The campsite was buzzing. The moment Sou announced his discovery, a new energy coursed through everyone. A short meeting was called, a quick, unanimous decision was made, and within the hour, a small cohort of ten set off. Valerian, Sou, Rufe, Dhruba, and Anya disappeared into the woods, leaving the camp under Antheros’s care.

  As dusk settled, Antheros and Lisa, retreated to their treehouse. The rest of the camp followed suit, the rustling of leaves and the soft clicks of locks becoming the familiar rhythm of the night.

  Inside, as Lisa folded a pile of dry clothes, she glanced at Antheros. “How can they be so sure?” she asked, her voice hushed. “That rock, I mean.”

  Antheros let out a small, dry laugh. “That’s Sou for you.” She picked up a tunic and began folding it. “His ability is called ‘Architect.’ It’s why he’s the number one artisan in the Empire. He can create a visual of anything he wants to build. But it also lets him see the patterns in existing structures.” She gestured with her hand. “That little stone is like a blueprint to him. He could sketch out an entire city from it, let alone a cave system.”

  Lisa stopped folding and her eyes went wide. “Really?” A bright smile spread across her face. “That’s amazing! No wonder he’s so famous.”

  “He is indeed,” Antheros said, a touch of pride in her voice.

  Lisa turned to look out the small window at the darkening forest. She sighed. “But if they’ve already found a perfect place, why not take us there now? I know we’re safe here, but… sleeping in a treetop still feels risky.”

  Antheros nodded, her face grave. “I agree. But taking all of us there without a proper scout is a bigger risk.” Lisa looked puzzled, but Antheros continued, her voice low. “What if a daemon is hiding in that cave? We’d be walking into a deathtrap.”

  A look of shock crossed Lisa's face. I hadn’t even considered that, she thought to herself.

  Antheros continued. “No matter how desperate we are, we have to be patient and careful.”

  “You’re right,” Lisa said, nodding firmly as she finished folding the clothes. “So… do you think they’ll succeed?” she asked, a spark of hope in her eyes.

  Antheros smiled, a wide, confident grin. “Of course they will. They have Valerian with them.”

  Meanwhile, Valerian and his cohort of ten were climbing non-stop, their feet burning with every step. They had been on the move for five days, barely resting.

  Valerian finally stopped, holding up a hand. “Can we stop and rest now?” he asked the group. He saw the fire in their eyes—the energy of finding a new home was more powerful than their aching legs—but he also saw the exhaustion etched on their faces. "I know we’re in a hurry," he said, his voice soft, "but we need to rest." He looked each person in the eye. "Let’s find a place to camp.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “But, my lord,” Anya said, stepping forward. “We need to—”

  Valerian held up his hand again. “I know. But our camp is safe. We’ve scouted a five-kilometre radius around it. There are no monsters there, only a few wild animals. There’s no need to rush. We’ll rest for the night and continue in the morning.”

  He turned to the middle-aged man who had found the stone. "How much farther?"

  The man, who was just dropping his bag, perked up immediately. “My lord, I think we have another day’s journey in this direction.”

  “A day, is it?” Valerian pondered. “Good. We’re already travelling at an exceptional pace.” He couldn’t help but feel a little pride; his house members were all physically well-built, and it showed.

  Soon, a small camp was set up. Rufe secured the immediate area, while Dhruba laid out mechanical traps along the perimeter. Valerian took a deep breath, savoring the rich aroma of the stew brewing over the fire.

  "This smells amazing," he said to Mike. "Lisa is a wonderful cook."

  "She is, my lord," Anya agreed, taking a large spoonful.

  Anya watched as her lord enjoyed the stew, his eyes betraying a hint of anxiety as his foot tapped a silent, restless beat. She smiled. “Anxious, my lord? For your child, perhaps?”

  “Ha!” Valerian said, looking up. He glanced down at his foot and chuckled. “Looks like my body has a mind of its own.” He met her gaze. “Yes, I am a bit anxious. This is the first time I’ve been away from Azuma for so long. I know he and Antheros are safe, but it’s still… uneasy.”

  Anya swallowed her food and said, "Don't worry. They have the best trap system, thanks to you and Virkam. And Antheros is there, too."

  "I know," Valerian said, his voice trailing off.

  "And Virkam is also there. You have nothing to worry about," Anya repeated, trying to reassure him.

  "Hmm." Valerian frowned, an unshakeable feeling nagging at him. He forcefully buried the thought. He needed to focus on finding a safe haven for the people who had trusted him. "Virkam," he murmured.

  "What was that, my lord?" Anya asked.

  "Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "Finish your food. Let’s get some sleep.”

  Meanwhile, at the base camp, Virkam knelt and bowed to a shimmering projection of a communication crystal. A woman in a regal red dress appeared before him.

  “Well?” the empress asked.

  “It is as you suspected, empress,” Virkam said, his voice low and formal. “They have a trinket with instant teleportation. They did not surrender it.”

  “As I thought,” she said, a chilling smile on her face. “And how are they faring?”

  “Well for exiles,” Virkam replied. “But I fear they will soon find a place to settle. With a forge master, a incriptor, a builder, and a runesmith, they will be unstoppable. They will build a city, perhaps even a kingdom.” He paused. “You were right, my lady. These people are dangerous if left unchecked.”

  “Hmm.” The empress was silent for a moment, her eyes glinting. Then, a dark purpose solidified on her face. “This is your mission, Virkam. Eliminate them and bring me the teleportation circle. I know Antheros and the others will be hard to kill, so kill as many of the commoners as you can. A reduction in helping hands will cripple their progress.” Her tone dropped to a menacing whisper. "And that boy… kill him.”

  The projection flickered and died. Virkam stood up, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face. “Yes, Empress Armada,” he whispered to the empty air.