“What the heck is that!” Penny screams.

Ren turns towards the source of her shock, only to discover something rising out of the sand. The sand crumbles off the emerging body—a giant, ochre monstrosity with no eyes, no limbs attached to its hulking, slithering body.

“An Earthworm!” Vane draws Claymore, but Gridel is faster. She launches a few arrows at it, spirals of wind propelling them forward. The bolts stab into the Earthworm’s hide, and the creature roars.

With a wave of his staff, Ren sends a couple of fireballs hurtling at it. But the Earthworm didn’t even so much as flinch, as the fires fizzles away and disperses into nothingness. It growls and dives back into the ground, narrowly avoiding the bolt flying over its head.

The ground quakes again, dredging up mounds of sand whilst it swims under their feet. Ren watches the moving sand, the way it raises like dough in an oven. It’s easier to read this creature than others—they just have to follow its movements and be prepared when—

Or, actually…

“Vane, can you stab it through the ground?” Ren calls. Claymore’s element is earth, right? If anything, it should be able to affect the creature in the sand some way.

“I can certainly try,” Vane says. His eyes track the sand, watching the Earthworm as it circles around them. Once he’s sure of where to stab, he plunges his blade into the sand, right in the middle of the Earthworm’s body.

The Earthworm gives a shriek, and Vane yells as the worm rises from the ground, taking him with it. The sword is buried deep in its hide, its green blood dribbling out from the wound. The Earthworm thrusts its head to the sky, roaring again in pain.

“Kill it from the inside!” Ren shouts. “Use your earth powers or something!”

“I can’t!” Vane cries, and it’s the first time that Ren has ever heard him genuinely panicked. “Something’s… stopping it!”

Something’s stopping it?

“Penny!” Ren shouts.

“On it!” Penny sprints towards the Earthworm, Mira raised, and she stabs it into her flank. Water bursts from the wound, the high-pressure blades cutting the Earthworm from the inside, puncturing geysers spilling forth from its bulk.

The Earthworm cries out for the last time, slumping to the ground and whipping up a cloud of dust. Vane hits the sand, his fingers still clutched tight around the sword’s grip. Ren runs up to him.

“Are you okay?” he asks, a hand on Vane’s shoulder. Vane sits up, nursing his back as he stands.

“I’m… fine,” Vane answers. He’s staring at Claymore with a frown on his face. “But…”

“Vane! Oh my God, are you all right?” Penny calls, dashing towards him, with Gridel right behind her.

Vane assures her too that he’s okay, and that he’s mostly unhurt. He moves to pluck Claymore out of the Earthworm’s body, the monster’s gunk covering the entire length of the blade. He wears a confused expression, staring at his sword.

“You said the earth powers didn’t work?” Ren asks.

“It… didn’t, yes,” Vane affirms. “I’ve never encountered anything like this before.”

“Did something happen when Claymore was getting repaired?” Penny asks.

Ren shakes his head. “No, Ripwael said that Claymore’s spirit was still around. He wouldn’t have been able to fix it otherwise.”

“Then…” Gridel ponders, her arms folded across her chest. “Could Claymore’s spirit—”

A sudden roar has them uncertainly glancing around them.

“Don’t think their buddies are gonna like how we just decimated one their kind,” Penny says. “Let’s get into the caves and we’ll talk later, yeah?”

Ren nods. They leave the Earthworm’s body and runs towards the volcano, diving past the mouth of a cavern, and into the sweltering heat of the mountain.