The next day Luna awoke to a rustling outside the bubble. "Hells stop making noise..."

she turned around to see her cousin already up wearing her gear and staring at her cousin

'' oh, Emris stop looking at me like that" Luna said, almost annoyed as Helene was staring at her with red eyes. "Someone or something has been outside the shield constantly tapping. It's so faint and familiar, thank Emris you heard it too" said Helene. It was very apparent how much sleep she got as her eyes looked red like rubies. The mages who created the protection wall can sense when something is trying to bring down the wall or when it is meddling with the wall's energy.

" Want me to go check it out with you... you know if you're scared-"

Just as her cousin was about to console her, Helene got up fast.

"Yes please" before uttering a word she left the tent. Luna hurried off to where the sound came.

" There's someone there." Helene gestured to what seemed to be a lost soul wandering the woods.

" It's just a normal spirit, Helene, totally harmless." Luna went closer to the spirit. She felt as though the spirit was calling for her. It took the figure of a little girl and it reached out to Luna, almost like begging for something. Helene's right, her energy feels familiar... like someone I knew completely in awe she kept getting closer and closer almost breaking away from the shield. "Luna what are you doing?!" Damien grabbed her arm, pulling her close to him, breaking her away from the spirits Charm.

"Never look into a spirits eyes they may seem innocent but lord knows what they are hiding... are you ok? did you get hurt? Did the spirit say something?" he said. He took Luna into his chest pulling her close, holding her face with one hand, whilst the other laid on her hip. He was close. Too close. His eyes wandered around every curve of her face, her eyes. Did I worry him. He's very attentive isn't he.. how did he know I was here.. I hope he rested well.. he was pretty tired after the fight.. her thoughts wondered.

" I could be hurt too you know.." said Helene, breaking the intimate moment between the two.

" Mage Helene I see you're awake and well." said Damien after pushing Luna away from his grasp. "Yes, I am Damien. Do I also get a morning greeting or ?" Helene was soon faced with a subtle elbow in the gut.

" Helene was just saying that, there was something outside, bothering her..." said Luna, gritting her teeth at Helene.

" We were just checking you know... gotta keep the gang safe. you know cause dark mage.. powers .. spirits.." what am I saying Luna was fumbling through her words.

" On second thoughts, maybe the spirit did get into your mind. " Helene said playfully squishing her cousins face together. " Hells I swear " just as their fight almost broke out. They heard a chuckle. Damien was laughing covering his mouth with his hand.

" I see you ladies have something to discuss. I'll wake the rest of the team up and gather near the fireplace in 5 mins" he said. "Ok rosey Damien get to-''

" bye Damien meet you in 5'' Luna stopped Helene before it was too late.

lulu what happened last night! Did he make you forget how to talk? Helene said through the mindlink.

" Helene... Luna.." he bowed and walked away ,laughing and Looking down .

" Oooh somebody's got a crush" Helene taunted.

" I don't! He's our client... or the other way around, I don't really know!? ... he was close! Who gets close to the client like that? if he was a knight guard, he would have lost his job.. oh no I'm rambling again aren't I." Luna said trying further not to embarrass herself.

"my dearest lulu how far you've come... for the sake of your reputation, I'll say that you were temporarily pissed by a spirit itself!" Helene said as she skipped away to the tent

"Oh, we are not telling anyone at the castle about this!" Luna said pulling Helene's hair.

" Ahw...Ohh rosey!! your princess in her night wear is harassing me~~" Helene sang not too loud. " Oh hells he saw me in my pajamas!!! not that it matters? " Luna quickly ran to the tent to get dressed whilst Helene followed her giggling.

Just as the sun rose the gang got back together near the fireplace. Adam still holding onto Logan whilst Kiara and Damien were talking about the route to Viltarin.

"So Logan..." Luna started walking towards the tall hunter who was not enjoying Adams' constant bickering. " You used to be a hunter, better yet you have worked with Kraizen.I mean that must be pretty accomplished. Cause, he only picks the best of the hunters to go on expeditions... what made you join the Shadow prince" Kraizen was the greatest hunter in the whole of Akeshia, to join him was the highest achievement a hunter could ever have. He was known to work his hunters to the bone. So knowing that Logan was a survivor of his expedition namely the one they slayed Gula, the flesh eater, sparked a curiosity within Luna. It was the most tragic yet brutal battle of their century.

"If you don't mind me asking..." Helene asked, changing her tone, as she sensed some sort of annoyance from him. "You see, we were friends of his son, Milo. You know the one who went missing?" said Helene as Logan's silence was suffocating. But as soon as Helene talked Luna gave her a reassuring look.

The day of the departure was the last day any of them saw Milo. He was wearing his armor head held high, as he went to challenge the most dangerous monster beside his father. Alas when they returned Milo was no longer to be found. They were attacked by the Gula by surprise and a lot of soldiers were lost that day. Once they passed the gate with bravery and courage, but they came back in as silent corpses. Not even a full body, but parts of them. Although They were deemed dead, Helene preferred the word "missing".

It gave her hope, although being left alone in no man's land for a few years had guaranteed death. No one including Luna, dared to correct her. Logan's facial expression softened as soon as he heard Helene. He could sense her desperation and somewhat related to it.

" What happened that day was no accident... The lives we lost were truly brutal.. I think I remember the general's son. The small skinny brown haired man wasn't he?.. Oh Draven, wasn't he a saint..." He said, holding the hunter's crest that was wrapped around his neck by a single thread of wool. It was an amulet that was granted protection by the ancestors of the hunters.

" So you knew him? " Helene's face beamed up as she went closer to Logan, as though she was a child begging to hear more stories from what happened that day.

"That's a little bit too close isn't it lassie, logo bear belongs to me and me only!" said Adam giving Helene a friendly push whilst he wrapped his hand tighter around Logan's arm.

"Don't push my sister you... Luna said getting ready playfully to fight Adam but heard a cough behind her. She slowly turned, closing her eyes. dear Emris, why does it have to be him?

It was of course none other than Damien. "We can start our journey now, Kiara and I will show you the way... since the mist has cleared, we decided that we would be taking a shortcut. So hope you are ready and well rested, because we will be walking till sun down." Damien said as Adam groaned and Helene rolled her eyes.

" We can get there just in time for the Draven's Festival. Which means, we won't be needing to sneak in. So~ take it as a blessing... c'mon adventure awaits! " he said, trying his best to motivate the gang.

Helene started to hum a song just to get rid of the boredom and the ongoing thoughts from her head. Thoughts and memories about Milo pooled into her mind, causing an ache deep down her heart. "Oi! I know that song!" Adam swinged his arm around Helene, which earned a snicker from her. "Oh yeah? What is it then, blonde boy?!"

"Those two are pretty much out of it aren't they?" Luna said glancing at her cousin who was waltzing around the path with Adam. " Yes they clicked pretty well.. I seem to recall them almost murdering each other when they first met." Damien said, chuckling.

"That's our Adam. Always being friendly with the enemies. " said Kiara butting in to their conversation.

" Give me the map brother dearest. I'll lead the way! You two need a break anyway. " She said, trying to take the map away from Damien.

"Kiara... I'm fine you're still-" Damien began pouting like a small child. "Damien Alexander knight! gimme the map noww!" They just started pushing each other and had a bit of a tumble.

"Oh sorry, you're too short Key! Bet you can't reach it now!!" Damien said holding the map as high as he can, whilst Kiara was jumping up and reaching for it with all her might. Just as Damien was laughing, Kiara kicked him in the stomach causing him to bend and just then she snatched it out of his hand.

"Aha! It's mine now get in line. I'm the commander, Logan you shall be second in command. Damien go to the back of the line. Take that mage with you " Before Luna could vocalize how offended she was Damien dragged Luna by her cloak and went to the last of the line. "Don't take it to heart. Kiara can be a bit blunt but she really is a sweetheart." he said whilst still holding his stomach.

"tough love, I get it i mean, this one time when we were kids, Helene and I had a duel and she happened to lose the battle. She took her duels very seriously back then and losing was not in her vocabulary." Luna chuckled remembering Helene's old shenanigans. Damien was listening to her every word with full focus. "She took revenge by pushing me into the village pond. According to her that was an 'Accident'"

"Is she still like that?" Damien asked, waiting for Luna to reply.

"Who Helene? Oh no no, not anymore. Well maybe sometimes?" Luna chuckled.

After that, they were enjoying the peaceful silence between them. Helene was still bickering with Adam and Kiara was trying to figure out the map with Logan.

"So what business do you have in Viltarin?" Luna broke the silence between them. Damien glanced at her and replied, "Oh, Spices. We trade spices in Viltarin."

"Spices? Interesting. So you do, have a proper job aside from stealing." Luna said it as a matter of fact. "Come on love, Not this again! I mean... At least I have a passion!" Damien winked and playfully nudged Luna's hand. "True. at least you have a passion." She laughed and continued to admire the surroundings around her which she never got to enjoy when she was in otos.

Meanwhile, Adam and Helene are still dancing in their own little world. "Oh emris that was fun... I wish there were people like you in the knights guard. You know how to have fun! It's rather bleak and boring over there." Helene said to Adam as she put her hand around his shoulder. " Honestly you should come to the pub in Arianrhood street, they really do know how to have a good time." he said.'' you know what little white mage, you're not that bad as the other ones you know.. even recently when we went to little ol' Chestertons house to steal some gold, one of your friends blasted me with energy without even saying hello first. Can you imagine?!" he said whilst pretending to be offended. " Thank god I had Christine, we shot her right in the arm and you know, I got out alive." he said now holding up his revolver. It had his initials carved into the handle in gold. "Ohh so that was you, who shot my paladin with?" She chuckled.

"Oh my apologies!" Adam gestured his hand to his heart. "Water under the bridge, I mean thank Emris she was a healer... enough of that, So you also name your weapons, don't you?.. I name them too... See my sword, I handcrafted it during my last year at school. Not gonna lie, it was a hassle, but I've grown quite attached to it." She was now showing Adam her sword that had engraved the name, belle.

"Sorry to butt in but, Adam can you go talk to Kiara? She's in a mood" Logan said looking confused. "God when will she learn that communicating through problems means she actually had to COMMUNICATE about her problem. Don't worry Logi boy! I'll Handle it. Blondie..." Adam gave Helene a quick nod and strutted his way to the beginning of the line. There were a few moments of awkward silence but then Logan surprisingly started a conversation.

" Nice sword... Is that a protection amulet on the handle? That's a neat trick ; I also have one. It belonged to my grandmother. She was one of the best hunters in Viltarin, It always gave me protection, you know. " Logan said, showing his hunter's crest which was a wolf- like emblem. He wore it around his neck often before fighting; he would hold it and pray for Draven's strength and safety.

" Sounds like one badass lady. I found mine when I was on a quest with milo..." she stopped talking for a while as pain struck her throat. Saying his name had the same agony of a thousand needles puncturing her heart, reminding her that nothing could ever bring him into her arms again." You and Milo sound real close " Logan said, giving Helene a reassuring pat.

"Yeah close..." she said as her mind started to wonder, what it would have been if he stayed back. " That day many of those who were lost were warriors with gentle souls. I carry their weight with me every day. May they find peace in Emris's Realm. "

Now that Helene saw him up close he was no longer a brute or the thief she imagined to be. He was kind, loyal and compassionate. She looked at him and thought for a second, " Why did you leave the hunters clan? Arianrhood street doesn't seem to suite you at all. "

"The hunters clan is not what you think at all. There is treachery, plotting and all sorts of malicious activity going under the public eye." his whole face changed into something more serious than ever before. " What happened that day was no accident, more of a sacrifice." he said ominously.

"So did you sleep well last night?" Damien scratched the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed from the sudden question he didn't exactly want to ask. Luna couldn't help but giggle at his bashful behavior . Damien looked at Luna with admire in his eyes. The girl In Front of him was wise, responsible and.... Adorable.

"What the hell Damien?!" He thought to himself and shrugged off every thought that came to his mind. "Well, yes. I did sleep well."

It was one of the best naps she had ever taken to be honest. It was very much of an odd place to sleep calmly too. Surrounded by ghosts and monsters, who will munch on you the very minute they get a hand on human flesh. Yet Luna managed to sleep very well. She looked around her everything seemed peaceful and so full of colour, yet this would not last any second longer.

The air around them thickened once again. " Luna, please tell me that I'm not the only one who's sensing something." before Helene could finish, " Dark energy..." Luna said, putting her bow and arrow into position. Helene was also now in defensive mode, her precious belle ready to spear through anyone or anything that will come In Front of her.

"As a matter of fact hells, this is not like Aieda, we met before. The energy is different. This is something far worse."

Adam took out two guns and aimed at the trees. "Everyone into a fighting position now!" said Damien making his way to Kiara whilst the others followed. The energy came in all directions; no one could truly tell where It came from. But they knew it was something unusual, something dangerous.

"Look at the trees, they all have some sort of fungus. Like some glowing purple like substance." Logan said inspecting their surroundings. The gang formed a circle facing away from each other, putting Kiara in the middle.

" Guys seriously I can handle myself!" Kiara whined although no one seemed to listen. What Logan said was True. The deeper they walked it to the forest the more the fungus had spread. It was like a beautiful array of stars, glowing and dimming identical to the rhythm of a heart beat. They were so in awe of this beautiful site that no one seemed to notice the dead birds that seemed to be disemboweled over the trees. Now the trees were almost covered from head to toe. The air was getting more and more tense. " Yuck! I even stepped on one god!!." Adam said, looking at the bottom of his shoes. "You know I remembered something hilarious, everytime I think Damien has a good idea or I don't know a SHORTCUT we end up almost dying!" Adam ranted . " What's your point Adam ?" Kiara said, now putting the map back into her bag.

Luna come here quick !

Luna heard Damien through the mind link.

I don't think it's a good time to talk, Damien

" Oh I don't know Kiara, maybe we should head back and go through the original route like the map tells us too!" Adam was now moving his guns around frantically.

" Does the map even show this place?" Damien asked.

Helene you came back

Helene knew that voice like the back of her mind .In an instant she looked around no one was there, just what seemed to be the infected trees that went on for Miles and miles.

must be a trick. get your head in the game hells...she said to herself.

you remembered our promise the meadows.

Tears came into her eyes she almost forgot.

no way could it truly be...

"Kiara what does the map say⁉️" Damien said pressuring her. Kiara still remained silent. The gang grew anxious and heated.

Oh for Emris sake why does it feel so tense. I can't even breathe.

Luna said, adjusting her collar.

Luna, come here quickly there's something you need to see!

Then it felt as if something pricked her "owh.. What was that...." .

Adam snatched the map from Kiara's bag, " The map is empty from here they don't show any sign of ro- did you just aimlessly bring us Kiara? God damn! " Adam said, giving it to Damien.

"It's not her fault she wanted to lead and I've been here before. I said I could make use of animal tracks and lead us to Viltarin, " Logan said, guarding Kiara with his body.

"But when I stopped seeing the tracks.." Logan looked at Kiara who now seemed scared more than ever.

"Look what you've done. You and your pride! we could be in serious danger. " Damien raised his voice, walking towards Kiara . "Don't yell at her Damien." Logan took one step toward Damien towering over him whilst shielding Kiara.

" I should have listened to you Logan I could ha-" her voice choked on her own tears. Adam was facing down with a disappointed expression, "you and your childish behavior have not only put us but also the mages in danger.... Wait, Luna?" just as Damien turned he saw Luna eyes turned purple staring into a mushroom that now took a different form. It was opened like a mouth salivating a purple like liquid. The insides had small spores dancing around when they got closer they could hear faint voices whispering, laughing. " Oh god is that tree talking to Luna?! Adam said, puzzled.

"You might want to look up Adam." Damien said whilst Logan drew his axe.

"Oh for Draven sakes! not again."