Eamon, Damien, and Roneth swiftly moved along the edge of the town, keeping to the shadows to avoid any remaining guards. Their footsteps were quick but careful. The night air was cold, and the faint glow of the moon barely lit the path ahead. They finally reached the small clearing where Korran and Skarn were waiting.
Korran sat near a dying campfire with his arms wrapped around his knees. Every rustle from the darkness made him flinch. When he heard the bushes shift again, louder than before, he grabbed a stick and pointed it forward with trembling hands.
"Who's there?!" His voice cracked.
Skarn, however, stepped in front of him. The little direwolf's fur rose slightly, but his nose twitched. Skarn sniffed the air once, then again. His tail slowly lowered.
He recognized the scent.
It was Eamon… and Damien.
Skarn let out a soft huff and relaxed, but Korran stayed frozen, unsure.
Then Eamon emerged from the bushes first.
Damien behind him.
And Roneth last, carrying the body of his guild member.
Korran's eyes widened in shock. His gaze immediately dropped to the injured Felis and the unconscious Orzen.
"T–Those are… that's my brother!" His voice cracked as tears flooded his eyes.
He ran toward them, stumbling over his own feet.
Damien gently set Felis down. The moment Felis's feet touched the ground, he dropped to his knees and hugged Korran tightly. Both brothers cried silently, shaking from the pain and fear they had been through.
Eamon moved forward, carrying Orzen's limp body. He pushed open the flap of a tent they had set up earlier and carefully laid Orzen inside.
"Stay with us," Eamon whispered softly before stepping back.
Damien immediately rushed in after him. He placed his bag beside Orzen and began working quickly. He pulled out herbs, bandages, and small vials. His hands moved fast, but they were gentle.
Roneth and Korran waited outside with Felis, listening to every small noise from inside the tent.
Inside, Damien cleaned the wounds on Orzen's chest and arms. He mixed a bitter-smelling paste and pressed it onto the bruises. Orzen winced even in his unconscious state.
"It's okay… just a little more," Damien murmured, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he worked.
He carefully wrapped Orzen's wounds in layers of cloth and tied them firmly.
After that, he turned to Felis, who had followed him inside quietly. Damien inspected the bruises on Felis's ribs and the cuts on his arms.
"You held up well," Damien said softly.
Felis forced a small smile, but he winced from the pain.
Damien gave him medicine to swallow and patched him up too.
A few minutes later, Damien stepped out of the tent with Felis by his side, both of them bandaged.
"Orzen is okay now," Damien said. His voice was calmer. "But he needs rest. A lot of it."
Korran let out a long breath he had been holding. His shoulders dropped. His eyes softened with relief.
"Thank you… thank you so much."
Damien nodded lightly.
Then he walked toward Roneth, whose clothes were soaked with dried blood. When Damien lifted the cloth, he saw a huge claw mark across Roneth's stomach.
Eamon stepped closer instantly.
"Damien… check him first."
Damien touched the wound and raised an eyebrow.
"What the hell did this to you?" he asked. "Did you fight a lion or something?"
Roneth let out a groan. "First treat this wound… then let me eat something… and only then I might be able to talk."
Damien scoffed. "Wow. How rude can you be?"
Eamon spoke calmly, "Damien, just treat him first. After that, we can leave this place quickly. Then we'll talk about everything."
Damien rolled his eyes but nodded. "Fine."
He cleaned the wound, poured some healing liquid over it—which made Roneth grunt loudly—and pushed the edges of the cut together before wrapping it in thick bandages.
"You'll live," Damien said.
"Feels like dying," Roneth muttered.
At that moment, Orzen slowly opened his eyes inside the tent.
"Korran… Felis…" he whispered.
The brothers rushed inside to hug him tightly.
Soon after, with everyone awake and stable enough to move, they quickly gathered their things. Eamon signaled them to move. They left the town from the west side, sticking to the dark alleys until they reached the forest.
None of them spoke.
They just ran.
Only when they reached the safety of trees did Eamon stop. He set up a tent again, this time a bit deeper inside the forest. Damien gathered dry wood, Roneth leaned against a tree to breathe, and Eamon tightened the ropes of the tent.
Inside the tent, everyone sat close together. The tiny lantern cast dim light over their tired faces. Skarn curled beside Eamon, his warm body against Eamon's leg. Orzen sat with Korran and Felis leaning against him for support.
When they finally began eating the simple meal Damien had prepared, Eamon looked at Roneth.
"Roneth," Eamon said, "can you please tell us now? Why were you in the town? Why is your guild member dead? And how did you get that wound?"
Roneth glanced around. All eyes were fixed on him. Orzen held Korran and Felis close, ready for whatever he was about to hear.
Roneth took a deep breath.
"Three weeks ago," he began, "one of the citizens of this town went outside and posted a bounty. The job was to find the stolen Pearl of the Goddess."
He paused, his hands tightening around the bowl of food.
"My guild member, Karter, took the job and came to this town. He searched everywhere for clues. Eventually… he found out that it was Gorochi who stole the pearl. He framed the father and son to hide his crime."
Everyone stared in disbelief.
Roneth continued, "When Karter went to question Gorochi about it, they captured him and locked him in the prison. Even inside the prison, he tried to free the father and son… but Haizer caught him. And murdered him. Brutally."
Silence filled the tent.
Korran looked down. Felis wiped his tears. Orzen clenched his teeth.
Roneth said quietly, "I got his message too late. And by the time I reached the town… he was already dead."
Eamon's voice lowered. "That's really sad, Roneth. I'm sorry."
Damien asked, "Then who gave you that wound?"
Roneth sighed heavily.
"When I got the message, I was in the neighboring country. I had to cross the river to reach here. Everything was going fine… until I got close to the town."
Everyone leaned forward.
Roneth's eyes narrowed.
"That's when she attacked me. I had to fight her just to get through."
Eamon frowned. "What monster?"
Roneth replied slowly, "Who else? The mermaid herself."
Eamon's eyes widened.
"A… mermaid?"
Eamon and Damien looked at each other in shock.
Damien whispered, "There is a mermaid in this town? An Obsidian Seraph?"
Roneth scoffed. "Who do you think the goddess of this town is? It's a mermaid, you fools."
Eamon was shocked beyond the core. His mind went blank for a moment.