Aaron watched lord Falkner and lady Nyssa sparring with sticks. Omari was parched on a stump watching.

Jezebel the half demon and Safiya were gliding off the hills near them. It's been a week since leaving the temple and no one has spoken about trying to kill each other so I guess everyone is just going to ignore it. looking at his pack on the mule grazing for spring is almost in full bloom. Everyone took off their armor when they reached the base of the mountain. Falkner and Nyssa stopped sparing, drenched in sweat. They were walking towards Aaron a little stiffly drinking from their water skins. William turned up with Hector walking towards him.

“What's the news?” Aaron asked

“there are some ruins of a city up over the hill,” Hector said, pointing towards the next hill.

“Is it what remains of the nearest town?” Nyssa asked “no I don't think so” William said Jezebel and Safiya landing near them she dominated the group due to her height

“we need to get resupplied as soon as possible” Falkner noted

“Thank you captain obvious” Nyssa said Falkner glared at her. with that they were on the move again it would be nice to get a pot or pan so we could cook our food we lost a lot during are trip to Iroswell it was strange having only William than Omari now five other people witch I barely know but his thoughts always return to the disappoint at the temple reaching into his pouch to feel the diamond Aeris’s power within his hand but out of his grasp pulling it out it glowed brighter than a normal diamond could it was beautiful. but now Falkner will be the first god of the new pantheon it’s not fair as son of king of the gods I should be the first it’s my birthright

“How are you holding up?” William asked walking beside him

“well enough” William just nodded

“I can’t help but notice that you don’t want to follow Falkner with all the angry glares you shot at him when he’s not looking but remember he tried to save us when no one else was there” that’s true

the countryside felt like it wasn't moving at all and they have to walk farther than they rode already Jezebel walked near him to his right she was looking at him with those blood red eyes of her and talking quietly with Safiya she gave Aaron a toothy grin full of razor sharp teeth and her mouth was almost twice as big as his looking ahead as to not get caught staring at her they walked for about two hours the sun was over them so about an hour past noon.

“Stop me and Aaron need to spare” William said everyone stopped and took a break in their groups Aaron got two sticks

“Good idea,” Omari said before flying off to hunt. As William and Aaron started to spare as everyone one else just watched with blank expressions back and forth they went until William had to stop and Aaron won most of the sparings.

They left without a word. Over a small hill and saw the burnt ruins of a small city. There could have been thousands of people there or even ten thousand but now there was only a wall full of holes, a handful of houses with one wall sanding and not much else standing but ash covered foundations

“What happened here?” Jezebel asked when no one had an answer William spoke up

“this was no war, this was Ignis doing he sent fire from the heavens to consume the city Westvik”

“Why would he do this?” Aaron asked how could a god do something so evil. Everyone crowded around William ignoring Falkner's fire eyes and focused on William who stared at the broken gate.

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“The people here were the worst of the worst they made child sacrifices they made excuses for criminals thieves murderers roam free because they could afford it and other evils that should not be named”

“so my father burned them” William broke his trance on the city “no he sent two of his priests the warm them of the situation and when a mob killed them both then he sent fire from the heavens destroying the city I knew Westvik was around here but I had no idea the ruins were so close to our kingdom”

“We should get going if we want to sleep in a bed tonight” Hector said as they walked on leaving the ruins behind with an eerie feeling. William walked right behind Aaron with Nyssa and Falkner in the lead and Hector, Safiya and Jezebel in the rear. Every group kept to themselves talking about the ruins they passed. How could a city of people get so evil that a god had to burn an entire city? William began to breath heavily he is getting old I have no idea how old his gray hair and beard was dirty so the silver looked more dark gray he raised his eyebrow at me looking ahead I hope he can make this journey Hector looked younger so he properly will make it they stopped for a joyless lunch of jerky, hard bread and cheese each group with their pack animal Aaron and William had a mule Jezebel Safiya, and Hector had a moa with light brown feathers and Falkner and Nyssa had a much smaller moa barley shorter than Jezebel

“how are we going to enter a town with such a group” Falkner muttered to Nyssa looking around at Falkner’s red hair and Nyssa’s white hair and of course the half avian and half demon we do stand out Aaron admitted to himself but why does he look disappointed

“So Aaron right?” Jezebel asked, startled out of his thoughts

“yes…yes it is” Aaron replied she sat on the ground next to him

“what do you think after we resupply?” “I think we have a long walk ahead of us,” Jezebel nodded awkwardly. with that she got up and talked with Safiya

“how are you doing?”

“Well enough” Safiya muttered after lunch they walked in single file with Aaron in the middle and Falkner in front Nyssa pulling their moa until nightfall came they camped uphill near the town the palisade wall under a mile away but it was too dark and everyone was too tired especially William continue. Three small circles made camp blankets unrolled. Falkner dropped an armful of firewood then with his eyes glowing with fire palm out shoot fire and soon had a fire going Aaron went through his supply pack and pulled five pieces of jerky and stuck them on a nearby stick and put them over the fire hoping it will taste better Nyssa looked at him weirdly. Omari landed near the fire

“Where have you been?” Aaron asked

“hunting and making sure you were heading in the right direction” pulling the jerky out of the fire and taking a bite it didn’t taste much better but it was a little softer

“there is something I must tell you I’m cursed” Hector announced suddenly shocked at the news Aaron dropped his stick before picking up again.

“What do you mean?” Nyssa asked William looked interested more than shocked then Hector explained who he was and how he got cursed and what it does he can turn into a fourteen feet tall beast and how he was a king Falkner eyes lit up in shocked

“wait tell me again about the man in black” William asked

“It's been so long but a man in black-”

“did he look like he was in his early twenties?” William asked

“Yes, why?” William got up from the ground and started to pace. Why would the age of the man be important? Hector is cursed to turn into a ravenous beast! And a former king! Falkner cursed and Nyssa looked at a loss for words for once

“if you want me to leave I don’t blame you I lived alone in the wilderness for almost a decade” everyone looked to Falkner for an answer witch irritated Aaron

“no we need you we can deal with it when we cross that bridge” Falkner said Nyssa looked at him confused

“I’ve never heard of such a thing” Omari said the moon owl walking towards him more hopping then walking William’s face paled getting closer to him

“what is it?” Aaron whispered, William looked at him with terror in his eyes for the first time

“pray I’m wrong” and would not say more no matter how much he asked, and with that they went to bed no one got much sleep that night.