Another tree shattered with a bark from Aegis. The shockwave emanating from her was strong. Jesse could hardly believe what he was seeing. After a few of the blasts he could feel it however. Not feel it like a physical sense but somehow he knew the cost of the essence to his new familiar. Nearby the panther looked on with… what was that? Disapproval in its eyes? Regardless Jesse decided they should call it so to not waste any more essence than necessary.

  “Well that was cool as all hells.” Tormund commented.

  “Yeah it was! Have you ever heard of something like this?” Jesse asked him.

  “Well not in a tame beast, no. There are some monsters out that haves some strange powers. Not one of em has ever been tamed far as I know though.” Tormund responded.

  Jesse’s brow furroughed in thought. It seems there is an awful lot that the people of this world do not know about how magic works.

  “Well lets get inside. Maybe we can scrounge up something to eat that isn’t roasted coyote.” Jesse suggested, leading the group towards the hut.

  Inside they found a quant home, largely lacking in decorations aside from the dozens of plants growing out of various vessels. Jesse couldn’t recognize any of them but they came in all sorts of shapes and colors. It made the interior of the hut look rather vibrant.

  “Must be for whatever sort of alchemy she performed to bond Aegis and I, and to make you that essence refreshing drink.” Jesse said, examining a blue leafed plant.

  “Yeah I’ve never seen nothing like that either. Alchemy you call it? Maybe someone knows somethin about it but its definitely not common knowledge. Amazing what it can do though.” Tormund said, looking at a long spiked leaf.

  Jesse moved towards a small kitchen, which had an oven that had a top that could be opened to allow for grilling. Around it wre an assortment of fresh fruit, vegetables, and even some dried meats. Jesse’s mouth watered at the sight.

  “I wish Kara were here. She could really whip something delicious up with these ingredients.” Jesse said whistfully. “Even Becca would be better than me.”

  “Your wife’s good in the kitchen?” Tormund asked.

  “Shes the best. She actually was” Jesse paused and took a deep breath, “is a chef back at home. She worked in one of the luxury restaurants on the site for those that earned that sort of dining privilege. I was lucky enough to get it regularly.” Jesse finished with pride.

  “Well it sounds like you’re a lucky man.” Tormund said with a smile.

  “I really am.” Jesse said, reveling in the memories of better times. “Becca was a good cook too, she picked up a lot from her mom. I did too, though I’m not nearly as competent in the kitchen as them. I would like to think I could hold my own.”

  “Well I’ve had no experience in the kitchen if I’m being honest. Growing up, well we had people for that I guess you could say.” Tormund said, sounding embarrassed.

  “Your family had servants?” Jesse asked, a little surprised.

  Tormund hesitated and looked down. “Aye we had servants. Lots of em.”

  He seems reluctant to share about his past. Did something happen?

  Jesse selected some aromatic herbs and garlic. He grabbed some dried venison, salt, and some oil. He then began chopping some potatoes into cubes, moving to carrots next as he continued talking.

  “What about you? Do you have a wife? Girlfriend? Uh…boyfriend? Um, courting anyone?” Jesse asked awkwardly. He wasn’t sure what this world's customs were.

  “Nah, I never had much time or luck with that sorts of thing. I was busy training mostly.” Tormund said sheepishly.

  The pair lapsed into silence for a time while Jesse cooked the ingredients he gathered. The meal was coming together, smelling nice and aromatic as he fried up the potatoes with the garlic and herbs.

  “What is your daughter like?” Tormund asked. “Is she a cook like your wife?”

  “She’s brilliant.” Jesse said with pride. “Much smarter than I am. She lacks focus though. She never really decided what career she wanted to follow and so bounced around between a few things. She tried interning as a chef, like Kara. She dropped it after a couple of months, though she was quite good.”

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  Jesse paused for a moment to add some carrots to his mix. “She tried engineering too, like myself. She lasted a bit longer in that but eventually dropped it too. She worked in security, uh as a guard, for a while. And as a scientist, or researcher.” Jesse said, trying to frame things in terms the man would understand. “And as a mechanic, or uh sort of like a blacksmith. She never stuck with any of it long enough to make a career of it. It’s a lot to ask for a young adult to decide what to do for the rest of their lives. I just want her to be happy with her choice.”

  “Well I’m sure she will figure it out.” Tormund said. “I never got much choice.”

  “What would you choose if you had?” Jesse asked, curious. He began plating their food as the man thought.

  “Ya know, nobody has ever asked me that.” Tormund responded in thought. “I like usin essence, I really do. I just think I’d rather be usin it to help some people, build somethin up instead of destroyin it.”

  “That’s a noble sentiment. So like construction? Or farming?” Jesse asked.

  “No I think I would want to do healin. You can learn to reinforce or heal wit essence, though it’s one of the hardest paths to learn. Doin it wrong… well you don’t want to do it wrong.” The man answered. Jesse could see the gleam of interest in his eye.

  “Well maybe when all of this is done you can learn to heal.” Jesse suggested.

  “I don’t know. My control of the elemental, the simplest of magics, is rather poor. I don’t think I could manage any healin arts.” Tormund said, looking embarrassed.

  The two ate in companionable silence for a time. The food was okay, Jesse knew his wife could have done so much better, but it was passable at least. Better than roasted rabbit or whatever random thing the group had found. Aegis ate happily next to the table.

  After the group finished up the meal and cleaned up the mess, they didn’t want to be poor guests, they settled into the beds they found in the cottage. Oddly there were two on opposite sides of the room. Aegis jumped into Jesse’s and snuggled up to him. He found his exhaustion overwhelming and soon drifted to sleep.

  Jesse dreamed he was back in the gate facility. In front of him two contractors worked around a piece of equipment, executing work instructions he had written. He went and checked on some numbers with Golem nearby before a spike of alarm shot through him. They had not properly shut down the equipment before beginning work. Jesse turned in a panic only to find the charred corpses of the two contractors behind him. They hadn’t even uttered a scream as they were instantly killed by the equipment. Jesse looked away with tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry.” He whispered.

  When he turned back they were gone and his intern, Amanda, was standing there smiling at him. He moved to speak with her before he noticed the hole in her chest. It was pouring blood. He looked up at her face to find blood pouring from her mouth too. “No!” He yelled, approaching her and easing her to the ground. He had to stop the bleeding. “Stay with me!” He yelled at her, but it was too late. The spark was gone from her eyes as she stared dully to the ceiling.

  Jesse woke up with a scream. Luckily it didn’t seem to wake Tormund, though Aegis fussed about him, licking his face with concern. Jesse was panting and sweat covered his body. He rubbed his face and stood. I need to take a walk. He thought to himself.

  Jesse stepped outside to a cracking fire. Near it sat Mordrak. She stared into the flames, seemingly lost in thought. The woman was strange. Jesse wasn’t really sure what to think of her. With a shrug he approached and sat next to the fire. The two sat in silence for a time.

  “You are haunted, corrupted one.” Mordrak finally said.

  “Yeah, I’ve seen too much death.” Jesse said staring into the flame.

  “Ah but you have seen nothing yet. To get your daughter back, you will have to see more.” Mordrak replied.

  “So that’s it? I compromise my morals or I don’t get to see my family? To help them? There’s no alternative?” Jesse said, frustration growing in his chest.

  “Perhaps there is another path, perhaps not. I do not see all.” Mordrak said softly. “Your ideals are admirable, corrupted one. To face what is to come you will need more than ideals though.”

  Jesse felt a twinge of annoyance at her continuing to call him corrupted but he shoved it down. She already gave her cryptic explanation. “What do you think I should do?” He decided to ask.

  “That’s not for one such as I to say. Do what you must and what will come will come. I will offer you a last bit of aid however. I have prepared supplies for your journey.” She indicated two backpacks stuffed with supplies to her right. “When your companion wakes in the morning, go with my blessing. Too few respect the sanctity of this world's creatures and the value of life.”

  “Can you tell us where the nearest town is?” Jesse asked.

  “The nearest settlement is to the east, approximately one days travel.” She told him.

  “What will you do?” Jesse asked.

  “What I have always done, corrupted one. I shall stay in my woods and observe. Return to visit some time, should you survive.” Mordrak said, rising.

  “That’s it? Couldn’t you stop the Archon?” Jesse asked, a bit incredulous.

  “My power may seem great in these woods, but should I leave I would quickly wither.” She replied after a moment. “Farewell corrupted one. It is my genuine hope that you outwit what is to come.” With that she wandered into the woods again.

  A few hours later Tormund woke to find Jesse preparing breakfast. The three companions left through the darkened path in the wood in the direction the strange lady had indicated. The eyes of the panther tracked them as they moved through the lush woods.