Cough* *Cough* *Cough*

My eyes were shut as they were when I was being drowned. But that songstress' hands weren't on my neck anymore, and I could breathe easy.

I opened my eyes. I wasn't in that cave anymore, but back near the mountain, where Elise, her horse, and I, fell.

I felt my neck. Being suffocated and drowning underwater felt all too real, but I didn't feel wet after being under the water, and my boots were still on me, unharmed.

Ugh…my head. What was that dream? Or if it wasn't, where was the cave that I came from-

Elise. She must still be here if she wasn't in that cave.

I stood up and dusted myself off. I didn't feel poisoned, so that's a good thing.

"Elise!"

Huh. My voice was back to normal.

*whinny…*

That was her horse neighing in the direction of my left ear. And there she was, along with Elise. I went over to Elise and pulled her away from her horse.

"Elise. Elise, please get up."

I shook her. She grabbed my hands to stop me, and slowly opened her eyes.

I hugged her. "Thank the gods. I thought you were dead."

"…Dead? Where are we? Where's Adira?"

I looked at her and shook her head.

"What? Where is she?"

"Elise, don't stand up too quickly-"

*whinny…*

She looked behind me, and saw Adira.

"No! Adira-AUGH!"

"I got you…I got you."

"Get me over there! Please!"

It's as I feared-even with me holding her up during the fall, the weight of her horse may have sprained Elise's leg. With me as a crutch, she hobbled over to her horse. As soon as she got close, she let go and started crawling to her horse.

"It's okay Didi." She started looking through her horse's pack and pulled out her stave. "You'll be fine. Just…hang in there."

*whinny…*

A healing light enveloped her hands and staff as she tried to heal her horse. It wasn't looking any better.

"Come on…please work-please get better!"

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Elise. It's no good."

She shrugged my hand off. "No! She's still breathing! I can still try to save her! Just let me try!" She continued trying to heal her horse, but it still wasn't doing any good.

"We have to go, Elise. It's dangerous to stay here, what with those monsters out here."

She shook her head and continued trying to heal.

No good. I went in front of her and hand both my hands on her shoulders. "We have to go. Now."

"…Okay."

Her healing magic stopped. I carried her, moved her away from the horse, and set her down to a tree.

"I'm sorry, Elise, but we can't stay here. I'll…see what I can get from the saddle, and we'll head out. Okay?"

"…Okay."

It would save her the trouble of having to get her stuff, while looking at her dying horse. In the end, I could only shoulder her bag since the healing staff would be cumbersome.

"Come on, Elise. I'll hold you."

One hand over the other one's shoulder. Elise would be on my right side to help with her sprained leg.

"Umm, Weiss? Why not give me my staff to walk with?"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I can't heal this sprain, but I can at least use something to not burden us."

"…Alright."

I helped her over to her healing staff, back to her horse.

huff* *huff* *huff* *huff*

Elise grabbed her staff, and placed a hand on her horse.

"I'm sorry…Adira."

I was about to help her up, but she managed to stand with the support of her staff.

"Okay…you lead the way, Weiss."

How can't I? I was the only one with a weapon.

Strangely, the only way out of this forest was a path wide enough for both of us to go through. Not even the trees were blocking it. A way to get back, maybe.

…

The path we followed was clear, and the ground was hard enough for Elise to use her staff as a cane without any worry of mud. It was getting cold though as the snow was stopping, so much, that I gave Elise my cloak. I was already used to the cold.

"Are you doing alright?"

Elise nodded.

I smiled weakly. "Alright. Let's keep going."

That was the fourth hill we had to walk over-she was doing well, I hope. None of those hills was high enough to find out where we were headed. This path leading away from where we landed was the only path we were following-no forks whatsoever.

At least the clouds were thick enough to not warrant a lantern.

*hoothoothoothoot*

That's a terrible omen to follow.

I turned back to Elise. "Elise. Are you fine with me carrying you? I think we need to move quickly."

"…Yes."

I traded the bag for her staff.

She wore the bag.

I carried her on my back. She was surprisingly light.

This position would rob me of using the shuriken and kunai, but we could move a little faster.

…

And there it was. A fork in the path, but there wasn't any label or marking of where each path was leading to.

The clouds were clearing up, changing the "cloud lights" to moonlight. It was getting darker.

I got Elise off my back for a bit.

"I'll get our bearings."

Elise nodded. Hopefully, she wasn't feeling to down about losing her horse.

Now, the fork. After all the ups and downs, and the twists and turns of the path, I still remembered that we were south of the path from where we fell, this path was headed to the west, and the fork was headed northwest and southwest. If-

"Weiss? Weiss!" Elise forcefully whispered.

I looked at Elise, who was pointing to her left. Lights.

Hide.

I grabbed Elise and hid us in a nearby bush with a view of the path and forced her down. We were too close to the path, but there was no choice-the snow would give away our presence.

"Shh…"

I draped the cloak over us.

The light source was coming closer. As it drew closer, the light was just enough to see that Elise was also looking at the light.

"Fork in the road, just like the old maps. If we head left from here, it should take us back to Hoshido."

"Well done, ninja. Everyone, take a knee and we'll continue onwards."

Hoshidan ninja? Oh no…but it was strange. Why were they resting on a pathway? As shadowy and swift as they are, shouldn't they be keeping off the path?

"Gods, I'm tired. At least, we can finally relax."

"So, whose turn is it to lead, now that we lost Kaze?"

That's a third voice. Three of them.

"Doesn't matter. Why do you think we stopped following his orders when we got attacked by those things? Our own royalty was a fool in thinking he would be able to lead-do you have any more of that? I ran out."

"Sure, here." A small pause. "Why is Kaze called 'The Fool', anyways?"

"Beats me." Food in that one's mouth. "Probably some story involving his twin brother, Saizo."

"I…sort of know what happened."

There were four of them. That sounds about right for a scouting party.

"You guys know that Saizo's just a name for an ancestor-"

*snap*

I looked at Elise. She looked at me and shook her head. Okay, that wasn't us.

The banter of the soldiers stopped. There was no way of looking through the cloak, but I could see the light getting closer to us.

I had my hands over mine and Elise's mouth.

*hoothoothoothoot* *hoothoothoothoot*

The light stopped getting brighter.

"That's a terrible omen to follow," he muttered.

The light was dimming.

"What did you find?"

"I got spooked. It was just an owl."

"That's an omen. Anyone else?"

So, I'm not the only one who believes that.

"Footprints. Nohrian. But they stop here."

"We're not here for prisoners. Let's just get back to Hoshido-I'll lead."

The light was out of view, but I didn't unraveled the cloak, just yet.

…

From where we were, all four of them left on the right path. I guess that means we have to go left, retracing their footsteps.

Elise was back on my back.

Hopefully, this was the last time we would be seeing any Hoshidans, and if us going back the way they came from isn't a sign that we were headed to Windmire, then we might as well go to Hoshido and see about finding our way back there.

While on my back, Elise took the time to look through her bag and pulled out some rations and a lantern. Since my hands were busy carrying her, she held the lantern to light the way, and got the rations on my chin, nose and then into my mouth.

"Sorry," she said afterwards.

I could only smile. We were alive at least, and she was doing a lot better than before.

The path ahead of us was clearing up.

A stream. "Water," I said. "Have you had water from here, Elise?"

Elise shook her head.

"Let's try it."

The way there was rocky, but that didn't stop me from carrying Elise there. My throat was parched from those rations. The waters were safe here, so I let Elise have a drink from my waterskin after filling it with the water here. Meanwhile, I would have the water in my hands to drink. This was a relief beyond measure.

This stream is the only stream leading from the Northern Fortress. If you get lost, follow against the flow.

Captain's words. We were almost home. And with a renewed confidence.

The water was cold, so I rented part of the cloak, soaked it, and had it wrapped around Elise's sprain. But it seems like she could walk fine, even without the healing stave as a cane.

We followed the stream upwards.

…

We were at the base of a mountain. Looking up…we were back at the Northern Fortress!

"Elise, look up. We're back at the Northern Fortress. We're almost to safety."

"Thank the Gods. I thought-"

*rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble*

What the-?

A stone from the rock was moving nearby.

Quick. Stay close to the base of the mountain.

Elise followed me close to the mountain.

Two figures exited from the rock. It was the Ninja and the Flame Tribeswoman. They escaped?

"Well, we managed to get out. Can't believe you would decide to disarm all the traps."

"They believe in trapping their enemies as much as leading allies to an escape. If ever we do come back here, then we have a better chance of taking the tower."

"So, you're not the Fool that everyone takes you for."

"Believe what you will, Daughter of the Flame Chieftain."

*rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble* *rumble*

The two of them looked back at the rock as it was closing the path back-

*WROOOAAAR*

One of the monsters rushing towards them, and they couldn't hear it or its roaring because of that rock.

Help them.

What? No! We have a way back.

Help. Them.

Damnit. "LOOK OUT!"

The two of them saw us. I pointed behind them. They turned to see the monster there and moved out of the way before it punched where they stood.

Elise stood back as I prepared to fight it. I still had the shuriken and kunai.

Get around it. Attack its back!

Monster was too fast. It was quick to react that I was going for a blind spot!

*crack*

Someone threw a rock at its mask. The monster started to hold its head in pain. From where the rock was thrown-Kaze.

"Look for an opening! I'll distract it!"

The ninja was joining me in this fight.

Go between his legs! Attack!

"Haaaaah!" While stunned, I slipped between the monster legs and started attacking its back!

One. Two. Three. Four. Five-fall back! It's trying to get to you!

*SMASH*

I was out of reach, but a strange mist was emanating from the monster.

"It's healing itself! You need to beat it now!"

This monster was definitely tougher than the ones that I've faced before-it mask was off, showing a human face, demented by the size and appearance of the monster. By the Gods-THAT'S what's behind those masks!?

It was running towards me.

You are ready.

What?

Block. Then, attack.

Okay. Block the incoming attack.

The monster punches and it connects with the kunai, effectively breaking it and pushing me back.

But it didn't hurt. In fact, something strange was welling up inside of me.

Attack now.

Suddenly, a dream starts to play. I was playing the role of a wounded dragon. The enemy wasn't that monster, but another dragon.

It felt like I had gone through a long battle. The feelings in my claws was very weak. The other dragon looked barely harmed and ready to take me out as it roared loudly.

But I still had the energy for a desperate attack. I charged forwards and raised both claws to slash.

It leaps back and retaliates with its left wing.

No way of falling back, I move in with my body and ram into it!

It fall down-

Take my claws numerous times to take down one last enemy, before ending the battle with one last blast of fire from my stomach!

*WROOOAaaaarr…*

The dragon, now the strangely-faced giant, was defeated and going up in flames-the battle was over.

"AHHHH!"

Elise. "Elise!"

"Don't move!"

Rinkah had her on the ground in an arm bond. Elise tried to escape, but Rinkah twisted her arm to stop.

"You move a step, and I break her arm. Kaze, bind Lady Weiss' arms."

As Kaze was about to bring the rope out. I grabbed him and brought my kunai to his neck. "You don't think I don't know that you both don't have any weapons?"

"Huh. You're back to being a Fool, Kaze. And you, Princess Weiss, will you let your dear royal sister suffer further?"

Damnit! Her hostage was higher up the rung-what was I thinking!? "Just let her go, and I won't kill him."

I could see Elise's tears.

"I am sorry, Lady Weiss, but I have a mission to uphold."

What-

zip*

Something pricked my chest. A dart.

Everything suddenly went silent. It was getting colder.

*heartbeat* *heartbeat* *heartbeat* *heartbeat* *heartbeat*

I fell to my knees.

No. Get up!

heartbeat* *heartbeat* *heartbeat* *heartbeat*

I was on my hands.

Please get up!

*heartbeat* *heartbeat* *heartbeat*

My eyes…I couldn't…I couldn't…

*heartbeat* *heartbeat*

ELISE!

*heartbeat*