After waking up and the others learning about Isaac being alive and the coma, they set off again.

"I'm really glad your alive," Cain divulged.

"I'm pleased that everything went fine while I was gone," Isaac answered. "And I'm pleased that I have a chance to see everyone else again."

"What do you mean? This isn't just a chance." He gave him his full attention now. "Are you thinking you'll be hurt again?"

"If the theory of luck is true, then the odds are something is going to happen sooner or later to one of us. Although I got pretty badly damaged, while I was out, nothing dangerous occurred, so...you get the idea."

"Let's just hope none of us dies."

"Let's hope against hope no one gets hurt, even."

They made a long journey, and the group chatted in bliss. Even Eve. Although she wasn't the greatest, she wasn't the worst. Judas probably is. When he talks, it's just to hand us information and not to just talk.

He decided to make a mental analysis of each person as he walked. He'd already examined Judas and Eve, so he went on.

Cain's probably our defender here. Not only does he have defensive equipment, being his boot and his bomb bag, he's also a very cheerful person and he brings us up when our mental state gets low.

Maggy, besides us being in love and all, is a healer. Her heart is an obvious example, but the angel, besides being extremely cute, hasn't seemed to do anything unique yet.

Samson is our tank. The more pain he gets, the more pain he deals. Even if he's completely healthy, he still has gigantic power. He's also funny, but not because he makes jokes—that's Cain's job—he just comes off as entertaining.

I'm the leader, of course. I'm smart and serious, but easily distracted. If I get panicked, I need someone else to snap me out of it. Otherwise, I would say I'm a fairly good member.

I haven't really examined how Eve and Judas are a help to the team. Well, Eve is a good replacement. She can take any role very well and she concentrates on it like a starving bird does with its prey.

Judas is good outside of battle. He has no intelligence when it comes to fighting, but he has a big mind and the occasional visions, which are sometimes helpful.

"Isaac?" A voice interrupted his thoughts just as he finished.

"Yes?" It was Eve.

"Do you hear that crackling noise?"

He made a signal for everyone to stop, then listened to the air. It was a fire sound, not a stormy sound. A small light blazed in a dead end attached to the side of the hallway, and they twisted to see what was in it. There was a bonfire and a den that dug down diagonally. The tune of chewing food was heard from inside.

"What do you think? Is it a human or an animal?" Isaac called to Judas.

"Unquestionably a human," he responded, so they all walked in.

"Hello? Is someone here?" Cain called as they all strolled to the hideaway.

"Don't hurt me," it pleaded. It was younger than anyone from the team was.

"We won't hurt you, don't worry. We're just travelers, like you," Isaac assured.

It cautiously crawled out to see them. It had a light brown layer of hair on his head and a birthmark on his cheek. It was covered in bloodied bandages and held pieces to something none of them knew. "I'm...I'm Lazarus," he stuttered timidly.

At first glance, he seems like Eve when we first met her, he thought. But Eve wasn't scared, she was just shy, so there's a little bit of a difference. He's also the youngest one here, probably 16 or 17.

"It's nice to meet you," Isaac greeted, reaching his hand out. Lazarus backed away, but hesitantly held and shook it unwillingly.

The crowd all told them their names. Lazarus seemed overwhelmed by the amount of people. Let's hope he doesn't have a fear of crowds.

Isaac explained all their plans, and Lazarus went with it. I wonder how much of a help he'll be to the team.

"Do you specialize in anything?" Isaac requested.

"Well, y-yeah, I guess," he answered distractedly. "I know how to build and c-create things, and I'd s-say I can make a thing or t-two for you guys."

This is a pretty neat base. The fire illuminated the area and brought a warmth they hadn't felt in a long time. The den was smooth and cozy, albeit not spacious enough for the whole group. It's okay, we weren't going to stay here too long anyway. His stomach rumbled. Well, we'll stay here as a break.

"Is it okay if we all take a break here, Lazarus?"

"Oh, o-okay."

They all went immediately to the fire.

"This feels so, so great," Maggy admired, sitting with her hands practically in the fire.

Chatter bursted into the air. Conversations were being held everywhere. He decided to stay with Maggy a little, then jump into different discussions.

"Don't burn your hands," Isaac warned humorously.

"They're already freezer burned," she laughed.

"It doesn't mean you can't burn them again."

"You ruined the joke." She crossed her arms amusingly.

"Oops, sorry. I guess I ruined the heat, too?"

"What heat?"

"Now you ruined my joke." He crossed his arms too, and she grinned.

They sat in silence for a little while, then he saw Lazarus emerge from the hideaway with multiple bags dragging behind him, smelling of foods.

"Is that for each person?" Maggy marveled with her jaw wide open.

"Y-yes," Lazarus answered.

Wow. Tonight is a night to be remembered.

After the feast, Isaac forgot about everything. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to talk, he just wanted to lay down and relax. As everything quieted and eyes closed, for once Isaac didn't have any thoughts, any worries, any plans, just serenity.

Then he noticed no one else was awake. They had all forgotten about the shifts and never asked who would go first.

I'll take the first one, he chose, tiredly arising. The food and fatigue got to him, and he fell back down. I'll just take my shift sitting, I suppose.

His eyelids weighed down on his eyes, and he let them close, too exhausted and full to argue. He went to a comfortable position. Oh well, we'll be fine...

"Rise and shine."

"Aw, daytime already?"

"Yes, Isaac. Come on, we need to walk out that deluxe dinner."

His head burned softly and, as he rose, it complained restlessly. "I think I have a fever, Maggy."

"How bad is it?" she fretted.

"It's fine, just troubling, not aching." I hope she'll believe me. Even if not, she's going to lend me the heart.

She promptly did as he expected, and he squeezed it to his chest. For the first time, he was using it without having the high chance of dying, so he truly knew how it felt. It spread a feeling of tranquility through his veins and it was like he was tired, but not in a sleepy way. Now I know why she's always happy. It's because she's always healthy.

The people around him woke up, too, and a few criticized their bellies for hurting. "It's just because you ate too much. You'll be okay after several hours," he reassured them. Maggy passed around her heart and after it had fully eased someone's stomach, they would hand it to the next victim of the ache.

He scanned the gang. We're like a family, he noticed. We don't just like each other, we're attached. If we really had to leave each other for some time, we would, but if someone died or left forever, we wouldn't accept it. They carried me around for days not even sure if I was alive. They didn't accept it.

"Everyone, let's move out," Isaac ordered, and a cluster formed as they went for another trek along the sacred corridor.

"Is your scar okay?" Samson requested. "I don't know what it's like to have one."

Isaac looked down at his chest and moved his finger slowly down it. "It hurts a little when I touch it, but for the most part, it's all right."

"It looks awesome," Samson complimented. "It's like a lightning bolt."

"Thanks."

He looked over to Eve, wondering how she was doing. She was speaking to Lazarus, who was still nervous, and trying to explain to him everything was okay. He strained his ears to hear what they were saying above the others.

"I was really shy once, like you. I wasn't a social person then, and I never thought I was a big help to the team. But now I'm talking all the time." She moved her hair out of her face, and waited for him to talk.

Finally Lazarus spoke. "I-I don't know what I c-can talk about," he stammered. "There isn't m-much to t-talk about."

"Not that much, but there is, if you look at it. You could talk about this place, talk about yourself, your troubles, ask if they're troubled, so on and so forth. There's a lot you can say."

"I-I don't—I j-just...c-can't."

It's probably a disorder, or he's overly ignorant, Isaac inferred. If it's laid out that blatantly in front of him and he still can't do it, it's one of the two. I'd expect it to be a disorder.

Eve sighed. "Well, have it your way, I guess." She turned around and joined in Cain's conversation as the bunch walked further and further into the hall.

Isaac didn't see Judas in the group, so he looked back and saw Judas having a vision, his eyes empty and blank. Half of his foot was on a card and he jerked his head at it, then his sight returned.

"Isaac, come over here," he called.

Isaac marched over. "Did the card stimulate your foresight?"

"Not only that, but it was my foresight," he corrected, then, in a quiet voice, continued, "It showed me how to use them."

"Everyone halt," Isaac proposed. "Judas has something to tell you all."

Judas cleared his throat, then spoke clearly, "I've learned how to use the cards."

The announcement was met with both cheering and fright, which was easily understandable. But before anyone could state anything, Judas grabbed the card by both sides and rose it into the air above him. Before Isaac could stop him, the card broke into pieces as a single, forceful gale passed by it.

"The effects will activate in a few—"

His skin flashed, and just like that, he was gone.

Thanks to SamsonIsOP and DeskLampNinja for reviewing.

Bye bye Judas, we love you. ;) Jk, we'll be in his perspective for the next chapter.

I have SO many plans both irl and for this story you don't even know. It's almost annoying because we're doing a lot of stuff like moving and all that, and I can't get to put down my thoughts and I might forget. But I have big plans for this story and you guys are gonna get real excited. :D

If I abruptly stop uploading, hopefully it's because I moved. I'm not sure how long I won't be uploading for, but I will be starting up again at some point. I just want to let you all know, because I don't know what we're doing with the computer and internet and all that stuff.

Thanks for reading.

- SF