"They will reach the next town in a few days," Dibidi whispered as he lay crouched on the hill beside me.

A long line of soldiers, carts, and Cindermares moved below us, heading further west.

"There's not a lot we can do about that," I said, wishing Dibidi would correct me and present some perfect, foolproof plan.

"No."

Well, fuck, I thought as I took one more look and began crawling back from the edge.

"Let's get out of here before someone spots us."

As soon as we were low enough so our silhouette wouldn't stand out against the rising sun, I got up and jogged towards the bottom of the hill. Casiron stood beside a jagged stone outcrop, hard to spot if you didn't know where to look.

"It's less than a day to Boglodon, and we still don't know how to feed everyone," Dibidi said.

"I know," I replied. It annoyed me that I still hadn't come up with a solution. Then again…

I slowed down as we came to the outcrop, and the crowd of deathly quiet people became visible. Mainly children and women, there were also a few disabled men and one bearded geezer. Most had been concealed in hideouts along the hills, but some, like the little girl, we found in the burned-out villages we passed.

I hadn't imagined we would find hundreds of people, I thought with a weary feeling.

A tall woman with blond hair bound in a single massive braid stood with her muscular arms crossed to the side of the group. She was watching Lileth, the first girl we found, and another blond-haired girl play with a small wood-carved doll I'd made for them. The woman was Bearra, a blacksmith from one of the dozens of towns I'd forgotten the name of by now that we had found ravaged.

"They are still moving past us. We will wait until mid-morning before we continue. How are the wounded?" I said as I walked up to her.

"More rest will do them good, but they can and will move when you tell us," Bearra said.

I saw her fingertips dig into her flesh as she spoke but didn't say anything about it. She was right. If we were to get these people to safety, we needed to move as soon as we were able. Those Nailhound bastards had trackers behind them to wipe out any who might survive, as we had found out soon after leaving Lurinon.

"Did you think about what I said?" Bearra asked me, staring at me with her brown, almost orange eyes.

"I have, and I can't," I replied. "After I bring you to Boglodon, I will stay just long enough to clear out any threats that might have snuck in. You will need to find a way to guard yourself." I didn't add that I'd likely create a temple of Rathica there, as I wasn't sure yet if that would work. If I got their hopes up for nothing, that would be worse.

Bearra gazed at me for a while, and I could sense her trying to pressure me into another answer. I understood why she wanted that, but ever since Rathica had told me Steadfast was under siege, I wanted to go there. It was the only place with other Earthlings. Still… somewhere deep inside, I wondered if, when push came to shove, I would actually leave them there without help.

"Casironnnn let us slide from your tail again!" a high-pitched cry came as the two girls rushed the big dragon.

I grinned as I moved to the corner that had my stuff. If we had another few hours, I could use it to create some more weapons. Although most of the people here didn't know how to fight, a few had skills with knife-fighting.

Let's hope they aren't going to cause more trouble than they’re worth, I thought as I took a quick look at the back of the group.

Huddled together sat a group of ragged and unkempt women. Their heads bent low, they were whispering amongst themselves. I'd asked sometime earlier, but Casiron had said he couldn't understand their language. They moved with feline grace and seemed barely affected by what had happened. I was pretty sure they were criminals and thieves. That didn't take away from the fact that they were the only decent warriors amongst the survivors. Late last night, we had been ambushed by a pack of a dozen feline-like demons, and while Casiron, the Isirow, and I had taken care of most, they had effortlessly taken out those we couldn't reach in time, saving the lives of a few of the others.

Grabbing a few more small pieces of wood, I cast Soften Wood until it was pliable and began carving it into a dagger. One of many I planned to make.

Almost two hours later, I put down the eight daggers I had made. They weren't anywhere near high-quality, but they would function. Although most of the refugees were watching me and my woodcarving with unveiled interest, they were quiet, as they had been since we found them.

Looking at the height of the sun, I decided we would have to leave soon, which left me with just enough time to hand out the daggers.

As I moved towards the group of what I thought were thieves, I saw them get up and gaze at me then at what I was carrying. There was some confusion in their eyes. To the left, a woman with short, matted hair and an eye that was closed with a scar running across it suddenly jolted.

"Basilwood," she whispered sharply.

There was a moment of stunned silence, then the people all around began whispering softly, and I saw some look at the big bags beside Casiron.

"Good eye," I said as I stopped in front of them. "I've not had a chance to talk to you yet, but I noticed you saved a few of the others during the ambush before."

The woman didn't respond, and the others just looked at me quietly.

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

Another set of blank stares.

"Right," I muttered, slightly annoyed at the silent treatment. "I've got the idea you are either thieves or robbers…" I said.

The whole group moved back as one, lowering themselves into what looked like an odd battle stance. The survivors nearby scattered away from us, and a deadly quiet came to the cave. I just waited, raising an eyebrow as I gazed at the group, deciding it was their turn to say something now.

It was quiet for at least a few minutes before the one-eyed woman took a careful step forward.

"We are not robbers," she said softly. Her voice had a husky tone to it as if she had drunk or smoked too much.

"Thieves then," I said with a shrug. "I'm not interested in that right now. What I want to know is, why did you help the others?" I pointed at a few of the survivors who they had saved.

The woman shrugged, taking a look at the others. A younger woman with black hair that fell across the left side of her face sniffed.

"Why shouldn't we help them? Even if we are thieves, that doesn't mean we-"

The other woman hissed at her, and one slapped her arm. The younger woman quieted and gave me an ugly stare as if it was my fault she'd answered.

I grinned at the group and raised the daggers I was holding a little.

"You know what these are?"

The one-eyed one nodded, her single eye glittering.

"Alright. I want you to do something for me, and if you do, you can have them."

"I ain't sleeping with you, no matter if you're a Prime!" an older woman snarled as she bared her teeth at me.

I frowned and shook my head. "That makes two of us. If I slept with you, we'd both be dead as soon as Eliandra wakes up." That wasn't completely true, it'd probably just be me, but that wouldn't make for as good of a threat. Besides, the woman was old enough to be my mother and probably hadn't washed in a week. There wasn't any part of me even remotely interested.

Some of the women exchanged smirks, and one laughed softly.

"Don't mind her. She's a bad track record with Primes," the one-eyed woman said.

I focused on her and decided I was done with thinking of her as the one-eyed one.

What's her name? I asked Casiron.

Leanor Candlewick, came the quick response. But I think they call her Candle or Candlewick.

"Candlewick, is it?" I asked with a soft whistle and raised eyebrows.

The one-eyed woman jolted, and two of the others began whispering in a language that sounded like the clicks, clacks, and plops children make when they are bored. Hands went to knife hilts.

"How…" she asked.

With too many people already knowing the name of Rathica's first Prime, I decided I wasn't ready to let people here know my real name. So I shrugged and grinned at her.

"Doesn't matter. You can call me Brew. What I want from you is something you should be capable of. You must have heard we are heading to a subterranean hideout?"

Candlewick, an odd name I decided, was quiet for a moment before finally nodding. "We've heard. We were planning on checking it out before heading to Orlion."

I whistled again, but this time from genuine surprise. "That's a long way, with a lot of dangers in between."

Candlewick just looked at me, but some of the others shuffled and looked around with a slight degree of uncertainty.

"Well… I won't stop you. But if you want these daggers, I need you to help me clear out whatever made its home in those ruins."

The people around us began whispering again, and I could feel the anxiety grow. There wasn't much I could do about that. I could have asked the thieves to follow me away from the group before discussing this, but that would probably have created a whole lot of other problems.

"What kind of things are we talking about here?" one of the women asked. She had dirty blond hair and a single bare arm with an odd dagger strapped to the inside.

"If I knew, I wouldn't need help," I said.

"What can we possibly do that you can't do yourself?" Candle asked.

I thought for a bit before answering. "I'm not sure what you know of Primes, but most of us can't be in two places at the same time. So I need some of you to scout out where everything is and the others to guard the survivors."

"On our own?" the younger one who was still glaring at me asked.

I smirked at her and poked my thumb across my shoulder. "No. Casiron will be there to help if it's needed."

Candlewick began clicking and clacking quickly, and some of the others replied. It lasted for only a few moments, and then she turned back to me.

"There are fourteen of us here, and you don't have enough daggers."

I laughed, knowing it was just a matter of bargaining now.

"I can make six more daggers."

One of the women, a burly one with thick forearms, took a step forward. "I want a short sword."

I raised an eyebrow at her, then looked at Candlewick with a frown. The woman just shrugged and looked away with a smirk.

"A rapier…" the young woman said.

"Two daggers," Candlewick said.

Some of the other women began moving forward, their eyes glittering with…

I stepped back. "Enough," I barked.

The women jumped back, hands back on the hilts of their daggers.

"I'll make you all one weapon, no more."

A woman at the back grinned, and I glared at her. "Only one-handed weapons that you are proficient with!"

She snorted, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

"Do we have a deal?" I asked Candlewick.

Another burst of clicking and popping followed, then she turned to me and nodded.

"Deal."

I dropped the daggers I was holding and crossed all four of my arms. "Alright. You will get the rest when we reach Boglodon, and if you don't abide by your end of the deal, you won't reach Orlion."

It was quiet again, staring deep into Candlewick's eyes. For a moment, she just gazed back, then she nodded.

"We will do as we said."

"Alright."

I turned to the woman who had wanted a short sword. "Come with me and tell me what sword you want, length, width, and weight."

I turned without waiting to see if she followed me, then moved to Casiron and my bags filled with wood lying beside him.

"We are going to leave in half an hour," I said as I passed Bearra.

She just nodded and stared at me blankly.

--

Two days later, I was walking at the front of the group, ax in hand, staring at the shadowy form of Libidi a few hundred meters ahead of us. She was flitting between the boulders and rocks, scouting the final valley we needed to pass through. The hills to each side were tall and jagged, like small mountains, and although I couldn't see him, I knew Dibidi was somewhere to the left. The way the mountains and hills sloped, I'd never have gone through this area if I hadn't had a map. The slopes were steep and the ground filled with gravel. Not the easiest path to take.

Candlewick and two of her rogues were on the right side, while the rest were scattered around the line of refugees. Casiron was at the back.

"Are you sure it's in the next valley?" Bearra whispered. She'd been quietly walking beside me for a few hours now, quiet and collected.

"The map shows a clear entrance there," I replied.

"If there isn't one…" Bearra muttered gruffly, taking a look over her shoulder. Her daughter and some of the other children were riding Casiron, even though I'd told them if he had to fight, they would be thrown off. "Most won't make it much further, and we need food."

I didn't respond but continued on. What was there to say? I was hungry myself, and we'd long since gone through the supplies I still had. If not for last night's rain, the problem would have been far worse.

Libidi is signaling you.

I looked up and saw Casiron was right. Hidden between two rocks, Libidi was waving at me. As soon as she saw me see her, she ducked back into cover.

"Something is up. Keep going up the hill. If anything goes wrong, listen to Casiron."

"Alright."

I jogged forward, quickly picking up speed. It took me a good five minutes to reach Libidi, who was staring at something on the other side of the hill. I crawled beside her, looking between a boulder and a small rock face at what lay beyond the steep decline on the other side. It was a small valley, the end like an indent in a mountain with dozens of dark squares in the side of the wall.

"I saw something move just when I came up," Libidi whispered coldly.

"Four legs, two small, two big?" I asked.

"Only a shadow, but about as big as you."

I frowned, scanning the rest of the valley as well as the high sides. Grey, black, and brown rock and soil was all I saw, no vegetation or movement.

Great. If Rathica hadn't sent me here, I'd neither have ever found it nor gone in, I thought to myself.

For a moment, I contemplated going on my own, then smirked and contacted Casiron.

Tell the others to wait at the base of the last slope and have Dibidi continue to scout. Libidi and I are going to investigate something.

Alright.

Casiron's reply was laced with curiosity, and I waited for a moment for a question, but none followed.

"Let's go," I whispered as I snuck forward.

"Shouldn't we wait for my brother?" Libidi asked.

"He needs to keep an eye on the sides, and if anything gets too dangerous, we will just head back," I said without looking back.

After a moment, I heard soft footsteps follow me.

We snuck from outcrop to outcrop and between the boulders, and the closer we came to the end of the valley, the more I realized something. It felt manufactured, not natural. There wasn't anything to indicate it, the walls were properly rough and unhewn, and there were too many small pebbles and stones on the ground for a comfortable walk, but still… something about the whole area-

Then it hit me.

The valley was far too V-shaped to be a natural occurrence. A quick look behind showed I was right. The ends of the V were like sharp points, dug out to the same length.

Guess the ruins weren't always just below ground, I thought as we sprinted across the small open ground towards the side of the leftmost wall of the valley. It was so steep, it felt more like a cliff by now.

The first of the dark squares was a few feet ahead of us when I heard something and froze. For a moment, the only sound was the wind and my own breathing. Then it came again. A soft coughing, hacking sound, almost as if someone was choking to death.

I turned to Libidi and saw she had both daggers in her hands and was staring straight at something on the opposite wall. I followed her gaze and saw a darker shadow pass in front of the dark hole.

Those are windows.

Feeling the tension build up, I took a deep breath and exhaled as softly as I could. Then, relaxing my muscles for a second, I snuck forward. The pebbles and gravel on the ground rolled beneath my feet, but I reached the opposite wall without incident. Libidi stuck close, moving as silently as a ghost.

A louder hacking cough came from the window in the wall, soon to be followed by a sniffling.

I moved towards the window that was lower than I was and bent down to take a quick look inside. Two green slits stared right back at me from a leathery green face with small tufts of metallic grey hair.

"Gar raich lam!" A wet roar followed the foreign words, and a massive hand on an arm the size and length of my leg reached through the window with surprising speed.

I jumped back, crashing into Libidi while swinging my ax up in a half arc in front of my face. It sliced through the lower part of the heavily muscled arm as if it was butter, cutting a deep wedge in it. An ear shattering squeal came from the owner of the arm as startling pink blood sprayed from the wound.

A few angry roars came in response to the first, and a quick look showed a hunched green monster barge out of a larger black rectangle that had been hidden from view by the angle of the walls. I raised my arm, and my thorncaster flashed. A bolt thudded into the incoming thing's neck, and it finally lifted itself to its full height, showing its face, a wart-covered mirror of the first I'd seen. Heavy eyebrows furrowed as the troll-like thing grasped the bolt and tried to rip it out.

Two more came from the shadows beyond.

"There are five of them," Libidi said as another one barged out a door opening a dozen feet in front of it. He was clasping his arm, a stream of pink blood passing through his thick fingers.

"Take the wounded one. I'll hold off the others," I said calmly, my thoughts crystal clear.

I gripped my ax and moved away from the wall.

"Over here, you stinking trolls," I shouted.

The monsters roared, thumping towards me. The one who’d taken a bolt was in the lead, a few dozen feet ahead of the others. I gripped my ax blade and placed the handle on the ground, leveling the thorncasters as if my ax was a tripod. Twangs were followed by bolts that flashed forward, and two struck the incoming thing in his head, a few inches from his eyes. The other two hit the throat, and the hulking thing clasped his hands across his face and neck while crashed into the ground.

I didn't bother with it anymore, and as soon as new bolts had formed, I shot at the next attacker. This time my aim was better, and one bolt struck a big green eye. A howl of agony was cut short as the other bolts thudded into his face in quick succession.

Two down, I thought as I raised my ax back up.

The other two were ten feet away. They towered over me, at least three meters tall, while hunched over and with angry snarls. Only a few large, chipped and yellow teeth sat in their mouths. The closest one was shoved sideways by the one behind him in its haste to reach me, and I jumped left while slashing my ax low across the ground. The smooth black ax-blade cut through an ankle as if it was kindling, and the closest one stumbled then thudded into the ground. I backed up two steps, raised three arms, and shot bolts from point-blank range into the final one's face.

A scream that came as both eyes changed to pincushions was cut short as my ax blade sliced across the thing's throat. The towering monstrosity slumped down as more of the odd pink blood flowed out and onto the ground.

I scanned around, finding Libidi moving towards the one with a missing foot. The thing was crawling towards me, an angry snarl on his face, and not noticing that Libidi was behind him until her daggers slammed into the back of his skull. The green monster collapsed with a final rattling sigh.

Silence reigned as I looked around at the five massive but unmoving shapes. That had felt way too easy.

"What were those things?" I whispered.

"Ogurin," Libidi said as she kneeled beside a pool of blood. "But… their blood isn't supposed to be pink," she whispered before looking up.

I was surprised when I saw a look of barely hidden fear in her eyes.

"The only things I know with pink blood are Barsoc," she said as if that answered everything.

"And those are?" I asked.

"A race of crustacean-like demons…" Libidi looked down on the Ogurin.

"From Leralion," she continued in a whisper.

Of course they are, I thought with a sigh.