Eleantra stood in the woods, leaning against a tree, her piercing blue eyes fixed on Valenius while a smirk played on her lips.

Valenius returned a fierce gaze, considering his next words.

His attention shifted as he noticed that the soup had rendered Salintus unconscious, causing his breathing to become heavy and rapid.

In desperation, he spat onto the repulsive, mossy ground, pondering inducing vomiting by thrusting his fingers down his throat.

Suddenly, Eleantra’s cackling interrupted his thoughts, prompting him to raise an eyebrow and turn his gaze back to her.

“I didn’t poison the soup,” Eleantra declared. “I merely enchanted Salintus temporarily. He will awaken as soon as I’m gone.”

“Why are you here, then? What do you want?” Valenius shouted back, wary.

“I’m here to observe how this new world is treating you. I wonder if you’d be willing to share information,” Eleantra replied calmly.

“I’m not telling you anything. Why should I trust you? Why should I tell you anything? I don’t know who you are,” Valenius retorted.

“Do you not recall the wolf? When you first left the cave. That was me,” Eleantra explained.

“You tried to eat me,” Valenius interpreted, still sceptical.

Eleantra retorted, “No, that wasn’t my intention. Do you now recall the Roar? That distant roar? I tried getting you away from the monster trying to hunt you.”

Valenius interrupted, “So, your resolution is throwing me off the cliff.”

Eleantra scoffed and rolled her eyes, “That wasn’t my intention. You can thank your friend for that. He’s the reason I got shot with that fireball and why you fell from my mouth.”

Valenius interjected, “Then why do you want me alive? Why did you want to save me?”

Eleantra replied, “I have my reasons.”

Valenius shouted, “Well, I don’t trust you. Why should I? Just leave; I am not telling you anything.”

Eleantra scoffed, “Fine, before I go, can I give you one piece of advice? Do you trust Salintus more? How much do you know about him? Do you really know his true intentions?”

Valenius stood, gazing sternly at Eleantra.

Eleantra crossed her arms, smirking as she continued, “Not everyone is what they seem. You don’t know anyone’s true intentions until you get to know them. Anyone could be a foe or a friend. So heed my warning. Maybe Salintus is not who you think he is. Just keep an eye out.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

She clicked her fingers and whispered, “Until we see each other again.”

Smoke enveloped her, and the wolf emerged, baring its teeth at Valenius, causing his body to shake.

The giant wolf let out a large howl before disappearing into the forest.

Valenius let out a big breath, his body relaxing, his gaze fixed on Eleantra’s location.

He shook his head, then slowly returned to the camp where Salintus had awakened from his induced slumber.

Salintus gazed at Valenius, his eyes narrowed.

Salintus asked, “Why did you emerge from the forest?”

Valenius stood still, paused, and then spoke. “I just needed to go to the bathroom.”

Salintus grunted and returned his gaze to the fire flames, speaking deeply, “Come, sit. I need to tell you something.”

Without hesitation, Valenius did just that and sat beside the fire flames as instructed, staring at Salintus with a tight chest.

Salintus spoke, “Remember when I told you we fled our home when attacked? The one who attacked was Xansitus, his right-hand man called Olenius. No one has ever seen Xansitus’ face because a metal silver mask with horns always covers it, and he wears mental gauntlets to cover his flesh. Rumours say he wears a mask to cover his burned skin as he was burnt alive in his previous life and reborn for revenge. His right-hand man also wears a plain mask, half white and half blue.”

Salintus chuckled, “At least with Olenius, I know he hides his burned face. I was the one who caused it when we last saw each other before that fateful day when my home was attacked. Many of our best warriors died as Xansitus brought the most deadly creatures this world has to offer.”

Salintus stared sternly at Valenius, “I hope you never encounter them. The reason I am telling you this is because I don’t trust you or the person you were talking to in the forest. I will not allow myself or my people to be near anyone who will harm us. So, you must leave here. However, since you are not from this world and it is dark outside, I will allow you to stay the night and sleep in my tent. But you must be gone by morning, or I will ensure you are gone.”

With that, Valenius took a big gulp and ran to the tent. Before entering the camp, he stopped and asked Salintus, “Are you sleeping in the tent too?”

Salintus stood up with his back to Valenius, and whispered as he scanned the forest, “No, I think I will stay here just in case.”

Valenius entered the tent and saw that it was bare with only one patch of leaves.

Lowering himself to the ground, Valenius wrapped his arms around his knees, staring into the ground with his thoughts racing.

Questions plagued him: What do these people want? Why is Eleantra following him? What does she want?

Once his mind calmed down, he looked around the tent and realised it had been a long time since he sat alone with his thoughts in a room of any kind, completely alone.

The last time was in the weird cave with the letter from Val.

So much had happened since then—so much danger, unknowns, and questions.

He didn’t know if he would survive much longer with everything happening. Would he ever see his family again?

Guilt washed over him as he realized he had thought little about his mother or father because of the chaos.

Holding his knees tighter, he buried his head into his arm, wishing he could go home and see his parents one last time.

With that last thought, he heard a click and a humming noise and felt that he was being dragged.

***

Eleantra, in wolf form, burst through the metal door and entered a room covered in stone bricks.

As she walked, she transformed into her human form.

Her wavy violet hair turned black, and her wine dress changed into darkness as she passed a few niches, walking towards a man who had his back to her, staring into the fire flames.

As she neared, he turned to face her, his face hidden behind the half-white and half-blue mask. He spoke, “So, what can you tell me?”