Chapter 4
The Paladin and the Warlock
Erthos looked at the mounted woman with a surprised look plastered across his face. Zhantara, as Zyathri had called her, looked to him and gave him a sly smirk. She looked back to her sister, still smirking.
"Your boyfriend looks surprised" she said, letting out a chuckle, nodding her head slightly in Erthos' direction. Erthos felt his cheeks redden slightly, and Zyathri's grip on her sword tightened.
"Zhantara….what are you doing here?" Zyathri managed to say through clenched teeth. The woman remained quiet for a moment, still smirking as her gaze returned to Erthos, looking him up and down, as if scrutinizing him.
"Oh, wouldn't you like to know..." she finally said, brushing some of her hair behind her ear. Erthos remained silent as he looked at Zhantara. His mind had told him it was for the best if he remained silent.
"Yes, actually, I would" Zyathri responded, irritation starting to show itself in not only her voice, but her face as well. Seeming to catch the hints of irritation and annoyance, Zhantara looked back to Zyathri.
"Very well then" she said, the same smirk still showing itself. "In truth, Lor'themar sent me, sister. He is getting impatient. What are you doing here in the Plaguelands? The Undercity is that way." Zhantara raised a hand and pointed down along the path they had not long come along.
Zyathri looked to where Zhantara was pointing before sighing slightly, sheathing her weapons. She looked back to her sister as she sat atop her mount.
"The amulet that we were asked to take to Sylvannas was identified as a Scourge item." Zyathri said, explaining to Zhantara what was happening. Erthos wasn't sure, but it looked as if Zhantara's smirk faltered slightly at the mention of the Scourge. "Sylvannas said we should take it to the Argent Dawn, so that is what we're doing."
The female remained quiet for a moment before simply nodding, as if what Zyathri had told her was acceptable. Turning her head slightly, she once again turned her attention to Erthos.
"And what's the matter with you, little boy?" Zhantara said with a devious grin. "Afraid of the big, bad female warlock?" It was obvious to Erthos that she was tormenting him, and it was working.
Erthos looked at the other warlock as her gaze bored into him. He took a step back, wondering what he should say in response. He could feel sweat starting to form on his forehead, which he promptly wiped away with the sleeve on his robe. His eyes glanced over to Zyathri who looked back at him, a look of apology seeming to be present in her eyes.
"No, not really." Erthos finally said, composing himself and taking a step towards Zhantara again, looking her straight in the eyes. The female warlock remained quiet for a moment before letting out a slight laugh, shaking her head.
"Whatever you say, little boy" she said in a tormenting tone of voice. She then returned her gaze to Zyathri and nodded softly.
"I will return to Silvermoon and inform Lor'themar of your situation…" she said. A tormenting grin seemed to spread across Zhantara's face as she looked at Zyathri. "Have fun with your little boyfriend." With a laugh, Zhantara pulled on the reins of her mount, causing it to speed back into the depths of the Plaguelands.
"He is not my…" Zyathri said as Zhantara rode off before sighing, shaking her head slightly. Erthos watched her quietly for a moment as she walked back over to the near by pool of water, sitting down beside its calm surface.
Closing his eyes, Erthos tried to block out the taunting words that Zhantara had spewed forth. Unfortunately, the more he tried to block them out, the louder they seemed to get. With a slight sigh he moved and sat down beside Zyathri.
"So…she is your sister?" he said, breaking the silence that was descending on them both. Zyathri nodded slightly in response, but made no move to say more. Getting the impression that talking about her sister was something that Zyathri didn't want to do, Erthos remained quiet.
It was some time before either of them made any motion to move. Zyathri stood up, straightening her hair slightly with her hands before looking down to Erthos, offering him a hand to stand up. Taking the hand, Erthos stood up beside her.
"We best get some rest" she said, looking over to where the sun was setting behind some hills in the distance, shadows starting to cast across the land, bringing about a slight chill. Erthos nodded in agreement.
"Where did you have in mind?" Erthos asked, looking around. It wasn't as if there was an Inn nearby where they could spend the night. Zyathri raised her hand and pointed to a small cave opening not to far from them.
"Assuming it's clear, we can stay in there for the night" she said. Without waiting for a response, Zyathri took out her sword and readied her shield, moving quickly to the cave as the sky above them rapidly grew darker.
"We need to hurry. Being caught in the Plaguelands at night will result in some very bad things happening" Zyathri said as she stood at the mouth of the cave. Checking over her shoulder to make sure Erthos was following her, and giving him a slight smile, she moved into the cave, prepared for anything.
After a few minutes of looking around the small cavern, Zyathri was happy that the cave was indeed empty and safe for them to stay in. She had even checked to make sure there hadn't been any signs of other creatures nesting in the cave. The last thing they wanted was something like a bear coming after them whilst they slept because they were in its own bed.
"When its morning, we will make haste for the Eastern Plaguelands" Zyathri said as started to rummaging in her bag around her waist. With a faint smile, she pulled out two, rather large looking covers. "Enchanted bags." She said with a smile as she saw the slightly surprised and confused look on Erthos' face.
"Fair enough" he said as he took one of the covers as Zyathri passed it to him. The two of them lay down in the cave, the only light now being provided coming from the moon outside as it made its path across the sky.
"Goodnight Zyathri" Erthos said quietly as he closed his eyes, shifting slightly as he tried to get comfortable on the cave floor.
"Goodnight…Erthos…" Zyathri said quietly as she looked at Erthos in the dark. She remained awake for a short while afterwards, watching Erthos quietly as he slept before she too fell into a deep sleep.
When Zyathri awoke, she was alone in the cave. A wave of panic went through her body as she looked to where Erthos had been laying last night, now only his cover remaining. As she stood up, the smell of cooked meat hit her and her stomach growled at her slightly.
Taking hold of her sword, she cautiously moved to the mouth of the cave. As her eyes adjusted to the bright sun outside, her worry vanished. Sitting next to a small fire was Erthos. Zyathri relaxed slightly, glad to see that he was ok, and put away her sword.
"Morning" she said as she moved over to Erthos, putting her hand to her mouth as she stifled a yawn. Erthos looked up at her as she stood beside him and offered her a smile. Sitting on flat rock, that rested on some smouldering wood and ash, next to Erthos was a small collection of well cooked meat with another pile of raw meat just beside it on a separate piece of rock.
"Where did you get the meat from?" Zyathri asked as she sat down next to Erthos. Even though the sun was starting to shine in the sky, Zyathri could tell it was still early. Large amounts of the area around them were covered in a fine mist, and there was a chill in the air. Thankfully, the small fire that Erthos seemed to have made was providing ample warmth.
"The wildlife in the area" Erthos said as he picked up a piece of raw meat and skewered it onto the end of a stick which he then held over the fire. "I used to go out on adventures a lot when I was younger with my friends. We learnt how to live off of the land by hunting our own food. Cooking is something I have always enjoyed."
Erthos smiled slightly as his eyes glazed over, his mind thinking back to those times in the past when he and his friends would camp out under the stars, simply enjoying the peace and quiet. Shaking his head slightly, he looked to Zyathri.
"Thankfully, this knife is sharp enough to skin and carve up anything I managed to get" he continued with a chuckle. "Here, try some." Reaching over to the stone, Erthos picked up a piece of well cooked meat and offered it to Zyathri. She took the meat in her hands and took a small bite out of it, noting that thanks to the fact the rock it was on was sitting on top of some smouldering wood, the meat was still warm.
"That's actually rather good" Zyathri said as she took another bite of the tender meat, savouring the taste. Erthos looked at Zyathri and let out a slight laugh.
"Don't sound too surprised" he said, shaking his head slightly as he made a quick check on the piece of meat he was cooking. Zyathri offered a smile as an apology and quickly finished the meat, slightly licking her lips afterwards.
"I don't suppose you have a drink to wash it down?" she said with a smirk, stretching out her arms in front of her for a moment. Erthos shook his head slightly before removing the now cooked meat from the stick.
"Im afraid not." He said passing Zyathri another piece of meat, which she readily took. "I found some fruits, but they didn't look to appealing or friendly, so I left them where they were." Picking up another piece of meat, Erthos took a bite and chewed happily.
"Good job I have some water then" Zyathri said as she took a break from eating the piece of meat she had to reach into her pouch and remove a bottle of purified water. "What will you be doing with the rest of the meat though?" she asked, pointing to the pile of still raw meat and the small pile of cooked meat.
Erthos looked at the two piles of meat as he finished munching his own piece. Once he had swallowed it, he reached over to a pile of leaves that were resting just to the side of them. The leaves looked to be rather large in size, and a very lavish green.
"These grow near to where I grew up" Erthos said as took one of the leaves and placed it on his lap. "They are brilliant at preserving food." To show Zyathri what he meant, Erthos scooped up the remaining raw meat and placed it on the large leaf before folding it over and over, then tying it in place with a long piece of vine.
"Impressive" Zyathri said with a slight nod, taking a sip from the water before passing it to Erthos who also took a sip. Pleasant company and a good cook… Zyathri thought to herself as she looked at Erthos, smiling slightly. He is just full of surprises…
The two of them remained in front of the cave for a short while, continuing to eat some of the cooked meat. Once they had both had their fill, Erthos wrapped up the remaining meat and made sure it was sealed up. He passed them to Zyathri who happily placed them in her enchanted bag before going into the cave and collecting their two covers as well.
"We best get going" Zyathri said as she walked out of the cave. The mist had all but vanished now, the sun providing ample warmth across the area. The small fire had now died out and Erthos was brushing himself down and pushing his long hair into place.
"We just following the path?" Erthos asked as he looked down the winding road that lead into the Plaguelands. Zyathri took a few steps down the road and stopped, placing her hands on her hips.
"No, that would be foolish" she said, shaking her head and looking to Erthos. "The path would lead us right through Andorhal. We would get over run with Scourge before we even made it a foot into the town." Zyathri closed her eyes as she plotted their course in her mind.
Too far south and we run into the Alliance at Uther's Tomb… Zyathri thought to herself, trying to depict the locations in her mind. To far north, though, and we will run into Hearthglen and the Scarlet… Zyathri opened her eyes once more and let out a sigh. No matter what path they went along, they were at risk.
"We will travel past the south of Andorhal" she finally said, looking to Erthos who simply shrugged. Unlike Zyathri, who knew the layout of the area relatively well, Erthos had never been anywhere near the Western Plaguelands, so had no idea where anywhere was.
"We don't want to go to far south, though…" Zyathri continued, looking in the direction of Uther's Tomb. "The Alliance likes to go to the tomb of Uther the Lightbringer. If we stick to the wilds and avoid the path, though, we should be fine." Zyathri looked to Erthos to make sure he understood. Erthos offered a slight nod, showing that he was aware of the risks they were taking in travelling through the Plaguelands.
"Lets get moving whilst it's light, then" Erthos said, motioning for Zyathri to lead on by waving his arm slightly. Zyathri smiled slightly and nodded, walking along side the path with Erthos in tow.
Thankfully, even though they were in a territory that was known for its danger, their journey towards the south pass by Andorhal was eventless. As they walked, they spoke to each other, discussing Erthos' training and how he can better manage his energy. It was whilst they were in the middle of such a discussion that Zyathri brought them to a sudden stop.
"Someone's coming…" she whispered as she quickly dragged Erthos into hiding in some bushes. They both remained stock still as a group of Scourge came bounding down the path a short distance away from them, running away from Andorhal. Zyathri was so focused on the group on the path that it was to late that she realised Erthos and herself weren't alone.
"Give us your tasty flesh…." came a snarled remark from behind them; quickly followed by a loud cry as a Scourge undead lunged at Zyathri. Without thinking, Erthos rolled out of the way, grabbing Zyathri with him as he did, causing the Scourge to narrowly miss her and go tumbling through the bush.
Zyathri looked down at Erthos as they came to a stop with her lying on top of him. She blinked for a moment, a mixture of surprise and confusion on her face. Erthos looked back up at her, blushing slightly, hoping she didn't notice his reddening cheeks. As fast as she could, Zyathri was back on her feet, sword and shield at the ready as she jumped through the bush. On the other side, the Scourge was waiting for her, along with the previous group, all snarling and hissing.
"Erthos, get here now!" Zyathri called out as the Scourge started to slowly advance, cackling maniacally at the lone Blood Knight. Erthos was quickly at Zyathri's side, mentally preparing himself to let loose with his limited magic. At the sight of Erthos, the Scourge seemed to be repulsed slightly, causing Zyathri to raise an eyebrow slightly.
"Stay close to me…" Zyathri said quietly to Erthos. "And whatever you do, do not move out of the circle…" Erthos began to ask what circle but stopped short as Zyathri knelt down suddenly, placing her hand on the ground and letting holy energy arc outwards in a circle.
The Scourge that were to close let out a cry of pain as the holy energy twisted around their feet and up their legs, causing them to fall face first into the circle. Their cries reached outwards, echoing in the area around them as they writhed and tried to get out of the circle in vain. The remaining Scourge started to hiss and spit at Zyathri and Erthos as they started to walk around the circle, as if waiting.
"How long can you keep this up?" Erthos asked quietly, charging up a shadow ball in his hands.
"As long as I need…" Zyathri replied, frowning slightly as she watched the Scourge. Erthos glanced at her, already noticing that keeping the holy energy constantly channelled was starting to take a toll on her.
Without warning, one of the Scourge undead decided to lunge at Zyathri over the circle, trying to knock her out. Both Erthos and Zyathri let loose with their attacks, Zyathri's shield colliding with the undeads stomach, and Erthos' shadow ball sending it flying away to land with the other Scourge.
After a few more minutes of a stalemate the Scourge started to slowly walk away, occasionally turning back to look at the two blood elves. As soon as they were out of sight, Zyathri let out a sigh and the holy energy rapidly vanished. Bringing her hand to her head, Zyathri stumbled slightly, quickly being steadied by Erthos.
"Easy there, I've got you" he said as he held onto Zyathri. Glancing around, he led her off of the path and into a secluded area, trying to remain out of sight. Resting against a tree, Zyathri tried to focus.
"I will be ok…" she said quietly, her eyes closed, her head resting back against the tree. Erthos watched her quietly as she slowly drew in a breath and exhaled, feeling her energy slowly return to her.
"That was a close one" Erthos said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure there wasn't anyone sneaking up on them. Zyathri nodded slightly as she pushed away from the tree, still feeling slightly wobbly even with her strength returning to her.
"That's why we need to be careful" she said, also looking around to make sure the two of them were safe. "Come on, let's get moving. We don't want to stay in one place for to long. Not around here, at least." Erthos nodded in agreement and followed close behind Zyathri as they moved through the trees and bushes, getting ever closer to their destination.
Making sure to stay quiet and hidden, the two of them slowly moved around the outskirts of Andorhal, all the while keeping a vigilant eye for any signs of Scourge coming towards them.
It wasn't long before the ruined town was behind them and starting to get smaller. Even though they had made it past what was essentially the Scourge capital, Zyathri made sure to remind Erthos that there were still plenty of hazards they could run into.
"There are regular attacks along these paths" Zyathri said as the two of them walked slowly along the well beaten path. "The Scarlet to the north often come down and attack any Scourge they find. They wouldn't hesitate to attack us, either."
Erthos nodded slightly in agreement. He himself had only had the one encounter with the Scarlet, but it was not a pleasant one, even if he had managed to get his nice staff from the experience.
Whilst they walked, Erthos took the time to practise his magic more, once again working on his shadow bolt spell. The more he practiced the spell, the easier it was coming to him, and the less toll it took on his body.
"A tip for you" Zyathri said eventually, having been watching Erthos with slight interest. "Clear your mind and don't try to force the issue." Erthos looked to Zyathri as she gave him pointers. He shrugged slightly and cleared his mind, trying to forget where they were, forget about the amulet that rested in a small pouch inside his robes.
"If you're finding it hard, try to focus your mind on something pleasant" Zyathri offered as she looked at Erthos' face, noticing the slight struggle he was having in trying to clear his mind.
Something pleasant? Erthos thought to himself as he looked at his hands. His mind tried to look for a pleasant thought to focus on. Various images went through his mind, an image of Charan and himself running through the woods, the feeling of when he had first managed to conjure a shadow bolt. Even an image of the fantastic Silvermoon City came up as an idea.
It was then that his mind settled on a choice. His mind flooded with the image of Zyathri, standing on the balcony in the inn, wearing her robe that gently swayed in the breeze, her face illuminated by the moon light. Erthos grasped that image in his mind and held his hand out in front of him.
The energy gathered in his hand as it normally would, only this time it was faster, and it wasn't just a deep purple like usual. Various flakes of green energy started to form and rotate around the energy ball. Erthos could feel the power emanating from the ball floating mere millimetres above his hand, could feel it coursing up his arm, whilst at the same time it started to drain his own energy.
Before any lasting damage was done, Erthos threw the energy ball away from himself, watching as it collided with a tree. The area where the tree was hit shattered into tiny splinters that rained over the immediate area, followed swiftly by the tree collapsing down onto the path. Erthos looked at the tree, then to Zyathri who looked a mixture of surprised and stunned.
Erthos opened his mouth to say something, but his legs promptly turned to jelly, causing him to fall backwards. Zyathri's arm shot out like lightning, grabbing hold of Erthos and catching him before he hit the ground. She looked at him with a slight smirk and shook her head.
"What on Azeroth did you think of?" she asked him as she helped Erthos sit down on the ground before offering him some water. Erthos took the water and took a huge gulp of it, feeling its cool contents run down his throat. He couldn't really tell her what he had chosen, could he?
"I thought about…Silvermoon" Erthos said quietly. He knew it wasn't the complete truth, but he didn't want to suffer the embarrassment and torment that could come from being honest with Zyathri.
"It must have been an impressive picture" Zyathri said, sitting down beside Erthos. "What you just achieved was a Chaos Bolt, something that is far above your current level of experience." Zyathri turned her head slightly and looked at Erthos, who was starting to look very tired. "Although it has certainly taken its toll on you."
Erthos smiled weakly and nodded. She was right. He felt like he had been awake for the last two days without any rest. Zyathri let out a faint laugh as she stood up and offered her hand to Erthos.
"It is probably best you don't go using that spell for a while" she said as Erthos took the offered hand, being pulled up to his feet. "Not until your body can handle it a bit better."
"I think your right" Erthos said, his legs still feeling somewhat weak. Once Zyathri was certain that Erthos could walk safely again, the two of them continued on walking towards the Eastern Plaguelands. Above them, the sun was bearing down, the immense heat cooking the two of them with no cool breeze to offer respite.
They often stopped as they slowly made their way, having to rest in the shade of rotten trees. Eventually, they came to a large lake, the surface shimmering softly in the blazing sun. They both stopped, looking at the cool water as it lapped against the ground.
"Do you think it's clean?" Erthos asked as he leant down next to the lake. Zyathri did the same and inspected the water. She stood back up again and stretched slightly.
"To drink? Definitely not" she said, shaking her head. "To bathe in, however, it will be acceptable." Erthos looked up at Zyathri with a slight shocked expression on his face, his cheeks turning red at the thought.
"Bathe?" he asked, trying his hardest not to stutter. Zyathri nodded as she moved to a nearby outcropping of rocks where she placed her swords and shield, followed by her shoulder guards and gloves.
"Yes, bathe" Zyathri said, looking over to Erthos and placing her hands on her hips. "I have been swimming in my own sweat for some time now. My armour seems to be brilliant at absorbing the heat. And im willing to bet you're not exactly cold in those robes, hmm?"
Erthos opened his mouth to respond but resigned himself to simply nodding. She was right. He also felt like he was swimming in his own sweat. The robe he was wearing was much too thick to be wearing in a location where the sun was trying its best to roast them alive.
"Good, now go and get us some fresh meat and some wood." Zyathri said, returning to removing her armour. "I think you have seen enough of my body, don't you?" Erthos once again blushed heavily. "You've certainly seen more than most…" Erthos didn't quite catch the last thing Zyathri said but simply nodded slightly, walking away in search of provisions.
Thankfully, the area around where they were was thick with trees, and offered ample protection from anyone looking to find them. It wasn't long before Erthos had gathered together enough wood that he could no longer carry anymore. As he was about to walk back into the open, he caught sight of Zyathri.
She stood at the edge of the lake, still wearing her Blood Knight tabard, but from what Erthos could tell, not much else. Her back was turned to him as she took a step forwards, dipping her foot into the cold water. From Erthos' view point, she seemed to relax as her foot submerged under the surface of the water.
Erthos watched on quietly as Zyathri placed both her feet in the water and simply stood there for a few moments, seeming to be just enjoying the feeling. It was then that she pulled her tabard of the top of her head and lazily threw it to the ground behind her. Erthos tried to look away from the site before him as he felt his cheeks burn furiously, watching as the shapely Zyathri slowly walked further into the water before vanishing under its surface.
After regaining his composure and feeling certain that his cheeks were no longer glowing, Erthos quickly walked back into the open, carrying the wood with him. Zyathri seemed to be swimming slowly in circles as he placed the wood down. If she saw him there, she made no move to show it, and Erthos quickly left the area to go looking for fresh food.
By time he came back with some meat and what looked to be edible berries, Zyathri was out of the water and wrapped in a thin robe that Erthos assumed she had taken from her enchanted bag. Her back was to him again, and she trying to dry her hair.
"How was the water?" Erthos managed to choke out as placed the meat on a flat rock near by. Zyathri turned and looked to Erthos, nodding slightly.
"It was nice" she said, placing her towel down on the ground so it could dry out in the sun. "Nice and cool. I feel much better for it." She looked at Erthos quietly for a moment, taking note of the beads of sweat that had formed on his brow, and how some of his long hair was sticking to his face. "Perhaps it best you take a quick wash as well?" she suggested.
Erthos looked to the water then to Zyathri. The idea was very tempting. He longed to feel something nice and cold instead of the sweltering heat he was currently feeling. He looked back at the water, a slightly uncertain look starting to show on his face that made Zyathri chuckle under her breath.
"If you're worried about me looking, just say, and I won't look" she said, moving over to Erthos and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Although…it would only be fair, seeing as you saw more of me in Silvermoon, hmm?"
Erthos closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands as Zyathri walked past him laughing slightly. She seemed to get a lot of enjoyment out of teasing him. With an exasperated sigh, he removed the belt from around his waist and placed it next to Zyathri's armour. He paused for a moment before pulling his robe over the top of his head, his skin instantly thankful for being able to breathe a bit more freely now.
Zyathri looked over to Erthos as he moved to the water. All that was left on him now was his trousers. She raised an eyebrow slightly as she looked him up and down, noting his thin physique, but also that he looked to be rather toned.
As quick as a flash, Erthos had removed his trousers and was straight in the water. Spoilsport… Zyathri thought to herself with a smirk as she watched Erthos emerge from under the surface of the lake. From what she could tell, he looked to be enjoying the fresh water as much as she had.
By time Erthos was finished in the water, the sun had started to set and a cool breeze was finally making its way through their small encampment. Erthos made quick use of the towel once he was out, using it to cover himself, allowing the remaining sunlight to dry him off.
"What are we eating tonight then?" Zyathri asked Erthos, glancing over to him as he stretched himself out on the ground. Cooking was something that Zyathri had never quite grasped how to do. She had always had her meals prepared for her. She only knew enough to get by in a pinch.
"Well…" Erthos said, opening his eyes and looking over to Zyathri. "We have some meat, plus the meat in your bag, but I found some clean looking herbs that I can add to them for some extra flavour. Plus some nice looking berries." Erthos nodded to where he had placed the various provisions that he had managed to gather from before.
"I look forward to eating it then" Zyathri said with a nod, looking back out across the lake. Erthos also turned his gaze across the lake, noticing that a lot of the mist that had been floating around it earlier was now receding.
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to a structure on an island on the far side of the lake. Zyathri looked to where he was pointing and nodded slightly with a faint smile.
"That is Scholomance" she said, sitting up and bringing her legs to her chest. "It is a school for those interested in magic." Erthos sat up, obviously interested in the school. Zyathri saw the interest peak in Erthos and smiled slightly.
"Unfortunately, the school has become corrupted since the arrival of the Scourge." She said quietly. Erthos' smile faded away and he let out a quiet "Oh", looking down at the ground. Noticing the sudden shift in Erthos mood, Zyathri reached out and placed a hand on his arm.
"I can take you there when we are done, if you would like?" she offered, giving Erthos a slight smile. "Although it is dangerous for those not prepared, I would have little trouble in taking you through those halls." The suggestion seemed to greatly cheer Erthos up who suddenly moved over and hugged Zyathri.
"Id like that" he said with a huge smile, still hugging a slightly stunned Zyathri. Regaining her composure, Zyathri gently patted Erthos on the back.
"Although…" she said slowly. "You might want to cover yourself with the towel again." Erthos suddenly froze as he became aware that in his sudden movement to hug Zyathri in thanks, the towel wrapped around his waist had come undone and dropped away.
His cheeks turning a heavy shade of red, he grasped the towel and quickly covered himself. Zyathri couldn't help but laugh as Erthos moved over to his robe and pulled it on over his head before letting the towel drop to the floor again.
Wanting to avoid any further embarrassment, Erthos busied himself with setting up the fire and preparing the food for them to eat. It didn't take him long to prepare the food, nor that long to have it fully cooked either. Soon, he and Zyathri were quietly eating their food around their fire, the sky above a vivid shade of crimson.
"Sorry about earlier" Erthos said quietly, finally breaking the silence between the two of them. Zyathri tried to suppress her smile as she glanced over to Erthos.
"Im not complaining" she said as she took a bite out of the seasoned meat, enjoy the flavour of the meat as she chewed on it slowly. Once again, Erthos found himself blushing as he hurriedly took a bite out of his own food.
Neither made another sound as they finished their food, both unsure of what to say. Soon, the sky above was pitch black, save for the twinkling of stars and the moon hanging quietly.
"I think its time we got some sleep" Zyathri finally said, looking to Erthos. "We might be able to make it into the Eastern Plaguelands tomorrow." Erthos nodded with a smile as Zyathri stood up and went to her bag, pulling out the large covers from before.
Erthos took one and set it down on the ground, lying down on top of it. Even with the cool breeze, the air was warm enough that he didn't need to use the cover for the time being.
Zyathri did the same, setting hers down a few feet from Erthos, placing her sword within arms reach, before lying down, staring up at the stars.
"Good night, Erthos" she said quietly, stifling a yawn. Erthos turned and looked to Zyathri, taking a moment to admire her features in the moonlight.
"Good night, Zyathri" he responded before closing his eyes, letting himself drift into a deep sleep.