Adjusting Vanguard, he searched for a better boat type for Broken Glass Lake and settled on a punt with a deeper well. It was the least likely to overturn, giving them stability if they needed to fight on the water.

A punt was a rectangular boat with a shallow well usually, which made them stable in calmer waters. This model had a deck on the front and back areas of the craft. They could serve as a perch for a scout.

When the boat hit the water, Song Xue jumped in and moved to the front. With no hesitation, she hopped up on the deck at the bow.

Crow hopped in after her but sat on the stern deck with his feet inside the well of the boat. Hands resting on either side, he activated his Aura Cube and used Spectral Vines to create the fins and paddles to move them forward. He also dropped a few thin vines several meters below the water to sense if anything was coming at them from underneath.

Their movements just showed how synchronized they were without needing to talk. Crow enjoyed having this practiced cooperation the best.

The punt didn’t move through the water as quickly as the canoe but barely rocked, so the ride was steadier. Standing in the boat was effortless for someone like Song Xue, and her bow was already drawn with an arrow nocked for quick attacks.

Entering the darkness, Crow’s eyes quickly adjusted, but he still struggled to see the shore. He already realized the events happening on this side weren’t natural. Unsure if he should proceed, Crow stopped the punt and idled in the water without getting closer to the shore.

“You able to see the shore?” Crow asked.

“No,” Faelan paused and then shared how her ability worked. “This technique is called Eyes of the Snow Wolf, and they see any mana from the cold mana spectrum, like the opposite of heat vision. But it is sort of an overlay on my visual spectrum. I see both visually and layers of cold simultaneously.”

“So the colors represented are also on the cold colors spectrum?”

“Correct.”

“What about heat? Or related manas?”

“No color, just varying degrees of brightness, or maybe calling it blindness is better. Like your heart, it is a white spot, a blank that appears merged with my visible spectrum.”

“So that unnatural darkness is blinding you? Is it because it’s blocking your normal vision? Or something deeper?”

“Yes. If that darkness wasn’t there, I’d see the other side with no problem. I can see the lake beneath us because that darkness doesn’t extend into the water. My Eyes and visible spectrum are linked. It doesn’t work if one or the other is blocked. How does yours work?”

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“Like a massively upgraded Mana Sense—omnidirectional. Because I comprehend the Truth about time and the Three-Headed Crow ability, I can see actions happen slightly before they do. The only issue is that in the dark like this, the night-vision aspect is in blacks, whites, and grays. It doesn’t impact my depth perception, but I won’t be able to make out any colors unless there is more light. Like you, I’m going blind because it appears to block all types of sight.”

“What do we do?” Faelan asked.

“Move forward. If we get overwhelmed, we rush back to the water. Ready?”

“Mmm,” Faelan nodded.

The punt shot toward the shore like a shark moving to strike. It was a quick and decisive movement, hoping to take anyone watching off guard long enough for them to beach and set up a defense.

Even before the front of the boat ground on the gravel, Faelan jumped off and disappeared into the shadows. Crow ran forward and did the same while shrinking the boat down mid-jump and grabbing a handle inside the well to hold it like a shield.

Before he could brace himself appropriately to receive an attack, something slammed into the boat, causing him to stumble back on his ass. Scrambling to his knees, he lodged the bottom of the punt against the ground and tilted the top back. Once set, he tried to climb to his feet.

Bam!

Vanguard took the blow without sliding back. Crow was bracing the top, so it pushed him back. His foot and knee slid on the gravel since he titled the punt just for that purpose. The impact was minor, and his actions allowed him to regain his feet and brace himself. Only now that he was secure did Crow realize it wasn’t Scath attacking him.

Bam!

Another rock slammed into his boat, but he didn’t budge this time.

“Hold your fire!” Crow shouted.

“Who are you?”

“Are you Stone Breakers?” Crow asked and waited.

No one answered, but no more boulders were launched at him.

“I’m a friend of the Stone Breakers.”

“Easy to say, harder to prove.”

“I can! I can prove it. I am affiliated with Scorched Mountain Clan.”

“Walk forward slowly. Hold out the proof as you move.”

Crow summoned the token Rockbrain gave him and unsummoned Vanguard. He didn’t know where the Stone Breakers hid, so he could only walk toward the voice. This damnable darkness!

“Where is the girl?”

“She’ll naturally appear if you’re friendly,” Crow stated, unwilling to expose her.

“Put the token away. My hearth welcomes Crow, son of Maddox.”

“Are… you Rockbrain’s father?”

“Heh, his real name is Barny,” the man said. The other Stone Breakers were laughing as if this kind of thing was common.

“That’s just cruel,” Crow laughed along with them.

“Are all of you part of the Scorched Mountain Clan?”

“We are, lad. You may relax. No harm will come to you and your lady friend. Besides, you’ve become more powerful since I last saw you. I’m sure we’ll have plenty to discuss.”

As they were laughing, Faelan appeared beside him.

“Ah, the assassin. Faelan, right?”

“Mmm.” Faelan nodded.

“Where’s the big one?” the speaker asked.

“Stowed away. Secrets and all that.”

“Say no more,” the man said, stepping out of the darkness. He pointed toward a large fire that Crow noticed when approaching them. “That metal cage contains a Firestone from our hearth. Unless there is conflict, our tradition is to sit before the hearth when friends meet. We’ll exchange food and words. Welcome to my hearth—in case you were wondering, your response, by tradition, is ‘may the only thing spilled upon your hearth be wine.’ It means your intention is not one of bloodshed.”

“May the only thing spilled upon your hearth be wine,” Crow said, following tradition. Song Xue replied the same way.