“We stumbled upon it in our camp. He’s together with my companions at the moment,” she said, making his eyes spark up. Before he spoke anything though, her voice stumbled through the trees once more.

  “However, before we give it back to you, what do you think of working with us? I think we’re moving in the same direction anyways, and it’s safer to go in a group. You certainly wouldn’t experience an encounter like this a second time.”

  “Working? Why would you need someone like me?” He asked, especially speaking out the second part. Yet, the girl’s smile blossomed even further.

  “We’re delivering something very special to Falia, and we need every little help we can find in case someone ambushes us, you will also play as an unexpected factor,” she said, making his eyebrows flutter momentarily, however, the man didn’t reject the offer immediately.

  “I’m indeed heading there as well. How long will it take you?” He inquired briskly, settling his sight deeply into her face. And, receiving the solemn glances, the girl kept her smile going.

  “Six days from this point on. We could get there in four, but we’re taking the safe route,” she replied, making him silent again. Although, he soon tossed out a nod.

  “I can agree to that, but I need to go back to my camp first. I left my scabbard during the fight,” he said, only to stay in the middle of her lacklustre responses, watching the grin sprawl away before she reached behind her with the left arm.

  Suddenly, he heard the wind whistle out, despite it being calm throughout the whole night. But, as he listened in on the sound, Lutiel swiftly turned towards the girl’s pearly white teeth. Soon enough, his assumptions came true, seeing the scabbard stop roughly in her left palm, having arrived all the way from his camp.

  “Here you go,” she said, quickly tossing the hard leather towards him.

  Grasping it with the free hand, the man sheathed his sword before putting it inside the loops of his baldric, all veiled beneath his dark cloak. Simultaneously finishing, he heard the girl approach him closer than before, stepping right before his figure and stretching out her right arm.

  Despite seeing its paleness, he focused on something else however. Watching the curved, white spike protrude towards the wrist, he couldn’t help but stagger a reply.

  Still, she was the first to speak out. “Haness. And you?” Asking with a light smile, the girl didn’t need to wait long before Lutiel tightly embraced her hand. Shaking them, he quickly parted his lips.

  “Kanthier. Shall we go to your group now?” Introducing himself, he quickly nudged Haness, making her nod calmly before retracting the arm.

  “Yeah, it’s not that far off from here. Some of the guys are still on night watch while most are sleeping,” She said, gesturing from him to follow her back in the middle of the night. However, with the moon brushing past, he could easily describe her green features.

  “Though, we will depart soon. It’s not good to stay in the same place for long, even if there are little bandits here. We can’t risk our mission,” she kept mumbling on while Lutiel listened keenly, unable to stop himself from asking away.

  “What is it that you’re delivering?” Letting the question fall out, he was instantly met with a sprawling silence, only their steps heard through the snow. Still, turning around whilst keeping apace, Haness grinned in his eyes.

  “That’s a secret. I’m warning you, if you try to see what’s inside the carriage, your head is going off your neck. That rule applies to anyone on our team, understood?”

  “Yes…” he spoke lightly, yet with a stern face, making her chuckle soundly before turning around again.

  “Good,” Haness muttered out in between the laughter, steadily going on their way through the trees, finally making his eyes sparkle out a gleam from beyond. Staring at the orange flames fluttering harshly, the images slowly unveiled themselves more and more, eventually watching the three tents scattered around the campfire.

  Beyond them, Lutiel saw a large, horse-carried vehicle, somewhat similar to the ones he saw with city merchants. Devised solely for transport of the goods, it left little space for people. Rather, they used one of the eight horses connected to it.

  At the same time as they had entered the camp depleted of any snow whatsoever, movements rattled after one of the two near the fire vehemently stood up from the log he was sitting on.

  Despite his brawny frame, the man carried himself similarly to the girl. A simple, large cloak of a single, gray shade lingered down on him, waving steadily from his heavy approach. Glaring down at the two with his plain, black scleras and seemingly no eyes, his blue face rang out to the guest Haness had invited over.

  “Who is this?” The deep voice of his asked promptly, settling his sight on the girl before burrowing even deeper into Lutiel.

  “The owner of the horse. I got him to help us with our mission,” she said proudly, however, the man simply clenched his jaw tighter before opening the lips, releasing a displeased snort.

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  “What? He’s a cripple, how is he meant to help us?” He asked, repeatedly gazing through Lutiel. Albeit, seeing no clues around the purple eyes, he simply turned back to the lady.

  “He fought and won against a bear that was even bigger than you. Without a single scratch at that. Besides, he’s going to the same destination as us,” she swiftly explained, only for the man to snort once again.

  “We don’t know anything about him. For all we’re aware of, he could be a spy for some bandits targeting us,” he said, grinding through his teeth lightly. “You’re only bringing trouble, as alwa-” he suddenly stopped spouting, the lips shut as though invisible fingers pinched them.

  Fidgeting before bringing his large hand to the mouth, he couldn’t do anything, however. Simply putting on a pair of irritated eyes, he turned around.

  Leaning a little to the side, Haness saw the same sight, smiling even more after seeing the second man stand up from the campfire. “Stop bickering already. It’s my decision if he stays in the end,” the man said, his purple face glimmering out beneath the fire’s light.

  With eyes and short hair that blended with the murky clouds, he wore more of the same as his team, a plain, dark cloak. Albeit, unlike the two, who carried themselves without anything, his right hand grasped upon a long, wooden staff, its material spiraling all around before nestling a dim, violet gem at the top.

  Pointing it down at the ground, the man with a small horn above his right ear parted his lips after moving close to the duo.

  “Where do you come from?” He asked, locking gazes with the newcomer. The other two of his group tightly shutting their lips, they listened intently whilst turning straight at his white hair.

  “I don’t know,” he uttered, however, making the man in front of him flinch his eyebrows slightly. Keeping his head down in the same way as before, he continued.

  “How come? You don’t know how you came here?” Or when?” Once more, he asked, only to furrow at the same result.

  “No,” Lutiel replied tersely, at the same time shaking his head. Though, as the man was about to sigh away, he added on. “I lost my memory more than two months ago. I only remember bits and pieces of my past life.”

  Immediately, a reaction sprung around the purple man’s face. Squinting his eyes to watch through him deeper, he stayed silent for a moment before letting go a few breaths after. “You don’t seem to be lying. Have you been affiliated with any group since then?”

  “Yes. I can’t tell you which one, but I can assure all of you it’s got nothing to do with you,” he said swiftly, leaving them to ponder in deafening silence. The other two lingering around their faces for a while, eventually, the one that came last fell upon Haness with his eyes, nodding lightly and making her smile.

  Meanwhile, the blue-skinned man sighed out, tossing his gaze to the side. But, he didn’t leave yet.

  “My name’s Pofrei, welcome to the group, even if temporarily,” the man with purple skin said aloud, bringing out his right hand forward before awaiting Lutiel.

  “Kanthier,” he said, grasping it quickly and shaking hands with the man.

  Promptly turning his head to the right, he followed Pofrei. Although reluctantly, the blue demon also brought his hand out, shaking the head before speaking out.

  “Cagmin, but don’t think we will be friendly. This is only a formality from my side,” he said, only to immediately turn back towards the fire as they shook hands.

  “Don’t worry, he’s just like that, always,” Haness whispered from the side, making Lutiel nod lightly.

  “I’m guessing you two already exchanged names, right?” Pofreir asked out of nowhere, crossing his arms at the same time.

  “We did,” spoke Lutiel, only to see the leader nod his head and slowly turn back. Watching him move away however, the man stopped for a moment, looking at him from the side.

  “That’s good. Even though you’re a cripple, if anyone tries to belittle you, come to me,” he said, eventually fully turning around before going towards where Cagmin sat down already. At the same time, Haness looked at him for a moment before also moving towards the tents, smiling away constantly while he was left to think by himself.

  Staring down at himself and his hands for a moment, lingering deeply in his mind whilst recalling the brisk sensations. ‘I was clearly telling lies, so why has he believed me?’ He wondered, rotating the hands back and forth only to stop suddenly.

  “What are you still doing there?” With a strange mien and creased brows, Haness called him out, promptly showing him to come closer. “Do you want to see your horse or not?” She asked, promptly making him flinch before staggering forward.

  Beneath the moon and giggles, Lutiel finally moved forward. ‘Everything’s going to be fine, at least if bandits don’t appear.’ He mused one last time, shutting himself off before glancing at the face of Runi, who was being pulled by the girl.

  …

  “Hyaa! Hyaa! Come on! Move it, boy!” A voice struggled its way out beneath the neighs, the man slapping his reins harsher than before whilst gritting his teeth. However, with the slaps, the horse only whined harder, further growing disobedient.

  “This! Fucking! He doesn’t listen, never!” The man with a revealed hood spoke up, clouds bursting from his mouth as he spat out. The auburn hair swaying lightly, unlike the erect horn atop his head, he shook his head before sighing in defeat.

  Falling with his eyes on the ground, he kept glancing at the space. Not wanting to move back in the slightest, he was still forced to do so, raising his head ahead of himself to stare at the impeded companions of his.

  “Sorry, my bad,” parting the lips anew, he muttered out, seeing the girl with blue hair come towards him along with a new horse. Deeply black this time, the long fur of the beast fluttered in the light wafts, his eyes unimpressed whilst seeing his rider being changed.

  “Just take mine, we can’t be wasting time like this,” the girl spat out, glancing intermittently to the side before turning back at the auburn-haired demon.

  “Thank you,” the man spoke back, swiftly jumping up on the saddle. Hearing no response from the front however, he could only mingle his brows together. Once again, their group started moving forward.

  Six horses pulled onto the carriage, while Pofrei was solely galloping at the very front. Meanwhile, unattached to the wood, two people rode on the back, driving through the forest shadowing over them.