“You know sis, it doesn’t matter how long you stare at him, it isn’t going to wake him up any faster.” Currently Mera and her brother Apollonius were sitting in the back of one of the center wagons, one of the ones designated for the sick or injured. They had been on the road for around five days now, almost to around the halfway point between Myrmien and the capital. Other than the initial midnight escape from the city, the rest of the trip had been uneventful, with the Scholar and his elite guard having split off from the caravan a day or two ago, leaving Malakos in charge.

Malakos had been a good choice, and with access to the regional map he had the ability to make an informed decision of where their group could set up a defensive position. A message had arrived two days prior, it had briefly described that the enemy pursuit force had left a day and a half after their escape, as well as the general composition of the force.

The hawk which delivered the information was given its reward before the Scholar had sent it off. His reply securely fastened to its leg before sending the avian messenger on its way. Immediately following that encounter and the subsequent meeting between the officers that the decision was made. Immediately following the decision, the Scholar had taken a portion of the horses and ridden back towards Myrmien.

“Shove off brother, why can’t I just sit here and admire this perfectly formed guin- I mean man...” Apollonius let out an audible sigh, slowly lowering his head in apology to the comatose champion. “Listen Mera, don’t run any of your foolish little experiments on him. He was specifically scouted by the Scholar, and your last prank left half of the newly hired battle slaves immobile…One of whom still suffers from bouts of horrible diarrhea. Just don’t do it again, what happens if Malakos finds out?”

Mera rolled her eyes before continuing to probe the young champion laid out in front of her. His body lay in the middle of the covered wagon, while closer to the wagon driver lay his teacher the previous arena champion, Vishnamitra. The inquisitive girl couldn’t help but examine ever visible inch, feeling the area around the wound and poking the steel like muscles. “Then go ahead and tell Malakos, I’m pretty sure he’ll just get jealous and barge in here to ‘check’ on him.” Playfully switching to a pouty face while pointing at the champion she looked over at her brother who had moved to the rumble seat opposite her. “What are you jealous? Don’t want Malakos to switch his attention to the exciting new boy on the block…. Hmmm?”

Apollonius didn’t respond to his sister’s taunts, “Whatever you say sister, Malakos’s tastes do not suit me, he has plenty within his sacred band who may hold those thoughts, I am not the same as them. All I am saying is to leave the patient alone, he appears to be healing properly on his own. Whether you listen to me or not is your choice, if something happens it is you that has to deal with the Lord… and Mother.” Taking no more heed of the girl, the older of the two siblings opted to exit the moving wagon, pushing aside the linen flaps and taking a seat upon the footboard. The sun was hanging directly overhead, and from his position at the rear of the wagon Apollonius could relax; feet hanging listlessly over the dirt laden path, the fresh afternoon breeze and the innumerable scents of nature.

Compared to his sister who enjoyed the darkness and fumes of the alchemical workshop, or perhaps the inside of an operating room, he preferred the outdoors. It was the reason he had chosen to follow their uncle Timeaus’s path as a hunter and scout, training to blend with the natural elements and survive in any situation. Thanks to his uncle’s training Apollonius had become somewhat adept with the bow and arrow, an addition to his already existing skill with the axe. Something he had been adamant to learn from his late father, it was well known among many Temrenosians, especially the first-generation settlers how much Apollonius idolized his father. Which made his death especially traumatic for his son, he had been there that day, witnessed the monster that mauled his father to death, unable to do anything other than flee.

Ever since that day eight years prior Apollonius, his sister Mera, and mother Leucena had been under the direct protection of the Scholar. They were provided an education, training in a skill or professional path of their choosing, and a home within the new quarter of the city. After all it had been their father who was at the time chief of the village within the ruins of Temrenos, it was his support and assistance that had rallied the original settlers to the Scholar’s side.

The Scholar for his part had never forgotten that debt, ensuring both children and their mother were properly cared for, Mera for her part showed extreme intelligence and was taken in as a direct disciple. Whereas Apollonius followed the path of his uncle and father as a hunter, one day hoping to be recruited into the vaunted ranger corp. Their mother Leucena on the other hand had shown great skill in commerce, especially when it came to tailoring.

Like many women within Temrenos, once freed from the shackles of a woman’s perceived duties, they were given an opportunity to discover their own talents. Leucena had always been blessed with an understanding husband, she had been given more freedoms than others within the village. Although many were aware of her sewing skills, it was not until the inventions of the Scholar and industrialization efforts within Temrenos that she was able to capitalize upon those skills. Increased access to dye’s, textiles, and labor assisted in helping Leucena create a thriving business, one which created clothing used throughout the southern territories. Yet another revenue stream with both the territory and her family profiting from the trade, a concept that the Scholar had long since promoted within areas under his control.

“Hey! Hey… Idiot brother come here, quick!” Although Apollonius wished to ignore his sister with every fiber of his being, he knew it would not end, she was tenacious and knew exactly how to push him over the edge. To avoid such a situation, which would undoubtedly summon their shrewd and unforgiving mother, there was little choice but to humor her.

“What is it? Why are you always so energ-” Apollonius’s word was caught in his throat, Mera was crouching over the champion observing him closely. However, that is not what had stopped Apollonius in his tracks, it was instead the soft glow his body was giving off, which was noticeable in the darkened interior of the hooded wagon. “What the hell did you do Mera? What is going on?”

“As if I know, it just started happening suddenly on its own… but quick look at this!” As Apollonius approached the prone patient, Mera lifted blanket his lower half was covered with slightly, revealing what lay below. “Now is not the time for your silly-” Mera abruptly cut her brother off, before he could go off on some other rant, opting to pinch his left cheek and drag his face down to her level.

She pointed and directed his attention to the pelvic area, specifically the upper thigh where the leopard’s claws had cut especially deep. While the two of them stared deeply at the sewn wound, the muddy copper glow encompassing the champion’s body appeared to sway, slithering across the skin toward the injury as if it were a living creature. Then as if by magic the wound began to heal, the skin knitted itself back together very slowly, spitting out the piece of string the Scholar had used to sew the wound. The copper glow continued its expedition, the two watched as it moved from one location to another, congregating at points before repairing the damage. Strange as this was, it appeared to have its limits, the light seemed unable to do anything about very old wounds, such as the whip scars running across the champion’s body.

Then just as quickly as it had appeared the light disappeared, like a morning fog dissipating in the wind. Neither sibling could understand what had just happened, they discussed waking the target of their curiosity before ultimately deciding to leave him be. Although the young champion had stirred slightly following the strange occurrence, he did not wake and remained in his current state.

Besides, it would take time for either of them to decipher what they had seen, and already the sound of bells and calls to assemble could be heard from the front of the caravan. The likeliest possibility was that the caravan had arrived at its destination, the most ideal spot between Myrmien and Merlabria to put together a fortified encampment. The Kallithene Hills, an area of varying elevation located before the Naulos pass, the widest and gentlest path past the edge of the mountain range. There were some hilltops which possessed a good view of the surrounding land, a steep approach with very few angles of attack, and an area which was flanked by a winding river to the east, and thick forestland to the west.

If there was any place to hold a defensive position, this would be it. Now they just needed to prepare a very warm welcome for their future “guests”.