A few hours had passed before the group stopped looking behind them every moment. Alkibiades had managed to lead them through the dense woods and onto an old dirt road leading north. The path looked like it had been unused for a fair time. The grass and vegetation had begun to reclaim the narrow road. With the occasional fallen tree blocking the path. The woods around them got thicker as they continued north.

  “I’ve never seen these paths, how’d you know of them Abba Zabba?” Horren asked, chuckling at his new insult.

  “I’ve been a templar for a long time,” Al replied, not giving him any attention for butchering his name, he had heard it all before, at least this one was new. “And we haven’t always used the main roads to travel from town to town.”

  Horren grumbled an acknowledgment back but otherwise didn't say much else. Making Al wonder if the dwarf was actually curious or just bored. Either way things stayed fairly quiet for a while. Exhausted from the adventure thus far.

  They continued further for another hour before Horren chimed in again. “How much longer? I need a fuckin drink. Anyone? Fine, how about a break?”

  “Nine hell’s do you ever stop vomiting words, dwarf?” Malastare sighed, rubbing his temples.

  “Only when I'm vomiting booze ya, lanky shite” the naked dwarf laughed and gave Malastare a smack on his ass.

  Malastare stopped immediately and before the dwarf could take another step he had Horren pinned to a tree with his wicked black dagger digging into his throat.

  “Listen here you little shit, you have only survived this far because you helped save our lives. But I swear to every god you touch me, or so much as annoy me one more time and I will give you a personal tour of all nine hells. Are we clear?” Malastare seethed, an unnerving darkness in his eyes.

  “Wow, you really are no fun, are ya? Don’t worry princess, you’re not my type.” Horren replied in a low serious voice, the laughter and grin leaving his face. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence before Malastare pulled his blade away from Horren's throat.

  He began to walk off before stopping suddenly. He held his blade up once more, pommel towards Horren, as the air around him grew darker, shadows clinging around the blade.

  “Wait! Stop!” Al shouted at him, but it was too late.

  Malastare let out a beam of sickly shadows that blasted out like an arc of black lightning. Scorching past Horrens face by mere inches, finding purchase in something behind him. Followed by a thud in the bushes twenty feet into the woods. Then another voice appeared from the woods.

  “What the hell!? Oh gods no, no, no, no!” a man blurted out as he took off from behind a tree, running as fast as he possibly could away from the dark elf who had put a hole in the face of his friend. Malastare launched another blot of dark sickly lightning but missed, blasting chunks out of a tree instead.

  The next moment the stranger was gone. The dark elf lowered his dagger slowly, a scowl of annoyance across his face. Horren stared at him blankly, glad he had ducked the other direction even if only slightly. The tree behind him still simmering and blacked from proximity alone.

  “You’re not wrong though Horren,” Malastare said calmly. “The sun will be going down soon, and we could all use the rest. We shouldn’t be interrupted tonight.” He walked over to the man he just blew away, returning a few moments later tossing a flask to the dwarf. “Now shut up, please.”

  He then continued towards the girls, who were now staring in fear, as he pulled out a piece of bread from a satchel he acquired from his victim and took a bite. He handed the rest of the satchel gently to them, ignoring their shocked faces.

  “What the hell was that about?” Alkibiades asked, his eyes shifting between Malastare and the fallen body.

  “I dislike spies and bandits. It is best if they know not to bother us again.” Malastare replied with a tone of apathy, as he finished his snack.

  Al sighed as he processed the absurd group he had found himself in. He looked towards the girls, who were looking exhausted and sore, then at the dwarf, his scarred body mostly uncovered. Then back to Malastare who seemed unfazed aside from his more noticable irritation.

  “Okay, we still have another day until we reach the next town. We are going to want to find something a little less open than the middle of the road to camp for the night.” Al looked to his surroundings.

  The old dirt road they stood upon was only a few yards wide, its edges being reclaimed by the grass and weeds growing unkempt to either side. Tall trees with abundant branches and leaves lined the pathway that grew into dense forests as far as the eyes could see. Al knew if they ventured too far into the woods it would be difficult to find their way back to the old road.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Shortly after, the group came across a small alcove close to the path. It was a small hill that had been carved naturally leaving a small source of shelter. There was evidence they were not the first ones to find respite here, a blackened ring lay on the ground at the edge, remnants of campfires over the years.

  “This is perfect!” Marvel beamed hopefully through her increasing exhaustion.

  “It looks like it's kept others safe, so it should do the same for us, right?” Lillyth replied hopefully. “Good timing too, any longer and someone would have to carry me.” She finished, only half joking. She put her back to the wall of the alcove, and slid down until she was resting upon the earthen wall with her head in her hands.

  “Yes, safety guaranteed.” Malastare said, his sarcasm pouring through. “ but it is a place to rest.” he stood with his back leaning on a nearby tree, keeping his gaze to the woods that surrounded them.

  “Are you always so cynical?” Horren asked, only half interested, as he walked towards the back of the alcove, not even having to duck until he reached the end. It was a sloped cave, maybe ten feet back, and another fifteen wide. Not quite big enough for all of them, but enough for shelter for the night.

  “It is a necessary precaution I have found, not soon enough.” the lavender grey skinned elf replied. To which Horren merely grumbled half an acknowledgment before beginning to snore abruptly.

  Al let out a small chuckle “peace and quiet at last huh?” which brought a giggle from little Marvel and Aeyona, almost got a smirk from Malastare as well. “Well, we will need some wood for a fire tonight. Care to help Mal?”

  Malastare raised an eyebrow, “That’s not my name, and I think you can take care of it big guy.” as he looked back towards the expansive forest, not quite settled from the day. Alkibiades gave him a look of disbelief, and grumbled off into the woods alone into the darkening sky.

  After Al walked off, Malastare glanced over towards the girls in the alcove, who were sitting down leaning on each other looking rough. Dirty and barely keeping their eyes open.

  “You girls should really get some rest, your friend has the right idea,” as he nodded to Lillyth who was now deeply asleep in her hands snoring softly.

  “What if they catch up? Or someone else finds us?” Marvel asked, mild panic underneath, her exhaustion rivaling her fear of more dangers today.

  “We will take care of you, nothing will happen.” Malastare replied shortly, but not unkind. After a few quiet moments the small elf seemed to make up her mind as she got up and laid down next to Lillyth, falling asleep swiftly after. He looked back at Aeyona who had not moved, and raised an eyebrow again.

  “I’m not tired.” Aeyona responded quietly, pulling her legs to her chest. She began poking the dirt with a small stick absent-mindedly. Malastare didn’t question her further, he knew when people were done with a conversation, and by this point he was glad to have some quiet.

  After a few minutes in silence there was a rustle in the trees to the left of the alcove. Malastare had his dagger raised pommel first aimed at the sound in an instant.

  “Woah! Woah, it’s me, Calm down.” Alkibiades blurted out and nearly panicked. His arms were full of sticks and small logs, plenty of wood for a night of fire. Malastare slid his blade back into its sheath, and began to relax. He helped Al set the wood into a pile and set up a small campfire.

  Al reached into his bag and pulled out a flint and a rock from the ground. He began striking them together to get a spark. A minute or two later of failing to create any form of fire before Aeyona, who had still been drawing in the dirt, raised her hand towards the wood pile. She Snapped her fingers and pointed, and a small bolt of fire combusted from her hand and immediately caught the campfire ablaze, nearly catching Alkibiades, again, as well. Al looked at her with an irritated, furrowed brow.

  “What?” she asked

  “Couldn’t do that sooner?” he replied. Aeyona just shrugged, still quiet, and returned to drawing in the dirt.

  “Couldn’t you?” malastare dryly retorted, giving Al a sly look.

  Al let out a small sarcastic laugh. “So, Aeyona, right?” he waved a finger in her direction, “Where did you learn to do all that?” he asked, trying to steer the conversation away from sassing him some more.

  She did not respond for a short time, and the camp was silent except for the crackling of the fire, and the obnoxious snoring of Horren. The sun had set across the forest, leaving them in complete darkness beyond the flames. Slowly, softly she spoke up.

  “I’m not sure, really. I still haven’t really learned how to do anything. I just try to do something, and hope it happens. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t,” she paused for a moment,” and sometimes, something completely unexpected happens.” she said looking towards Malastare who was paying full attention to her.

  “Like today, when we met you. I was trying to get us out of there, trying to go anywhere else. But instead you showed up, and we didn’t leave. “ she continued.

  “Good news, we left together.” Al chimed in, trying to be positive.

  “We know, we carried you.” Malastare reminded him. Which provoked only silence and an annoyed stare back.

  “But that is intriguing indeed, most people I've known have studied and learned their magical talent over years. But not all of them,” malastare grew quiet, seeming to be lost in the past for a moment, before he snapped out of it. “Anyways, you have quite the natural talent. I'm impressed you have accomplished as much as you have.”

  Al looked shocked at the mere existence of Malastare’s kindness. Aeyona didn’t know what to say, she was not used to being complimented, most of her life people saw her as frantic and strange, or dangerous.

  “Thank you, is that how you learned what you can do?” she managed to mumble back.

  Malastare was quiet for a moment before responding, trying to find the right words. “I have spent a long time in books and practice to learn most of my skills,” he mindlessly ran his hand along his sheathed dagger. "Others have come to me, elsewhere."

  There was a long pause. No one dared to break it at first. Malastare said nothing more. His silence hung in the air.

  Eventually, Aeyona ventured gently, “You mentioned your home being gone, too.”

  Al leaned forward, brow furrowed. “Wait. Do you mean…” The words caught in his throat as Malastare turned to glare at him, cold, cutting, patient as a blade at someone’s throat.

  “Go on,” Malastare said coldly. “Where do you think I’m from?”

  Al hesitated. “The… Depths?”

  A muscle in Malastare’s jaw twitched. He didn’t raise his voice, but the bite was unmistakable.

  “Yes. Of course. I’m a dark elf, so I must be from the Depths.” His voice sharpened. “Because where else could I possibly come from, right?”

  Al looked away, ashamed. Aeyona said nothing.

  Malastare let the silence twist before driving the knife in.

  “No. I was born in the Arcana Kingdom. Raised there. Studied magic at the college longer than either of you have drawn breath.”

  That stopped them. Both stared at him, blinking.

  “…But the Arcana Kingdom’s been gone for ages,” Alkibiades muttered, disbelief creeping into his voice. “Since before I was born.”

  “I noticed,” Malastare said darkly. He stood slowly, gaze drifting toward the fire as its embers dulled. “Which is strange, because I was there yesterday.”

  The fire popped once. No one spoke.

  The crackling died to silence, save for Horren’s snoring and the soft stir of trees outside the cave.

  Aeyona turned her head to the moonlit sky, two moons now. The second had risen, marking the night's midpoint. But no one moved.

  Eventually, Alkibiades muttered, “Alright. I need rest. Don’t let anything kill us while I sleep.”

  He shuffled toward the back of the cave and laid down with a grunt.

  “Looks like it’s just us,” Malastare said quietly, only to notice Aeyona had fallen asleep where she sat.

  He exhaled.

  “…Alright. Just me.”