After recovering from the explosion and fall, all I could see was darkness. Once my eyes adjusted to the night, the sky showed only gray clouds illuminated by a white sphere. How's Silvia doing?

  "Damn it, why am I thinking about her? She abandoned me twice. Time to move on."

  I tried to stand. Pain shot through my legs. Covered in mud and wounds, I limped away from the laboratory. Just hoped the pursuit would start as late as possible.

  Hobbling through the swamps, I lost track of time. When the clouds finally parted, my strength gave out completely. I collapsed to the ground, sensing a scavenger creeping behind me, patiently waiting for my end.

  My body wouldn't obey anymore. I moved like a machine—get up, walk, fall, stand again. Pain had become so familiar I stopped noticing it.

  A gunshot.

  Someone stood ahead with a rifle in their hands. Right after the shot came a noise, like someone had thrown a sack of potatoes into water.

  "What're you doing lying around here, son? Oh boy, this is bad."

  Someone picked me up and carried me. I couldn't make out who it was, had no strength left. Don't remember the whole journey. My eyes kept opening and closing, but by morning I was lying by a campfire.

  "You're awake. Get up, I just got the fire going."

  I lifted my head and saw a man, though no, that wasn't right. His hair was gray, his face covered in wrinkles that betrayed his age. My head was splitting. Thoughts scattered.

  I got up and sat on a fallen log nearby. He handed me herbs and roasted meat into my hands.

  The meat was tough, but hunger transformed even this into a real delicacy. The old man watched patiently as I wolfed down the food in silence. Could tell he was clearly waiting for questions, but I decided not to ask any yet.

  He spoke first.

  "Not much of a talker, are you? Well, that's fine. The less you know, the better you sleep. But what were you doing in the middle of these swamps?"

  I wasn't sure if I should tell him the truth, so I decided to be evasive.

  "Lost my way."

  "Lost, huh... Yeah, these are the kind of places that're hard to wander into even on purpose. And your clothes are strange. Not from any village, that's for sure. From the capital?"

  I tensed, feeling anxiety beginning to pound inside me. The clothes weren't from the capital, but country folk could easily make that mistake. The old man noticed and smiled.

  "Don't be afraid, lad. I've got no need for your secrets. Just saying, if you're planning to head to the capital, we're going the same way. I'm heading there myself."

  I nodded. If he'd wanted to harm me, he wouldn't have saved me from that beast and dragged me to his fire. Besides, I didn't really have much choice.

  "Thanks for pulling me out."

  "Don't mention it. Couldn't just leave you here to die. Name's Gart, by the way. And you are?"

  I hesitated, then answered anyway.

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  "Luten."

  "Well then, Luten, pleased to meet you. Rest while you can. We'll be heading out soon."

  Gart stood and began gathering his things. I sat there, trying to collect my thoughts. Who was he? Why help a stranger? Why was he going to the capital? Questions swirled in my head, but exhaustion washed over me again and I automatically closed my eyes.

  I woke when the old man shook my shoulder.

  "Time to go, lad. It's dangerous to stay here long, and there's still the forest ahead. Better to cross it during daylight."

  I stood up, feeling my whole body protest. We stepped onto a barely visible trail. Gart walked confidently, as if he'd traveled this path many times before.

  "Do you come here often?"

  "Sometimes. I like the solitude, and here it's almost absolute. There's been trouble in the villages, and everything's getting more complicated with the otherworlders..."

  At the mention of otherworlders, I froze for a second. The old man noticed quickly and glanced at me over his shoulder.

  "You've met them, I take it?"

  "Something like that."

  I tried to deflect and looked away, but he clearly understood everything.

  Gart didn't question me further, for which I was grateful. Soon the silence broke with forest sounds—birds chirping, branches crunching underfoot, rustling leaves. Suddenly, somewhere to our right came a quiet crack.

  The old man stopped, putting a finger to his lips.

  I froze. A small figure slowly emerged from the bushes, stepping uncertainly through the grass on bare feet.

  It was a girl, looked about ten or twelve. She wore a dress, a city dress—they don't wear those in villages. The bright color of her clothes, even stained with dirt, contrasted sharply with the surroundings.

  "Ellionora! There you are."

  "Yes, Sir Gart. I've returned."

  "Meet Luten. Found him in the swamps, just like you."

  I was very surprised. Such a small girl ending up in the swamps—but how?

  Ellionora nodded carefully, clasping her hands in front of her and studying me intently.

  "Nice to meet you, Mr. Luten."

  She spoke quietly, as if not fully trusting the surrounding forest.

  I answered politely.

  "Same here. If you don't mind me asking... How did you end up here? This is a dangerous place..."

  The girl lowered her gaze, her lips trembling slightly. Her voice came out even quieter.

  "I was traveling with my parents from Hartwig to the capital. We stopped for the night, I stepped out of the carriage and accidentally wandered too far..."

  Gart gently patted her shoulder.

  "It's alright, young one. I promised to get you home, and I keep my word."

  We continued on, the three of us walking along the narrow trail. Ellionora walked between us, trying to stay close to Gart.

  After half a day of walking, we took a short break. I dropped onto the grass and closed my eyes, feeling my legs ache.

  "Master Luten, you're military, aren't you?"

  I tensed, nearly choking on a sip of water from my flask.

  "What makes you think that?"

  She smiled, shrugging innocently.

  "It's the way you carry yourself. Papa says soldiers have a special posture. And you're always on guard, like you're expecting an attack."

  I nodded awkwardly.

  "Used to be. That was ages ago."

  "I see."

  She pondered my answer but quickly turned her attention to the old man. He was silent, gazing toward the forest.

  Gart turned his head, looking at me with a slight smile.

  "What about you, Luten? What do you dream of? What will you do in the capital?"

  "Haven't figured that out yet. Right now I'm just focused on getting there in one piece."

  He nodded, smiling at the corners of his mouth.

  "That's true. Though reaching your goal is just the beginning. You still need to understand why you need it."

  I stayed silent, not finding an answer.

  "Why are you going to the capital yourself?"

  Ellionora wasn't just interested in me. The old man chuckled, adjusting the coals in the fire with a stick.

  "I have some unfinished business there. Sometimes us old folks need to settle old business."

  He looked at the girl, who quickly lowered her eyes.

  "Well, time to move on. We're losing daylight. Better to be far from these swamps before sunset."

  I stood up, brushing grass off my clothes. We set off again, but strange thoughts wouldn't leave me. This didn't feel right about how smoothly things were going. The otherworlders should be searching for me everywhere by now.

  What do you think about Silvia?