Halius woke up early in the morning by instinct. He grew up on a farm and had to wake up to tend to the chores and the animals. This habit would stick with him for years, even after moving on with the farm. Even as a member of the Epilektoi of Mytros, waking up early proved to be beneficial. Korax would ensure that the soldiers woke up early for the day's event, and while some of the other soldiers complained, Halius never did. Even with Korax saying that he didn't have to wake up as early now that they were no longer with the rest of their soldiers, it was a habit that stuck with him.

Sitting up from his bedroll, Halius took a quick glance around. The sun was only starting to rise, although the light was dim enough that the others could sleep in. While he thought that he would be the only one awake by now (aside from Yesleth, who tranced and was patrolling nearby), Halius was shocked to see that Mantes was awake. The half-elf sat by himself on a small rock, eating berries. Slowly, Halius stood up and quietly walked over to join Mantes. When he approached, the half-elf looked up at him, and held out a single berry picked from the palm of his hand.

"Berry?" Mantes asked.

"Why are you awake so early?" Halius whispered.

"I wanted to see if I could get up before anyone else," Mantes answered and tossed the berry back into his mouth. "I also didn't hear talk of breakfast, so I went out and harvested some berries."

Mantes offered another berry, which Halius accepted this time. "Seriously? Why would you want to see that?"

"I thought of it as a competition," Mantes smirked, watching Halius eat the berry. "I wanted to see who among us was the early bird. I am very satisfied to see that it's me, and not anyone else."

"Now, hold on," Halius said with his arms crossed. "If anyone's the early bird, it's me! Just ask Korax or Cyrene, I was getting up early before anyone else."

"Except for today," Mantes chuckled. "That honor goes to me."

"Well, I'll just wake up early tomorrow!" Halius declared, his voice growing louder.

"Yes, you do that, but I'm moving onto other competitions," Mantes said with a shrug. "Right now, I am seeing who here can eat the most berries. Right now, it would be me."

Halius blinked and watched Mantes eat another berry. "But you're the only one competing in that."

"Which means that I am winning," Mantes nodded. "Unless you intend to challenge me."

"I do!" Halius stomped a single foot on the ground. "Alright. Let me have some berries."

"No can do," Mantes shook his head. "You're my competition now and I see no reason to help you. You're going to have to do what I did and collect them yourself."

"That's not fair!" Halius exclaimed.

"You know what isn't fair?" Valros called out from over his bedroll. "Being woken up by your shouting. Would you please shut up?"

A thought came to Halius, who quickly snapped his fingers. "Fine then. You win this time but if anyone's going to win a contest around waking up everyone, it's going to be me."

Mantes gasped. "You wouldn't."

Halius grinned, then took a deep breath. "RISE AND SHINE, EVERYONE! IT'S MORNING!"

Over the next several seconds, a series of groans and yawns are heard from throughout the camp. Although there was a brief moment that Halius thought he was in the wrong for waking everyone up, that changed when he saw Mantes clap slowly with a smile. The half-elf accepted his victory, which was enough for Halius to realize that waking up the other adventurers, who were starting to get up, was worth it.

"I didn't think you had it in you," Mantes admitted. "You proved me wrong and won this contest."

"And I'm going to win even more contests against you," Halius said, grinning excitedly. "You won't stand a chance against me."

"We'll see about that," Mantes stood up from his seat, eating another berry. "This is going to be a fun adventure."

"That it is," Halius agreed.

"Maybe for you two," Valros muttered, not getting up from his bedroll.

The two were the youngest of the group and were quickly forming a friendship. While the contests may seem ridiculous at times, they found joy in it, and it served as a suitable distraction for traveling on the road, which could be dull at times. Halius was convinced that he was going to find a way to emerge as the overall victor before their journey together was over.

"Halius!" Korax called out, and the man was quick to notice the hint of anger in his voice. "Drills, now!"

Halius gulped, then looked to Mantes. "I bet I can get through morning drills faster than you."

"You're on," Mantes said and threw the rest of the berries into his mouth.

Even with a punishment for waking everyone up, it was going to be enjoyable with a new friend.

Korax couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong with his patrol. It wasn't his first time on patrol. After years of service in the Epilektoi of Mytros, he had both boring patrols where nothing happened, patrols where his party found something of worth, and patrols that ended in battle. Yet, this feeling wasn't like those he felt before. The patrols he had before were when Korax was with soldiers that he knew that he could trust.

It was Duris' idea to send a small scouting party ahead of the main group to look out for threats. With how large the group was, Korax was confident that their size would turn away simple bandits, but it was the monsters that roamed Thylea that he was worried about. Even when he had the command of his soldiers, the lokhagos always made the choice to avoid fighting monsters if he could help it. This group was in no condition to fight a battle with a powerful monster. The boar was one fight but something else could be the end of them. They would have to grow in both skill and teamwork before he would even consider fighting a monster alongside them.

Korax agreed to join the scouting party if only so there could be someone he could trust. The other two members of the patrol, Argades and Phoebe, had mostly been hostile to him throughout their interactions. He was thankful that they left him alone, instead sharing stories of their successes in various city athletics. Both of them were those who were eager to prove themselves in battle and it was because of that Korax had to join them. The last thing he needed was to lead them into a battle they couldn't ever hope to win just for the sake of fighting.

The trio traveled for an hour and a half, just a little ahead of the group as they walked through a forest away from the Heartlands. All was quiet, although when they heard a sickly roar, they took to the nearby bushes to advance quietly to find the source of the noise. Still hidden, they found the threat, a gray-skinned giant that was easily as tall as the trees surrounding it and carried a large club behind it. It had no head and instead had its carnivorous mouth and a single eye. Korax recognized it as a blemys, a distant relative of the cyclops that had been cursed. He tightly held onto his silvered dory, although he knew that if it spotted them, they were as good as dead.

"We've found a foe," Phoebe whispered to the group and pulled out her maul. "Shall we fight it?"

"Are you insane?!" Korax gasped, praying that the blemys continued walking forward instead of hearing their whispers. "That thing will kill us."

"Maybe the three of us, but not if we fight it as a group," Argades suggested. "We slayed the boar yesterday and we weren't officially together yet."

"Be that as it may, that monster will be the reason why we're no longer together if we fight it," Korax told them sternly. "Are you willing to fight a creature that will kill your poet, Phoebe? Or what of your companions, Argades? Because we do not stand a chance against this enemy."

"So says you," Argades shook his head. "Have you seen my power? And Phoebe is unmatched in battle."

"He speaks the truth," Phoebe grinned. "What kind of warrior are you?"

"A warrior that knows when he's outmatched," Korax sighed.

"It sounds to me that you are a cowardly warrior," Phoebe said in a challenging tone.

"Do we have any room for cowards in our quest?" Argades questioned, his gaze focused on Korax. "I don't think we do."

"Fine then," Korax shrugged. "Let's see what Duris has to say, but know that I will not change my mind on what we should do."

"Fine then," Phoebe agreed. "Anything to stop being with you."

Korax saw no reason to argue with them any longer, especially since it could lure the blemys over to them. The trio left as quietly as they arrived, leaving the blemys be for now. Having found a threat, they walked back down the path they traveled on to meet the others. After several minutes, the patrol reunited with the main group, with Duris calling for a small break in their march to talk with them. Korax took careful note to see where his friends were. Cyrene was away from the main group with Yesleth, the two serving as the hunters. Halius was present, although he was still participating in "contests" with Mantes, with the two running around to collect sticks. At least they would have some firewood.

The group had come to accept Duris as their leader, as he had shown the initiative in getting to know the groups to introduce each other after the boar was killed and served as one of the mediators for discussing which god to sacrifice the boar to. Korax didn't mind someone else taking command. Although he had experience leading as a lokhagos, there was no denying that there would be others to object to him taking command. It was best to have someone who didn't have such enemies to lead the group.

"Have you found anything?" Duris asked.

"We've found an enemy," Phoebe answered bluntly.

"It's a giant," Argades added.

"It could be a rogue minion of Sydon, threatening the people of Thylea," Phoebe said.

"I see," Duris nodded, then looked at Korax. "And what do you have to say?"

"As far as I can tell, there isn't anyone in this forest aside from us, the blemys, and the animals," Korax explained. "Have you ever fought a blemys before?"

Duris paused to think, then slowly shook his head. "Is it dangerous?"

"Very," Korax answered quickly. "I've never fought one but I have heard stories of how it can easily tear apart soldiers with years of training."

"He doesn't think we stand a chance," Phoebe grunted. "Are you just going to take that from him?"

"Maybe we could kill it but some of us will die to see it done," Korax said in a grim tone. "We'd be best off taking a path to avoid it."

"I agree," Duris nodded. "I trust you to find a way to avoid it."

"Seriously?" Argades glared, moreso at Korax than Duris. "We shouldn't doubt our skills."

"I'm not doubting anyone's skills," Korax shook his head. "I am aware of what we are capable of just as I am aware of what the blemys can do. It can and will kill us."

"But we will need to fight powerful enemies at some point during our adventure," Phoebe pointed out. "The blemys will be nothing compared to the Twin Titans."

"Be that as it may, we must pick our fights carefully," Duris said, taking another moment to think. "If we die today, who will be there to save Thylea? We should continue to make our way to the Oracle without fighting something we can avoid."

Argades and Phoebe looked at each other, although neither of them were willing to argue the point more. Instead, they turned and left, meeting with Ranri and Zyfon respectively. Korax remained by Duris, somewhat conflicted. He knew that they couldn't fight the blemys and expect for the group to make it away without losses. Yet, he did nothing to make up for the hostilities between him and those who disagreed with him. He would have a long way to go to get along with them.

"They're not angry at you, but at me."

"Be that as it may, you've made the right call," Duris told Korax. "You kept the group's safety in mind and that's what matters."

Korax hesitated before continuing. "If we are those who have chosen to face gods, then some of us are going to die."

"It is likely, yes, although I would like to remain optimistic," Duris smiled. "We're going to save Thylea."

"I hope so, although I still have my doubts."

"Take it easy for the rest of the day. I hope that eventually we can have some time to rest and think through these dark thoughts one day."

"As do I."

With Duris' approval, Korax stepped away. Although stoic, he couldn't help but have some feeling of dread within. Ever since his village was destroyed when he was a child, Korax was afraid of dying. He survived when no one else did, which left its mark on his mind. While he could have tried having an easy life away from the military, he felt it was his duty to follow in his adopted parent's footsteps. With the battle against the Twin Titans approaching in the future, Korax's hopes of survival faded away. As far as he knew, one of these battles would be his last.

"Kyrah, I've been working on a new song, but have been stuck on finding the right sound for weeks. Might you be able to help me?"

"Well, I see no reason not to. We definitely could use music to liven up this adventure."

Zyfon smiled and pulled out his lute, and started to strum along at Kyrah's instruction. Valros, who walked behind the two, sighed and shook his head. He was having a bad enough day with Halius having woken him up early, and now, he was reminded that there was a supposed goddess traveling along them. The others did not treat Kyrah any differently, all except for Zyfon. Throughout the entire day, he consulted her on various projects, and whatever suggestion she gave him, he followed through without complaint. It was all because she claimed to be the Goddess of Music, which the satyr took at face value.

Back where he came from, Valros never once considered visiting a temple of Deneir, the god of writing, when he was working on his book. Instead, he trusted his own judgement, and while he did consult friends and colleagues, he always gave thought to their word rather than blindly accepted his advice. If Deneir himself came and told Valros that his writing was terrible, he would certainly laugh. He had dealt with critics before but his writing stood on his own.

Zyfon needed to learn a lesson Valros always carried with him.

"Could you stop with the music for just a moment?" Valros demanded bluntly.

Zyfon and Kyrah turned to face Valros with the music stopped and the satyr speaking. "We're working on a song of one of Phoebe's greatest battles."

"I don't remember asking," Valros shrugged. "Listen, I've been listening to your music and your poetry all day. Honestly, not all of it is terrible, but what is terrible is how you keep taking her advice every other minute."

"But she is the Muse!" Zyfon defended. "She knows everything there is regarding poetry and song."

"You're too kind," Kyrah smiled. "Really, you know what you're doing as well."

"Exactly," Valros nodded. "That is the one thing she's said to you so far that I think you can accept without question. Stop doubting yourself, give thought to what others say of your work, and always be the one to make the final decision."

"What would you know about creating a work of wonders?" Zyfon asked.

"I wrote a book."

"Clearly, it must not have been a good book if I hadn't heard of it."

"You haven't heard of it because it's not on this world!"

"That sounds like a problem you'll have to solve then," Zyfon said and turned back to Kyrah, who was holding back laughter. "In the meantime, I trust the advice of a goddess over a stygian."

"Three things," Valros held up his hand and raised a finger for each point. "One, I am not a stygian. I am a tiefling. A tiefling. Remember that. Two, you are taking her word over mine when we are agreeing that you are a good musician or poet or whatever you want to be."

"That's right," Kyrah nodded.

Valros hold up a final finger. "Finally, how can you be sure she is a goddess? Remember the Sour Vintage two nights ago? You were there. I was there. She was there with the most terrible poem I've ever heard!"
"I'd like to see you do better," Kyrah challenged in a playful tone. "Go on, come up with a poem now."

"How about you prove that you're actually a goddess," Valros shot back.

"If you insist," Kyrah reached into her scroll pack. "I have just the poem."

"No poems," Valros shook his head. "If you truly are divine, then you must have some other gift."

"Indeed I do. Stay here with me. Zyfon, take one hundred steps forward and wave your arms toward us when you've made it."

"Of course!" Zyfon started to walk forward, counting out loud.

Valros rolled his eyes. "Okay. What's the big deal?"

"We're going to race to where Zyfon is," Kyrah explained. "While I am the Goddess of Music, I am also the fastest of the gods. I'll beat you in a foot race, and by then, you'll hopefully be convinced that I am honest about who I am."

Valros chuckled. "Fine, but I'm not going to lose."

Although he would never admit it, Valros spent a lot of time in his archaeology career running away from traps, rivals, and monsters. When it came time to write his book, he glossed over such scenes and instead focused on his heroics. He could fight but there was no denying that he was fast as well. He was confident that he could outrace some poet who thought herself as a god. She may be faster than the mummies he encountered in the tombs but he was going to be faster than her.

Valros stepped aside Kyrah and took several seconds to stretch. She jumped up lightly on her feet, preparing for the race as well. By now, several others of the party were starting to take notice of what was about to happen. Phoebe, who was ahead of the group, turned to look at Zyfon and joined him.. Halius and Mantes, who were behind, stopped to look at Valros and Kyrah, and eagerly awaited for the race to begin. Valros didn't mind having an audience. It just meant there would be witnesses when he disproved Kyrah's claim of divinity.

Zyfon finally stood alongside Phoebe and waved his arms towards the two; Kyrah turned to Valros. "Ready to race?"

"I'm ready to win."

"That's the spirit," Kyrah smiled and faced Zyfon. "On your mark then."

Valros grinned. "Now!"

The race didn't go like Valros expected it to. He took a single step forward and was briefly blinded by dirt. It wasn't tossed in his face on purpose but it was enough to have him trip. The tiefling frowned to hear Halius and Mantes laugh behind him. When he looked up, his jaw dropped in awe. He had only been on the ground for a few seconds but Kyrah was already behind Zyfon, who was likewise surprised yet laughing. Kyrah left a visible path, the ground torn apart, which was how he ended up blind. Valros saw no magical spells yet couldn't believe that someone could move that fast. At least, not a mortal.

He finally realized Kyrah was a goddess.

Valros picked himself up from the ground and slowly jogged over to Zyfon, Kyrah, and Phoebe. At least he could finish the race and maintain some dignity in front of the spectators. He wiped the dirt off his face as he neared the finish line. Zyfon was finally done laughing and waved towards the tiefling. Phoebe crossed her arms while Kyrah smiled triumphantly.

"And that's another race that I've won," Kyrah noted. "I'm still undefeated."

"I believe you," Valros sighed. "You really are a goddess."

"About time," Phoebe shrugged. "Try not to doubt the existence of gods again."

"I never doubted gods existed," Valros defended himself. "I just didn't believe they could walk among mortals."

"Well, they can," Phoebe started to walk off. "Let's go. We're wasting time."

"My niece is right," Kyrah nodded. "Thank you for the race, Valros. Now, you did have a valid point. Zyfon, I appreciate helping you grow as a bard, but you need to step up on your own if you are to succeed."

"How am I to do that?" Zyfon asked with a hint of doubt.

"You'll have to prove yourself," Kyrah said, then held up a finger. "I challenge you to a poetry contest. Let us each write our own poem over this journey. After you and the others have succeeded in thwarting the Twin Titans, we will perform our epic poems at the Theater of the Gods."

"That's one of the biggest theaters in Mytros," Zyfon gasped. "I've never performed there, just taverns."

"You'll get your chance then. We will see who wrote the better poem based on the reaction of the audiences."

"I accept the challenge, although I doubt I can write an epic as good as yours," Zyfon bowed his head.

"You can get help," Kyrah glanced towards Valros. "We are in the company of a writer."

"I'm not a poet," Valros chuckled awkwardly.

"You're just the person to help me though," Zyfon declared. "You have a flair for adventure and you are a living example of comedy."

"I'm not sure if I should take that last part as a compliment or an insult," Valros commented.

"I'll leave you to it," Kyrah walked forward. "Good luck, Zyfon."

"Thank you!" Zyfon waved, then turned to Valros. "So, I'm thinking when we make it to the next tavern, we can exchange notes."

Valros sighed. "Fine, but don't expect me to come up with rhymes for you."

Zyfon grinned, then ran back to join Phoebe.. Valros shook his head, questioning how he came to this situation. If he could go back in time and never get on the ship that would leave him stranded here, he would take that choice in a heartbeat. Instead, he was stuck with a dysfunctional group that challenged his sanity.

Mantes ran past Valros, raising a fist in the air. "That's another win for me!"

Halius jogged in behind Mantes. "You had a head start."

"Look on the bright side," Mantes glanced towards Valros. "You didn't trip like he did."

"You weren't the ones to race a goddess," Valros sighed, then walked forward while shaking his head.

The sun was starting to set although Tellek knew that they had at least two more hours of walking before they could set up camp. The centaur had no problem keeping up with the march. Before traveling to Mytros to study, he lived along his tribe and was constantly on the move. The others were showing signs of fatigue but he would press on for as long as his hooves could carry him.

Tellek wasn't the only one who wasn't exhausted. He trotted alongside Ferrous, who was incapable of feeling exhaustion. The centaur was nervous about the construct's status as it had been badly damaged during the fight with the boar. Although he did his best to patch the creation up, Tellek's skills were with alchemy over engineering. Yet, careful inspection showed that Ferrous was functional, although how functional was a different matter.

Then, there was Leira. Although the siren awoke to Halius' shouting like everyone else did, she was in a good mood today. Tellek overheard her silently humming a joyful tune, and whenever her legs grew tired, she would take to the sky and fly. Whenever her wings grew tired, she would return to the ground and walk, having recovered enough. It was a good strategy allowing for the siren to stay at the front of the marching order alongside Tellek as the others slowed down to recover.

The two didn't interact much. Tellek was more occupied with looking over Ferrous and ensuring it was working properly. The centaur was surprised when Leira landed next to him, her feathered wings brushing against his side briefly as she took a few steps to the side to give him space.

"Sorry about that!" Leira bowed her head. "But greetings, Tellek and Ferrous."

"Oh, hello there, Leira," Tellek turned to face the siren. "How is the sky today?"

"It's wonderful," Leira answered with a wide smile. "There's no feeling like feeling the light breeze above the trees. I wish I could fly every day."

"It's good to see you're in a good mood," Tellek commented. "Yesterday, you weren't… Well, this expressive with your emotions, I would say. Why the sudden change?"

"Because we are following the path the Fates set for us," Leira exclaimed, turning to look at the path they walked on. "The destined heroes have been gathered and we are on our way to meet the Oracle to continue with our fated journey. What isn't there to like?"

"I would say that maybe some of our companions could go without walking this long," Tellek chuckled lightly. "It doesn't bother me at all."

"While I do enjoy flying, there is joy in walking as well," Leira nodded. "I don't get the chance to talk with my dear friends like you when I am above them."

"I suppose that's true," Tellek said with a smile. "I'm surprised you consider me a friend though."

"Why would you be?" Leira questioned, turning back to Tellek with a raised eyebrow. "You did heal me when the boar injured me. That was quick thinking with your potion."

"It isn't a potion and more of a quick healing treatment that does share the properties of typical potions," Tellek stopped himself, remembering that his explanations tend to bore others. "But yes, I suppose healing does lead to friendship."

"Does that mean we are friends?"

Tellek blinked in surprise at the sudden voice, then gasped as he came to the realization. There was only one possible source to the metallic voice. Tellek turned to face Ferrous, who was looking at the centaur and siren. In the past, the construct did keep track of conversations as noted by glancing at the speaker. Yet, it never once talked in conversation. Tellek did try teaching it how to speak as its mouth was functional but it never once did.

"Did you say something?" Tellek asked, his voice optimistic.

"I did," Ferrous said. "I said 'does that mean we are friends?'"

Tellek gasped when he heard Ferrous speak again. "Yes, we most certainly are! This is wonderful! Where's Iraster? He must hear this for himself!"

"What a strange yet wonderful being," Leira commented, walking to the other side of Ferrous. "I never thought something like you could be a hero of destiny, yet it was to be. And now you can speak!"

"It's incredible," Tellek took quick breaths. "Do you have a name?"

"The name I've been given is Ferrous," the construct answered.

Tellek blinked. "That's the name I gave you, wasn't it."

"It was. You were the one to name me."

"But did you not have a name before?" Leira asked.

"I did not."

"How are you able to speak now?" Tellek questioned, taking quick mental notes.

"I thought it would be best to see how others spoke to determine how I should talk," Ferrous answered.

"Ah, so it was through careful observation of our companions that you came to possess the power of speech," Tellek said, his voice unable to hide his excitement. "This is incredible. It means that you are capable of learning!"

"We must tell the others!" Leira declared. "Ferrous, tell me your story so that I can share it with the others when I tell them of your power to speak."

"I was crafted by Volkan, the God of Forges," Ferrous answered without a hint of emotion. "I am a soldier meant to fight the Twin Titans. It is my duty to fight the Twin Titans and so I will fight."

Leira jumped off from the ground, her wings carrying her up to the air. "Everyone! Ferrous, the creation of Volkan, the automated soldier, can now speak!"

The proclamation was enough to get the rest of the party to move to the front to see Ferrous speak for themselves. The construct answered their question when asked, although it took little effort to make conversation itself. Still, the group was amazed to see Ferrous make significant progress. They no longer viewed Ferrous as some object that accompanied the group. Now, it was a member of the group, a hero in its own right in their epic journey.

Yet, Tellek had concerns. He was glad to see Ferrous progress and would continue to aid the construct however he could. The more he thought about it, the less he realized that Ferrous was missing something. He couldn't help but compare Ferrous to Leira. The siren was more vocal with her emotions and was joyful with Ferrous being able to speak. Yet, the construct was the one that made a huge step in interacting with the group, yet it didn't care. Tellek hoped that there was a chance Ferrous would be less like a machine and more like a person in the future. Perhaps that would come about with the adventure.

When the group set up camp that night, Thella was glad to see that the group was starting to become united with signs that the heroes were camping with others. There were still signs of division in the camp with multiple groups separate, but seeing Mantes join Halius' group and Argades joining Phoebe and Zyfon gave Thella hope that the journey will bring them closer as the heroes Thylea needed. Some problems needed to be addressed and they still had a long way to go though. The Oracle would be able to provide them the path forward.

Thella knew it was time she did her part to help unite the group. Since she met with them, she felt more comfortable spending time with Duris and Leira over the other companions. The truth was that even after spending time in an enclave to adjust to the new times, Thella struggled with befriending others. It was always difficult to find a subject given her circumstances. Leira looked up to her as one of the chosen heroes, and although Duris had his own doubts, was able to connect with Thella based on similar experiences. She figured it was time to interact with the others to continue building a new team.

After glancing around the camp, Thella settled on Iraster, who sat alone by a small campfire. The halfling traveled alongside Tellek and Ferrous, who were now off to the side. The centaur was interested in teaching the construct social norms when it came to conversation, leaving their third companion alone. What drew Thella to Iraster was the book he wrote in. She knew it was similar to her own book, possessing spells of arcane power. It at least gave them an area of interest to talk to.

Thella approached Iraster and crouched down to be at his height. "Excuse me. Do you mind if I join you?"

Iraster looked up from his book briefly. "Not at all. Have a seat."

Thella took a seat next to Iraster. "Thank you. You're a wizard, aren't you? That's a spell book, right?"

"Yes to both of your questions," Iraster smiled. "You are too, I take it. I saw you cast spells against the boar."

"That's right," Thella took out her spellbook. "I've been meaning to add more spells to it but the past few days have been busy for me. Would you have any suggestions?"

"A wizard's strength lies in the versatility of their spellbook," Iraster explains. "Where do you think you're currently lacking in."

"Definitely magic meant to protect me or others," Thella answered without hesitation. "That boar took me down in one hit. If it weren't for Duris, I may not be here now."

"Wizards typically want to rely on warriors to keep the enemy back, but sometimes, someone slips through, and you must be quick to think to not be injured," Iraster flipped through several pages of his book. "I think a good starting point for you is Shield. It's a personal favorite of mine, one that I used to fend off the boar."

"That sounds perfect," Thella nodded in agreement. "Do you think you can teach me?"

"Of course I can," Iraster said, then offered his quill to Thella. "Let's get started."

Over the course of two hours, Thella learned from Iraster. The halfling was patient in translating his notes for her so that she could transcribe the spell in her own spellbook. He explained that although Shield does serve as a barrier from an attack, a powerful attack would be able to break through the shield and still strike her. She would still have to exercise some caution in battle as casting Shield would drain her just as any spell would.

After the spell was copied, Iraster suggested trying the spell out. Thella took a brief and nervous glance around the camp. There was still some light activity going on but some of their companions were falling asleep. Iraster was confident that if Thella had mastered the spell, she would be able to fend off his attack. They stood up with Thella taking ten steps away from Iraster before turning back to face the halfling, still hesitant.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Thella asked cautiously. "Is it safe even?"

"Shield can disperse a Magic Missile attack," Iraster explained. "As long as you are able to cast the spell, you will not be harmed."

Thella gave a quiet nod and stood her ground for the upcoming attack. She had to show that she was capable of defending herself with Shield. Iraster held his hand out towards Thella and chanted, conjuring three darts of arcane energy. The darts flew out, and in preparation, Thella chanted and waved her hand in front of her. The darts struck against a translucent barrier and dispersed. Seeing that her spell succeeded, she couldn't help but laugh in joy.

"I did it!" Thella exclaimed.

"That you did," Iraster replied.

"Thank you so much," Thella said and walked back towards her friend.

"It's no problem at all. I've always enjoyed teaching others."

"I take it I'm not your first student then."

Iraster nodded. "Back in Mytros, I taught at the Academy for many years. I rarely have the opportunity to teach magic and instead prefer philosophy. I had many students, such as Tellek."

"You sound like an incredible teacher," Thella complimented as a thought came to mind. "But why would a teacher such as yourself come so far from Mytros on this journey?"

Iraster paused, then sighed. "It's a long story. Something happened to my family. They're gone and no one remembers them except for me. No one remembers me at all either, so it's not like I can go back to my job as a teacher."

"I am terribly sorry to hear that," Thella bowed her head. "I too know what it is like to lose a family."

Iraster wiped a finger across his eyes, caught in a solemn mood. "Tellek told me that Mantes may be able to help, well, communicate with my family. I had asked him to help before the boar hunt but he refused. I have traveled along the group this long with hopes of changing his mind, but I have to admit that I have my doubts that he will agree to help."

Thella glanced off to where she last saw Mantes. The half-elf had incorporated himself into one of the larger groups of the camp. While Korax, Cyrene, and Valros were asleep in their respective bedrolls and Yesleth tranced, Mantes was awake with Halius. The two boys were competing against each other, tossing rocks to see who could throw theirs the farthest. Thella couldn't help but feel anger. Iraster was a kind hafling who only wished to be reunited with his family. If Mantes could help him, then he should do so rather than playing games. Something had to be done.

"Maybe he'll change his mind after I talk to him," Thella said, unable to hide her anger. "Just one moment."

"Please, you don't have to," Iraster said but his words were not enough as Thella was already striding towards Mantes.

Halius tossed his rock with it landing farther than Mantes' rock. "And that's another win for me. What's the score now?"

"I still lead by seventeen contests, but with that being your thirteenth contest, you're starting to catch up," Mantes answered, then turned to Thella. "Good evening. Can I help you?"

"You can help me by helping Iraster," Thella told him. "If we're traveling together to save Thylea, we need to help each other with our own problems."

Mantes rolled his eyes. "I already explained to him why I can't help him. I'm tired of talking to the dead. There are days where I can help them move on, but mostly, it is depressing, and sometimes, painful. If I could live without this curse, I gladly would."

"We can't change how our life goes," Thella said. "You're not the only one who wished life could be different but there is no changing the past. We can only change the future, which you can do by helping Iraster."

"Maybe you should help him, Mantes," Halius suggested. "I mean, if I had the power to speak with the dead, I would want to use it. I would be able to help my mother if there's something wrong with her soul. Wouldn't you want to help your family? What about your loved ones?"

Mantes blinked slowly, then shook his head. "I would, but I cannot. I… I think I shall go to sleep."
"Seriously?" Thella scoffed. "You're just going to sleep and ignore your problems?"

"It's worked out for me so far, although drinking does help a lot," Mantes chuckled, although Thella could tell there was sadness to his laugh.

"We'll still have fun playing our games, right?" Halius asked, concerned.

"We'll see if I'm feeling up to it," Mantes shrugged then approached his bedroll. "I think I would like to sleep in if I could…"

Halius sulked with his head bowed. Thella frowned, realizing that she may have been rash in getting Mantes to help. She hadn't considered that Mantes had his own problems to deal with. It was her idea to try to form bonds with her companions so that they would be able to stand together against the forces that threaten Thylea. Instead, she drove Mantes into a depression without meaning to. She would have to do better and hoped that she could make up for her mistake.

With Mantes going to bed, and Halius following suit, Thella decided it would be best to get rest as well. Perhaps it was the exhaustion of walking all day that drove her to lash out at Mantes. Or maybe it was because she lost her own family and had hopes of seeing them one day as well. Yet, Thella knew that her companions wouldn't care for her family. They were all but forgotten about today. She went to her bedroll, where Duris and Leira were already asleep, ready to rest to continue tomorrow.

Duris had trouble sleeping over the past two nights. Ever since the group decided to visit the Oracle, he woke up frequently. He did not have any nightmares, only a feeling of fear that was in his mind. Duris was not afraid of the Oracle, someone he knew that he was an ally. Yet, he had chosen to leave the Dragonlords to stay with her. While he had been forced to stay with her because he was injured, her influence had him think nothing of the war. He lost track of time and his memories. Five hundred years later, Duris couldn't help but feel that he was a traitor to the Dragonlord's cause, that he didn't deserve to be with these heroes, and it was all because he chose to stay with the Oracle.

"Everything happens for a reason," Duris muttered to himself whenever he had these thoughts. "Everything will work out in the end. It has to. You have to make it up to them."

He needed to know about the Dragonlords. It might be enough to return some of his memories that had yet to come back to him. Duris took a quick glance around the camp. They were in the process of packing up bedrolls and finishing breakfast to continue another day's travel. While Kyrah certainly knew the stories, he was more interested in a historical perspective over stories. He knew that there was someone else who may know about the Dragonlords. Duris approached Ranri, who kept watch in case of threats. The dwarf had plans to bring the Dragonlords back, so it made sense that he would know about the Dragonlords of old.

"Ranri," Duris greeted. "Might I have a moment of your time?"

"O' course," Ranri nodded. "What's on yer mind, lad?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me more about the Dragonlords," Duris requested. "You said you were trying to reform them, didn't you?"

"Aye, that I am," Ranri grinned. "Ye know, ye could make fer a good recruit."

Duris chuckled nervously. "Maybe some time else. I just thought that maybe you could tell me about the ones of the past."

"That I can do," Ranri said, stroking his beard. "Take fer example Xander Huorath, th' first leader o' th' Dragonlords. He was one o' the greatest leaders, not just o' th' Dragonlords, but o' Thylea in general. It was under his command that th' Dragonlords turned th' tide of battle against the Twin Titans in favor of the settlements."

"I take it he was a good man then?" Duris asked.

"All o' them are paragons," Ranri answered, his voice growing higher with excitement. "Although Xander died before he saw th' end o' th' war, Rizon Phobas took his place and she led te th' way te end th' war. An' then there were th' Arkelander brothers. They turned th' settlements into kingdoms. Without 'em, we wouldn't have th' kingdoms of Mytros and Estoria."

"That is quite the achievement," Duris commented, then took a deep breath to ask the one question on his mind. "I've been told that I was named after one of the past Dragonlords."

"Lad, I can tell ye that I have seen the name written in records, but there isn't a lot o' stories about him," Ranri explained. "There's even debates on what his last name is."

"That's fine," Duris said. "I don't need to hear the exact details. I just want to know what happened to him."

"He died," Ranri answered bluntly. "That's th' one thing everyone agreed on. Not how he died though, mind ye, other than that he didn't make it te th' final battles."

"I see," Duris nodded, his voice low.

"A lot o' Dragonlords died before th' end o' th' war," Ranri said, his excitement dying down as he bows his head. "It was up te their sons an' daughters te carry their legacy when all was said an' done."

By now, the rest of the group was ready to depart, so Duris simply thanked Ranri and prepared to leave. Ranri did help but it wasn't enough. There was no denying that the dwarf held the Dragonlords in high regard, so it was possible that his view of the Dragonlords was biased to see them in a favorable light. If he wanted to know the truth of his former organization, he needed to consult someone who was more skeptical of who they were. Duris only hoped that what he heard wasn't too terrible.

Like yesterday, Cyrene and Yesleth traveled behind the main group, able to track the rest of their party throughout the day. Given the size of the group, food was an issue, and although some of them carried rations, they were going to need more. Cyrene's skill with the bow and Yesleth's speed made them the best to hunt and provide food for the group. They focused on hunting small game since large game would be difficult to transport and delivered meat to the group throughout the day. It worked for the first day so they expected it would work moving on as well.

Cyrene had met Yesleth a few times before their group formed and traveled together, although she admitted that they had not talked that much. They both served in the Epilektoi of Mytros, although Yesleth served as a lokhagos that patrolled around the shoreline neighboring the city while Cyrene served Korax in traveling away from Mytros. They spoke briefly during the few times Cyrene was back in Mytros, and at least once when they both visited Korax's camp at the same time. Yesleth got along well enough with Korax but Cyrene had difficulty relating to her.

It was no secret of who Yesleth was, although no one talked about it openly in Mytros. The elf warrior was from Aresia, an ancient enemy to Mytros. Although she served briefly for Aresia, Yesleth defected to Mytros, although she never did state the reason for doing so. Cyrene couldn't help but feel a little uneasy when around Yesleth, unsure of what her motives are. It was nice of her to check up on Korax, who tried to avoid Mytros as much as he could, and she did serve as Valros' guide in Thylea. There was always a feeling of suspicion as to why she did so.

The first day of traveling was busy for the two as the forest was full of wildlife to hunt. Aside from idle chatter, Cyrene went without talking to Yesleth. Today was different. There weren't too many beasts present. They spotted footprints in the ground that didn't belong to their group which they reasoned belonged to hunters. With no animals in sight, the two walk side-by-side, taking in the peaceful nature of the forest.

Cyrene took a breath in. Now was as good of a time as any to try to understand Yesleth. She might as well put this time to use.

"Aresia," Cyrene said, prompting Yesleth to turn to her. "What's it like?"

"It actually has been years since I've stepped in Aresia," Yesleth noted. "Yet, I remember the beauty of the gardens. And then there were the temples, which were quite magnificent as well."

""Temples?" Cyrene asked. "My father used to tell me stories of how the warriors of Aresia stole away Narsus, the God of Beauty. Do they dedicate the temples to him?"

"One is dedicated to Narsus, although I do challenge the claim that he was stolen, but that's a debate for another time," Yesleth answered with a shrug. "There were temples dedicated to styles of fighting. I was a member of the Temple of the Shield, which is often considered to be one of the best temples in the city."

"You don't even carry a shield," Cyrene pointed out.

"How do you think the people of Mytros would react if I fought with Aresian techniques, or how would the Epilektoi feel?" Yesleth countered. "I miss fighting with a shield and if I ever pick one up, I'm going to be rusty. Yet, I have to say that it's for the best that I don't have a shield."

"I see," Cyrene slowly nodded. "I'm sorry if I sounded accusing."

"It's fine," Yesleth said with a smile. "You're not the first to think ill of me because of my past allegiance. That was what was on your mind, right?"

Cyrene gasped in hesitation but couldn't deny the truth. "It was."

"I don't blame you," Yesleth turned back to look forward. "I knew your father. Not for long, mind you but we met once, and I could feel he never trusted me."

"I'm afraid your feelings were true," Cyrene bowed her head. "My father was loyal to Mytros and never did understand why you left Aresia."

"It's a long story as to why I left Aresia," Yesleth explained. "My parents were originally from Mytros before they left for Aresia. It's just history repeating itself in a way."

"I see."

"Enough of me though. What about you? Where are you from?"

Cyrene blinked in confusion. "I'm from Mytros. You know that, don't you?"

Yesleth shook her head. "You're not from Mytros."

The conversation had taken a surprising turn. While Cyrene was willing to share some parts of her life, she couldn't share what wasn't the truth. The half-elf was from Mytros and all of her memories were of the city. Yet, she could tell that Yesleth was convinced otherwise even when the facts showed she was from Myros. There was no doubt in her mind, even when challenged about her heritage.

"You just said you've met my father," Cyrene reminded Yesleth. "Wouldn't that prove I am from Mytros?"

"I honestly thought you were adopted," Yesleth said and tapped her chin with her finger. "You had a father, yes, but no mother. Your father never mentioned losing his wife in any way. He never mentioned being married to me."

"You only met him once though. You said so yourself."

"I did, so tell me about your mother."

Cyrene paused to recollect her memories. "She died after I was born."

"Died from what?"

"Sickness," Cyrene answered after a moment of hesitation; Yesleth was starting to sow doubt in her head.

"Your father was an influential man, one who could have requested a healer," Yesleth said. "Are you sure it was sickness?"

"I was only a child when it happened," Cyrene sighed. "Why are you so insistent that I am not from Mytros."

"You act like you don't belong," Yesleth started to explain. "You prefer to fight with a bow instead of a typical spear and shield like the rest of the epilektoi wield. You've always had a record of not addressing the chain of command properly."

"Just with Korax, and only because we're friends," Cyrene defended her actions. "I think I've had enough of this conversation."

"I'm sorry if I've insulted you in some way, but to me, I cannot shake the feeling that you are an outsider like me," Yesleth said. "You're definitely not from Aresia but I find it hard to believe you're from Mytros."

"Well, I am," Cyrene crossed her arms.

"So you say," Yesleth started to pick up the pace. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'll report to the others on how the hunt is going. Take an hour to calm down. For what it's worth, it was nice to talk to you."

Cyrene glared at Yesleth when the elf ran off to catch up with the others. She had nerve questioning her heritage. Unlike Yesleth, Cyrene knew that she was from Mytros. All of her memories growing up were of the city. She wasn't adopted; her father was her actual father and her mother died before she grew up. Yesleth likely had some sort of plan as to have her doubt who she is. Cyrene couldn't let her words affect her. She needed to keep moving forward with wherever their journey took them.

Duris didn't recall the exact faces of the Dragonlords he served with long ago but he knew that they were mostly human, with a few dwarves and elves present as well. They did not recruit from the native races, who they saw as their foes. Some of the natives were not active enemies, such as the sirens and nymphs. Yet, it was the minotaur and the centaur that actively fought against the Dragonlords. Duris decided that if he wanted to learn more of his order, he should see what someone outside of the settlements have to say about it.
He thought briefly about talking to Tellek but decided against it. It appeared to him that although Tellek originally lived with the centaur tribes, he had adjusted to city life in Mytros. Instead, Duris thought it would be best to talk to Semestra. The nymph made the choice to join Ranri's campaign to bring about a new order of Dragonlords, which was surprising. The nymphs as a whole were neutral during the war although there were times where they aided the centaurs. Semestra joining Ranri's cause fascinated Duris, who felt that she may have another opinion on the Dragonlords.

During the journey, Duris stepped forward, walking alongside Semestra. "Greetings, Semestra"

Semestra glanced at Duris, then shrugged. "Greetings to you as well, Duris."

"I hope you don't mind if I ask some questions of you."

"Not at all. Ask away."

"You've joined Ranri in wanting to reform the Dragonlords," Duris asked. "I was just wondering how this reflected with what the native races thought of them."

Semestra frowned, although not at Duris or his question. "Believe me, I do not think highly of the Dragonlords."

"Ranri does though," Duris said with a quick nod. "He says they're heroes who forged the way to the modern day kingdoms."

"From the perspective of the settlers, that's true," Semestra acknowledged. "From my people and the other races that belong to Thylea, the Dragonlords pushed us out of our homes to build their cities, and anyone they opposed were killed."

"Surely, not all of them partook in that," Duris said, his voice gone quiet.

"It was mostly the Arkelander brothers who led the way in the massacres but the others never tried to stop them," Semestra explained. "They're guilty by association as far as I'm concerned."

Duris gulped. "I apologize. I'm truly sorry."

Semestra raised an eyebrow. "You don't have to apologize for anything. The war happened five hundred years ago. Those who took part in the killings are long gone. I guess that's why I'm with Ranri now."

"Huh?" Duris blinked, confused.

"People keep calling those who came to Thylea and built their kingdoms as settlers, but the real settlers have been dead for a long time. You and the others we travel with, we're all children of Thylea. I won't forgive what the Arkelander brothers did but that doesn't mean I will condemn the kingdoms they've built. If I can help bridge relations between the 'settlers' and 'natives' of Thylea by serving with Ranri's Dragonlords, then I have done my part."

"A noble goal," Duris commented, slowly smiling. "I feel a lot better knowing that you could be a Dragonlord."

"Even though I am a Dragonlord without a dragon," Semestra rolled her eyes. "Ranri's passionate and I am at least thankful that he has given me the chance to work with him, but he doesn't have a plan. Not that we have a plan now, just traveling to the Oracle and hoping for the best."

Duris chuckled. "Maybe. You've given me a lot to think about. Thank you for answering my questions."

"It's no problem at all. Shall I leave you to think to yourself?"

"I… I think I would like that. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Semestra shook her head. "You haven't done anything wrong."

Duris wasn't sure if Semestra was right. When she left him, he was left alone, thinking about what he could have done as a Dragonlord. He did remember the battles but there were no massacres that Semestra described. They were battles, and while war was harsh, he tried to be reasonable. Or at least, that's what he believed. And did he really let the Arkelander brothers fight their war in a brutal method? Semestra may think that he is innocent from that but she had unknowingly accused him of letting the Arkelander brothers run rampant, and he didn't even remember them. He hoped that the Oracle would be able to help him remember, even though he dreaded their upcoming reunion.

Korax knew that a fight was about to start.

The group had set up camp for the night. Duris explained that they would arrive at the Temple of the Oracle tomorrow. The group, exhausted from another day of walking, decided to rest first. Korax sat by a campfire with Cyrene, Halius, Yesleth, and Valros when his head perked up. He knew that a fight was about to start before it did. It was years of serving in the Epilektoi of Mytros that gave him the knowledge to know when they were going to be ambushed.

He wished it was an enemy attacking rather than his companions.

Korax glanced to the side. Phoebe and Argades were in conversation by a camp, taking occasional glances towards the lokhagos with anger in their eyes. Zyfon, with a look of worry, tried talking them down, but his words fell on deaf ears. Semestra and Ranri had yet to notice that Argades was preparing to start a fight alongside Phoebe, neither of them over Korax denying them a fight. The journey had been long and dull so he knew that they were ready to take out their frustrations on him.

He wasn't going to keep them waiting.

"Don't interfere," Korax stood up.

"Huh?" Cyrene blinked in confusion. "Don't interfere."

"You'll know when you see it," Korax said bluntly. "Don't interfere."

"You don't need to tell me twice," Valros yawned.

Korax strapped his shield to his arm and held his silvered dory in his free hand. He approached Phoebe's part of the camp, not bothering to hide his approach. The two stopped talking when they noticed their "guest" and stood up to confront him. There was a tense standoff with all three silent. Korax took a quick glance towards Zyfon and nodded off Duris' part of the camp. The satyr didn't need to be told twice and dashed off to get their guide.

"I'll be blunt," Korax stated. "I know you don't like me. I know you don't want me here. I know you're willing to risk the peace of the group because of this."

Phoebe nodded, then slowly pulled out her maul. "I don't like you. Just because we worked against the boar doesn't make us friends. You're a coward."

"I've been wanting to fight you ever since the Sour Vintage," Argades grinned, his hand reaching down to a club he kept holstered on his belt. "I'm tired of everyone doubting me. If I have to beat you down to prove to everyone what I can do, I can."

"What's the meaning of this," Duris walked forward with a frown. "We can settle our disputes with words."
Phoebe chuckled. "Don't waste your breath. I care little for words."

''Trust me on this, Duris," Korax glanced towards his companion. "I know what I'm doing."

Duris paused to think, then took a step back. "I don't want anyone to die tonight. That's all I ask."

"No one will die," Korax assured him, then looked back to Phoebe and Argades. "Let's fight. I'll take you both on at the same time."

"Big words coming from a coward," Phoebe chuckled again.

"If you want to make yourself a fool, be our guest," Argades pulled out his club.

"Seeing as how you agreed, might I ask you for a few moments to prepare myself for the fight?"

Phoebe and Argades looked at each other, then nodded. Phoebe turned back to Korax. "Take as much time as you need. It won't help you."

"I beg to differ," Korax threw his dory onto the ground, then unstrapped his shield to drop it too. "I'm ready."

Phoebe looked down at Korax's armaments. "What?"

"You heard me," Korax stepped forward, and although Phoebe and Argades were both taller than him, he stood his ground. "Hit me over the head with your maul. Do it. You're the daughter of Pythor. I don't stand a chance against you. So put me out of my misery."

Everyone in the camp was looking at Korax by now. Phoebe took a hesitant step backwards, shocked by her foe's words. Korax held back a grin over his plan succeeding. He knew that although Phoebe and Argades were eager to fight, they had a code of honor. They lived for the thrill of battle and that fighting someone unarmed wouldn't do anything for them. Korax knew he wasn't going to fight tonight but he needed to take a stand against them, to show that he was brave in spite of their frustration towards him.

"You're not worth the time," Phoebe grumbled, then turned and walked away.

"Seriously?" Argades glanced over his shoulder at Phoebe. "I thought we were going to teach him a lesson."

"You do it then," Phoebe sat down by her campfire, joined by Zyfon, who returned after seeing the tension fade away. "I'm done for the night. I'm tired and need to sleep."

"You may be able to learn a lesson tonight, Argades," Korax said, standing his ground. "Sleep on it."

Argades grunted, then without warning, slammed his club against the side of Korax's head.

Korax didn't think his plan would go out like this but he regretted that it had. He hunched over in pain and Argades raised his club up. Duris tried to run forward to get in between them but someone else interfered before he could. An arrow struck the club, knocking it out of the half-orc's hand. Korax glanced over his shoulder to see Cyrene already nocking another arrow on her bow; Halius was unholstering his bow to follow suit while Yesleth stood up, ready to charge in if needed.

"Argades, stand down," Duris commanded. "You're causing a scene."
By now, Argades was aware that everyone was turning against him. Even Ranri shook his head in disapproval. The half-orc, unable to move on from his frustration, turned around and ran away from the camp. Semestra stood up and chased after him, likely to talk to him. Korax bent down to pick up his equipment and decided against chasing after them. Argades wasn't going to leave the group so soon and his presence would only upset the half-orc.

"Give him time," Korax advised Duris. "He's young and brash. He just needs time to grow into his potential."

"I wasn't expecting that," Duris sighed. "You handled that well enough though."

"We should rest now. I won't cause anymore problems."

"I believe you on that," Duris nodded, then turned to head back to his bedroll.

Korax turned and approached his camp, focused on Cyrene. "I told you not to interfere."

Cyrene shrugged and sat down, lowering her bow. "You did. I was always terrible at following orders."

Korax chuckled. "That is true."

"Are you alright?" Yesleth asked Korax with a hint of concern.

"Just a headache, that's all," Korax shrugged. "The pain will go away with time, just as the hostility will."

Duris sat down on his bedroll, looking up at the night sky, the stars providing some light as the campfires died down. In his part of the camp, Thella and Kyrah were already asleep, although he was restless. Leira, humming to herself, was awake as well. By now, he believed that it was only the two of them still awake, as the rest of the camp rested. Duris glanced towards Leira, clasping his hands together.

"You know, you could have been the one to lead the group to the Oracle," Duris muttered. "You know the way."

"I do, but it had to be you," Leira whispered back with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Terrible," Duris shook his head. "I don't look forward to meeting Versi again. It's a confrontation I don't think I'm ready for."

"It's all part of your destiny," Leira reminded him. "You're here to save Thylea."

"I'm here because I fell for the Oracle's seductions and left behind my old life," Duris said bitterly. "I only hope that I can make the best of this somehow."
"And you will," Leira nodded. "You've done a great job so far."

Duris thought for several seconds, then shrugged. "Get some sleep, Leira. You don't have to stay awake for me."

"If you say so," Leira yawned. "Try to get some sleep, Duris. You'll feel a lot better."

Duris rested his head against his pillow. He hoped that he could stay asleep this time around, maybe by letting exhaustion claim him. He muttered to himself one last time before closing his eyes.

"Everything happens for a reason. Everything will work out in the end."

A/N: So, this took longer than I expected it to. I figured that this would be a longer chapter but I didn't expect it to reach 11,000 words. This puts me well on my goal finishing NaNoWriMo. Even with ten days left, I remain confident that I will be able to complete it.

This was a chapter focused on character interactions and a bit of foreshadowing. Moving on, we'll get to some action, but I wanted to show the different relationships forming between the characters.

Until next time.