Chapter 294: A Journey of Two

Seren stared at it. She had seen Darion’s undead before, and she had ridden one twice already, but the sight was still somewhat unsettling. The wolf was much larger and more intimidating than a normal wolf. It didn’t move like a living creature, didn’t breathe, didn’t twitch. It just stood there, patient and silent, waiting for commands.

Darion climbed onto its back. "Come on."

Seren looked at the wolf, her expression hesitant. She let out a long sigh. "I regret volunteering already."

She eventually climbed onto the wolf behind him, her hands gripping his sides. Darion gave the undead wolf the command to move. It immediately started running.

The undead wolf moved much faster than either of them could on foot. It didn’t tire. It didn’t need to stop and rest. It didn’t complain about the weight. Darion quickly realized that using an undead mount was extremely convenient for long-distance travel.

"I should have been doing this sooner," he said.

The wolf carried them through the forest, its powerful legs propelling them forward with each stride. The trees blurred past, the ground disappearing beneath them. The wind rushed past their faces, whipping Seren’s hair across her cheeks. She held on tight, her grip firm, her breath quick.

When the terrain became too narrow or difficult for the wolf, Darion dismissed it and they continued on foot. When they reached another stretch of open ground, he summoned it again. This pattern allowed them to travel relatively quickly while still avoiding obvious roads.

Hours passed. The farther they got from Percvale, the less familiar the landscape became. They moved through forests, grasslands, and open plains. Occasionally, they stopped to examine the surroundings. Darion noticed how different the world looked away from Percvale.

There were signs of kingdoms and villages in the distance, thin trails of smoke rising from chimneys, the outlines of walls and towers against the horizon. Some paths were barely visible, overgrown with weeds and brush. Trees grew thicker in certain areas, their branches intertwining to form dense canopies. The wilderness felt much larger when there wasn’t a settlement nearby.

Seren, however, seemed comfortable traveling through it. She moved with confidence, her eyes scanning the terrain, her steps sure. Darion followed her directions.

"You really know these areas?"

Seren nodded. "Enough."

"Enough?"

"Enough not to get us lost."

Darion raised an eyebrow. "That’s reassuring."

Seren smiled.

As they traveled, their conversation naturally turned toward their destination. Darion asked Seren what she knew about Vrethka. She explained that she knew nothing apart from what Garren had told them. So they went over what they remembered together.

It wasn’t a massive settlement. Its reputation came mostly from its warriors. The people there were accustomed to fighting, had survived conflicts, had built a culture around strength and resilience. The recent war had apparently increased their strength, giving them more soldiers, more resources, more confidence.

Darion asked how large the settlement might be. Seren admitted she didn’t know exactly. "That’s one of the things we’re going to find out."

Darion nodded. He explained that his biggest concern wasn’t necessarily Vrethka itself. It was the fact that they seemed to have already decided Percvale was their target. That meant they had information. They had been watching. They had been planning.

Seren asked Darion how confident he was about leaving Percvale behind. Darion admitted that he wasn’t completely comfortable with it. Garren was capable, but Darion knew the responsibility ultimately fell on him.

"Do you think they’ll attack while we’re gone?"

Darion considered it. "I don’t know."

That was the problem. He didn’t know what Vrethka knew. He didn’t know how quickly they could mobilize. He didn’t know whether the scouts were the first step toward an attack or whether preparations were already underway.

Seren reminded him that Garren had the knights. Darion nodded. "He’ll do what he can." But Darion knew there was still uncertainty.

After another period of silence, Seren asked the question she had clearly been thinking about. "What will you do if Vrethka is stronger than us?"

Darion looked ahead. He didn’t immediately answer. Eventually, he said, "I don’t know."

Seren seemed slightly surprised by the honesty.

Darion continued. "That’s why I’m going." He explained that if Vrethka was overwhelmingly powerful, he’d rather discover that now than find out when their army was standing outside Percvale’s walls.

I’d rather know the truth.

He didn’t want to live in ignorance. If they were too strong, he’d need to find another solution. If they were weaker than expected, he’d know that too. But sitting inside Percvale and guessing accomplished nothing.

Darion decided they needed to stop rather than push themselves unnecessarily. They found a relatively sheltered area in the forest, hidden by thick bushes and overhanging branches. Seren checked the surroundings while Darion prepared a simple camp.

They didn’t build a large fire. The whole purpose of the journey was remaining unnoticed. A bright fire visible from a distance could reveal their position.

They ate some of the food Maret had packed. Darion realized that Maret had packed enough food for considerably more than one day.

She really thought we were going to starve.

Seren noticed him looking at the food. "What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You’re making a weird face."

"Maret packed too much."

Seren shrugged. "Better too much than too little."

Darion couldn’t argue with that.

Before sleeping, Darion summoned his undead bird. It rose into the darkness and flew over the surrounding forest. Darion used its vision to inspect the area. The forest was quiet. No obvious groups of people. No campfires. No large movements. No signs of an approaching army.

Darion flew the bird farther out. Still nothing suspicious. He checked the direction they intended to travel the following morning. The terrain ahead appeared mostly empty.

Good.

He returned the bird and unsummoned it.

Darion and Seren settled down. It was morning now, the sun slowly rising. They had skipped night sleep. Better they take some now. They maintained a reasonable distance from one another. The forest was peaceful.

Seren eventually asked, "Peaceful journey so far. I’m surprised. You think we’ll find anything soon?"

Darion looked up at the sky. "I hope so.

Seren laughed to that and so did Darion too.

Darion summoned the Slitherer to hide behind the trees and act as guard. Its armored body coiled in the shadows, its senses alert. Darion closed his eyes. "Get some sleep."

Seren did the same. Darion, however, took longer to fall asleep. His mind continued running through possibilities. Vrethka. The scouts. The war. Percvale. Garren. Eventually, exhaustion won.

Darion woke before Seren. By his estimation, he had gotten just five hours of sleep. But how could he be sure? It was afternoon now. The forest was bright, the sun filtering through the canopy in golden shafts. Birds could be heard in the distance, their songs echoing through the trees.

He checked the surroundings one more time. Nothing appeared unusual. The Slitherer was still there, coiled in the shadows, its presence a quiet reassurance.

Seren eventually woke. She stretched, her joints popping, her eyes still heavy with sleep. They ate a small amount of food from Maret’s supplies. They packed their belongings.

They climbed to their feet and continued walking.

But after taking a few steps, they noticed something. Footsteps. Fresh footsteps, pressed into the soft earth. They were recent, the edges of the prints still sharp, the disturbed soil still dark.

Darion stopped, his hand moving to his sword. Seren nocked an arrow, her eyes scanning the trees. The forest was quiet, too quiet. The birds had stopped singing.

Someone was nearby.