Thankfully, given the abandoned nature of the town, there weren’t a lot of things to clean. The town was mostly untouched due to the Aether contamination, which had dissipated long before they arrived in the town. They did have some ruined buildings to consider, along with battle damage from their fight against the dragon. They mostly needed to clean up the dragon’s nest, which took a while as they needed to move everything out of the tunnel before they could burn them.

On the first day, they found that there weren’t a lot of things that could be used, so they had to be content with their own camping equipment. Fortunately, they found an abandoned inn that was mostly intact, though like the rest of the town, it needed some refurbishment before it could properly open. Until then, they must content with using tents inside the exposed rooms. Raine already had an idea on what to do with the inn, and even talked about it during dinner.

“We need to hire a town planner and an architect, preferably one that wishes to keep the original look of the town,” said Raine. “Can’t have them tear everything down and rebuild everything from scratch, right? What’s the point of having an intact town, then?”

“We might also need to buy some seed and start cultivating a patch of land,” said Aranis. “When everything’s set, we can start asking people to move in.”

“Let’s hope we do not draw some unwanted attention, now that the town’s reap for the taking,” said Sakiri.

“Then let’s maintain the town’s infamy until we are settled enough,” said Karkas. “I’ll work with Narati in setting up defenses just in case…although….”

“Something on your mind, big guy?” said Raine.

“We might have our work cut out for us. That is…if they’re willing to make such a long journey.”

“What do you…oh, I see. You’re talking about Silsene, aren’t you?” said Raine. “I bet they’ll take the chance of a better place in the Valley than the dangerous Seaside Region. With this place secured, that’s no longer a chance. They’ll love it here.”

“We can set out after taking some rest,” said Karkas. “But the defenses….”

“I’ll take care of it,” said Narati. “I just need some more scraps. Good thing we have a lot of them underground.”

“Well….”

“What? You’re worried I might turn it into a death trap? Come on, Kar. I left most of my scraps in that town full of living corpses.”

“You mean you will make a death trap if that isn’t the case?”

A playful squeak confirmed Karkas’s concern, though Narati soon said, “Just kidding, buyan! Can’t you take a joke?”

“The last time I took a joke from a rat, he left me for dead.”

“I don’t give out hollow promises. Come on, Kar. Even if I want to, I got two proficient mages with me. Am I right, ladies?”

Both Sakiri and Aranis could only chuckle in response. Narati had certainly become more and more confident ever since regaining his voice and after feeling better with himself by moving on from his feeling of guilt. Hanging out with Raine could also be influential in the development of his personality.

Karkas felt that Narati was trustworthy enough to be left for several days, possibly even more than a week, while they sorted things out with Sil and the group, provided they were still there. The last time the Croc met the Lizan doctor was a month ago, when they went back to recuperate. Even then, the town had already moved due to concerns about the Fa’ar-dominated Pescita and mutated creatures along the coast. He just hoped that they were settling in, though the Croc also hoped that they were not settled for too long as they would certainly want to move again, this time to a much better place.

Karkas found that he learned more about the Fa’ar ever since they had a chance to talk more with each other. He also gained some respect for him as Narati did not hesitate to come help despite of being made aware of the fact that anything related to Aether could incapacitate him, or worse. It was so ironic in a sense that a traumatized, abused former slave who lost his voice turned out to be the bravest Fa’ar the Croc had ever met.

If only the rest of his kind acted that way.

The route back to the desert that the two chose was hardly the easiest, yet it was also the fastest. While it took them around one and a half day walking from where they were to the town, it only took them half that walking back to the desert. However, there were no paved roads, and along the way, there were no friendly towns. Most of them were bandit camps. If they were not, the towns were unfriendly towards outsiders, especially to someone as foreign as a Croc.

Raine, however, didn’t care. He told Karkas to just keep walking and only fight back when necessary. It happened once when a bar patron became agitated by Raine. He somehow realized that Raine was a knight based on the way he looked. Even Raine wondered if he was a psychic to know who he was, before clarifying that he was a former knight.

The patron did not care, and a brawl ensued. Raine showed what he was capable of by defeating everyone without even a scratch on himself or his clothes. He even taunted the raiders, imploring them to fight more seriously, until he proved that he could just easily kill them when the raider boss, who was the most level-headed person in the town, talked to him, offering him a place with him for a sum of money.

Raine, who had also learned how to get out of trouble by simply talking, said, “Keep your money, bud. I’m just a simple traveler getting through your territory. Of course, if I offend you in the slightest, I’ll ask for forgiveness. That is…if you are going to leave me alone afterwards.”

“You are in no position to bargain,” said the bandit leader.

“And I bet you have a price on your head, so in addition to your money, I got your bounty, too. I won either way. How about if we make a bet? Will you be able to convince me to join your gang, or will I get something from you instead? I’ll be a rich man either way.”

Raine’s confident smile insulted the leader enough, but he was the most level-headed of his gang, who could only spew out hollow taunts. Instead, he said, “Get out of my sight, asshole.”

“Of course. Glad we got an agreement,” said Raine. “Then again…I don’t keep promises. Bye. For now.”

The slightly aggressive tone of Raine’s delivery was enough to unnerve some of the bandits as the two walked out of the town. When they were already a considerable distance from the town, Karkas said, “You enjoyed that a bit too much. You sure you can deal with everyone in that town?”

“There is only a dozen of them who are raiders. The boss and a couple of his lackeys were humans, and the rest were Fa’ars. If the boss is ready to hire me on the get-go, then that means he’s desperate. I disturbed their hold of the region."

“How long until they realized we’re here to stay?”

“If they’re smart, they’ll take my bluff and leave. If not...well, I always have my connections as a former Knight. I still got my privileges."

“Bluff? You mean, you can’t take them on?”

“Of course, I can. They’re just not worth it, that’s all. Besides, I don’t even know if he even has a bounty on his head. I don’t work for free and I certainly am not hunting right now. Let the Knights handle it."

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“Then why did you threaten them?”

Raine chuckled. “Let them know the taste of their own medicine. Better make them give up than killing them outright. You prevent bloodshed, and you make this place a better place to live. I am not turning my homeland into another Wasteland."

Karkas growled in amusement. “Guess being an optimist doesn’t make you a hero, huh?”

“I never said I’m a hero, bud. I just do what I think is right.”

Karkas could not argue against that. To him, Raine was doing the right thing while also showing that he could switch to a violent resolution if needed. His travel through the desert had clearly given him some perspective on how to deal with situations other than outright violence.

As they traveled, and as the day went by, the Croc took the chance to start a conversation with Raine, who was happy to talk with Karkas instead of dealing with bandits or making detours. They had enough money to last them throughout the journey and going through the wasteland using the shortest, most obvious path possible (the paved road) would give them at least three days’ worth of journey. This was helped by the fact that Sil had moved inland and plotting their route using a map they bought from a haven they went by.

“So, Raine,” started Karkas as the journey continued. “Do you ever miss your home? You always said that Cavilen is too peaceful for you, but sooner or later, you’d wish that’s the case.”

“Sometimes I do, Kar,” said Raine. “I’ve seen some shit out here. I wish it can be as pastoral and as peaceful as Cavilen. But if I go home…I might not want to go out. I might consider settling down, get married, have kids…all those things. I don’t want that, not until I have enough.”

“A lot of people wish that’s the case.”

“Oh, I’m sure it is. To me, though, that’s too obvious, and boring. If I have kids, I’d want to tell them stories of my adventures, while I reminisce. Besides, I’m still young. I don’t want to spend the rest of my day as a farmer. I had my fill as a Knight. Now I go my own way without being bogged down by rules. If you're a Knight, you need to be an example, so you're as stiff as a wood. Out here, you can go wild. Within limits, of course. You go too wild, and you'll end up like Nihilo."

“I see.”

“How about you? Ever want to go home?”

“Unlikely. At this point, that town we found is my home. I don’t have a family waiting for me. I’m still at odds with the temple. And Sobek’s laws.”

“About you being tribeless?”

“A tribeless Croc would eventually be accepted into a tribe. If not…they’ll spend their whole life as a temple priest. If that’s not what you want…then stay out of the tribes for your own sake, because a tribeless Croc usually means trouble, and the law consider a tribeless Croc second-class citizen. You are given limited privileges, and it is harder for you to find a job or even a home. You have no choice but to be a priest and renounce everything.”

“Ouch. Never thought Crocodilian culture is that harsh.”

“Not really. It’s only harsh if you have no options. Or you're a stubborn bastard."

“So, why don’t you take the easy way instead?”

Karkas growled, which sounded like a deep chuckle. “I don’t want to be a priest, and I’m far too wild for anyone to accept me. So, yes. My answer is, I’m too stubborn. Sadly, my predicament proves the priests right. There was nothing for me out here but darkness. I even fell into that same darkness when I vowed to find Asran and deliver his comeuppance. Along the way, I…ruined so many lives. I only realized this when I saw Narati and learned about his story. If I really believe he was Asran and thought his muteness was because of defiance, I might fall further into the darkness.”

“Maybe you gotta realize that’s the case when you threatened to eat him.”

“What? How do you know?”

“Nara told me. He’s willing to tell me since he believed I’m a reasonable person. If it’s Jacques, well…I’m sure you wouldn’t be here talking with me.”

Karkas sighed. “In the end, it’s always about the wolf, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. I suppose it’s our fault for not realizing it sooner. But if it wasn’t for him, Narati might not be with us, and you’d still be out there hunting for Asran and ruining more Fa’ar lives. I’ll be none the wiser, as I would not take Narati if I did not know his plight.”

“So, you’re telling me that he made our lives better?”

“Maybe fate wants it that way.”

Karkas scoffed. “For what reason? It’s pure coincidence.”

“Well, at this point, I’m not sure. It’s a mystery even more mysterious than the art of magic. Divinity and the spirits are…well, not my thing.”

“You and me both.”

They both traveled a bit further until they managed to find landmarks, they were familiar with. When they came across the overgrown ruins of a city, they wondered if it was the right one. It did not take long for them to confirm that it was when they saw a statue of a guardian angel on top of what used to be a marble fountain. The angel, as most pre-war structure, appeared elven, evident from her angular face and long, pointed ears. Raine knew it was an angel based on the base of the wings which, after years of exposure and presumably conflict, broke off into pieces. Most of the statues had also eroded, so it would be impossible to assess and even appreciate the work of art from a pre-war civilization.

There were no duplicates of the landmark, which mean that they were roughly half a day away from Sil’s settlement, provided they had not move again. The two decided to take a short rest by the statue. The sun was still up and would not set any time soon. They can reach Sil before nightfall.

As they had nothing to talk about on their way to the resting spot, and since Raine felt that he knew Karkas well enough, he started wondering about more than talking about cultures and the past. Something more mundane, and light-hearted.

“So, Kar,” said Raine. “Since you’re not sworn into celibacy…ever been in love before?”

“Huh? Why’d you ask?” asked Karkas.

“Because I don’t like talking about the past all the time. Sure, it’s important, but that’s not all life is.”

Karkas sighed. “And sorry to disappoint you, I haven’t had the time. I was focused on hunting Asran, and my training as a priest is not that easily broken. Three years are not that long of a time, you know.”

“Oh, believe me. That’s long enough of a time to be consumed by vengeance. We both know someone who has been thoroughly consumed and he turned out to be a brooding, cold person.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

“So, set aside your mission for a bit and have some fun every now and then. You got a girl in mind?”

Karkas shook his head.

“A guy, perhaps?” surmised Raine.

Karkas chuckled. “Seriously?”

“I gotta ask,” replied Raine with a shrug.

“If you’re offering, friend, you’re out of luck. I’m into scales. Mammals are too squishy. I bet they’d hate having me all over them.”

“Speaking of scales, how about Silsene?”

“Sil is…well, she’s a friend.”

“Maybe it can be something more. Or perhaps, a fellow Croc?”

“Even if I want to, I doubt she wants it.”

“All you do is ask. How about a date when we sort this out? Do Crocs date?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course, we do. Just so you know, I was a priest. I don’t have the luxury of a romantic liaison with anyone. Even if I was not sworn into celibacy, I was training for that eventuality.”

“A simple ‘no’ would suffice.”

“I have an urge to explain.” Karkas sighed. “Yeah, why not? It’s not like I’m bound to my tribe. But let’s keep that to ourselves until we get back, alright?”

“Yeah, alright.”

“How about you? It is fair for me to ask, right?”

“I had three,” reminisced Raine. “All fine women on their own rights. But…they couldn’t keep up.”

“Why?”

“The first wanted me to leave the knights. The second’s parents don’t like me. The third…well, I’d marry her if I did not decide to go on an adventure. That’s on me, really.”

“Did you ever regret it?”

“I did, yeah. But it’s in the past now. It’s too late to ask for her hand in marriage, so here I am, stuck with you guys.”

“Good thing we’re good company, huh?”

“Won’t trade that for anything else.” Raine smiled and said, “Maybe one day, when I’ve wizened up a bit and have seen what the world has to offer.”

“For you, I doubt that’s anytime soon,” said Karkas with his signature growl-like chuckle.

“You bet, buddy.” Raine then stood up from where he sat. “You ready?”

“Yeah. Let’s go…buddy.”

Raine laughed. “Now, that’s new! Finally learn how to speak like a Valley man, bud?”

“Just this once, alright?”

“Right….”

Karkas stood and let out his usual growl before wrapping Raine around his bigger arms. The human simply laughed as they both continued their journey, which was coming to an end soon.

The Croc never thought he would find a friend in Raine, which was an indication that the happy-go-lucky optimist did get through to him in the end. It had never been something that he wanted ever since he was betrayed, though looking back, it had always been his personality. He was rather cautious around people and would never completely trust them, even before he met Asran.

He could blame it on the way the adults saw him outside the temple: a tribeless outcast who got into more trouble than he should have. At the same time, he couldn’t, because that scrutiny was the reason why he practiced magic, to prove them that being tribeless did not mean stupid or cursed to be a failure. Ironically, the more he tried to prove himself, the more he became further from Sobek's teachings, culminating in the betrayal that truly changed him into something he hated.

In the end, his experience up to that point served as a lesson, and his chance for redemption. He met people who would not judge him and even forgave him for his transgressions. There was still hope for him, and a chance to find peace for himself.

It would be a long way before that could happen. A Croc always remembered. Until he could end his vendetta, he would not never be at peace.