"So," Alice said to Luka, who was walking next to her. "Where are you headed? Directly towards the Monster Lord's Castle?"

"I'll end up there eventually," Luka replied.

Luka, Evan and Jeremiah had all regained consciousness. We decided to tell Luka that the whole Angel Liver fiasco was just a dream, easier on everybody that way. Now we were heading to Iliasburg. Luka and Alice up front. Jeremiah and Evan in the middle. And...me in the back. I kind of felt like the odd one out in all honesty. Evan and Jeremiah seemed to be getting along really well. Of course, Alice and Luka were supposed to get along, eventually at least. We didn't want to mess that up. I looked up, the sun was starting to set. We would have to make camp soon.

"If we keep at our current pace," Luka said. "We'll be at Iliasburg tomorrow."

"Oh come on," Alice groaned. "Iliasburg, Iliasport, Ilias Village, Ilias Ilias Ilias! What's with all the cheesy names?"

Good 'ol Alice.

"Why is everything that comes out of your mouth so horrible?" Luka frowned.

Good 'ol Luka.

"Don't use that tone with me," Alice frowned. "More importantly, I'm hungry again."

At least most of the banter between those two haven't changed. Though I believe this conversation came before the slug girl fight.

"Didn't you already eat up all my dried meat?" Luka questioned. "Though, I guess we can set up camp now. It's almost nightfall."

"Oh God yes," Jeremiah sighed. "I've never walked so far in my life!"

Luka looked at him curiously, "Aren't you from Sentora? That's a long ways away."

Jeremiah seemed to realize his mistake, "Figure of speech, Luka."

"Oh," Luka said. "Okay."

Man, I forgot how naive Luka could be, especially at the beginning. And so, we set up camp near the dirt road, Luka started cooking a nice hot meal for us. Alice was sitting next to me, impatiently waiting for the food. She decided to speak up.

"Hey, Gary," she said. I looked at her. "You looked surprised when the slug girls showed up. Did that not happen in the book?"

"Only one showed up in it," I said. "It worries me that things might be different than the book."

"Why is that worrying?" she asked.

"Because, if that changed," I replied. "Bigger things might change too. I honestly don't know what trials may await us."

She hummed. "By the way, though that fight was incredibly sloppy, the salt was a good idea."

I was surprised at that statement, in the game, she berates Luka for using the salt. Maybe since I didn't actually use it and just showed it, she wasn't upset.

"It wasn't my idea though," I said. "Luka had that idea in the book. I just remembered that and acted quickly."

I decided to leave out the part where he used up all the salt.

"Oh," Alice said.

"Food's ready!" Luka said, handing out plates with omelettes on them to each of us. We pretty much ate in silence. I ate mine really fast, what can I say? I was hungry.

Evan looked at the sky and started talking, "It's almost night time, I'm gonna go to bed."

"Sounds good," Luka said. "I think I'm going to bed too."

I nodded, Luka set his sword down when it hit me. Alice was supposed to teach Luka a move tonight! Luka was already getting ready for bed.

"Hey Alice," I whispered to her.

"What?" she asked, looking confused as to why I was whispering.

"You need to teach Luka how to properly use the sword," I said.

She raised her eyebrow, "And...why should I do that?"

"Because you do in the book," I whispered as quietly as possible.

"But I haven't even seen him fight," Alice said.

"It's horrible," I said. "According to you at least."

I stood up, and walked over to Luka, who was getting his sleeping bag ready.

"Hey Luka," I said. "Alice wants to see you and your sword 'skills'."

Evan and Jeremiah looked at me, confused.

"What?" Luka asked. "Why?"

"I dunno," I said.

"Can't I show her tomorrow?" Luka yawned. "I'm kind of tired."

"But she is like, dying to see your sword maneuvers," I said. Then I leaned into his ear. "I think she secretly thinks you're cool. Despite what she says at least."

"Hmm," Luka muttered. "Okay!"

He walked over to Alice, who gave me the scariest look I've ever seen in my life. Did she hear what I said?

"Bruh," Jeremiah said. "She's gonna kill you."

I nodded, and grabbed my sleeping bag, Alice and Luka were practicing already. I could already hear Alice saying his skills were horrible. I scurried back over to Evan and Jeremiah.

"Can I sleep next to you guys tonight?" I asked. "Peace of mind."

"Sure," Evan said. "Why would we care?"

And with that, we all got in our sleeping bags, I almost instantly fell asleep.

"Gary…"

"One more minute Mom…" I muttered. As I turned over on my bed, though this didn't feel like a bed. Wait...shouldn't I be in a sleeping bag? My eyes darted open to reveal a cloudy and bright landscape. It was almost heav-

"Oh no…" I muttered.

I looked around, there she was. The bitch herself was right in front of me!

"Ilias!" I exclaimed.

"Hello, oh brave Gary," she smiled.

"Cut the act Ilias," I said. "I know your game."

She gained a devious smirk, "Then you also know not to talk to me like that. I could kill you easily."

"Then how come you haven't?" I questioned.

"Because," she said. "You and your two idiotic companions are my backups."

That left me dumbfounded, "Say what?"

"I sense confliction inside Luka already," she sighed. "I fear he may turn on me. So, if he fails to defeat the Monster Lord in any way shape or form. One of you three will."

"Two problems with that," I said, holding up two fingers. "I have no training of any kind. I have no magic in me as well."

"It's true, you have no training," she said. "But you do have magic."

Again, I'm shocked.

"Yes," she said. "I sense it in you three. A dormant magic of some kind, and it is powerful."

"But I don't have training," I said.

"I feel you won't need it when the magic is set free," she said. "But to be on the safe side, and I despise doing this. But ask Alice in training. You won't need a sword, just yourself."

I was confused as to what she meant by that, but I shook my head. "You're forgetting one thing."

"I know," she smiled. "You don't want to help me. But you need to help me."

"Oh yeah?" I said. "And why's that?"

"Because I can take you home," she said.

"W...what?" I stuttered out. "Did you bring us here?"

She shook her head, "No, I don't know who or what brought you here. But I can take you home."

My insides started fighting each other. I wanted to go home, but I couldn't just kill Alice for my sake.

"Just think about it," Ilias smiled. "Oh and don't tell anyone about this conversation. Or you will die."

I nodded shakily. And the last thing I saw before I fell back into sleep was her cold smile.