Around fifteen men gathered from different directions, settling under a big tree which they had determined would be their stopping point. They were the first to arrive but there were more to come. The most important ones were still left out.

In the meantime the group got time for relaxation. They slumped themselves on moist ground, not caring about the dirt on it. As soon as they sat near the tree's roots, the tree let out foul smell as if telling them they had to keep searching for another resting place.

Some of them were prepared to move forward till one man said, "Every tree in this forest is against us."

"This is why they will be dead when Great Invasion comes."

He took the knife out and jabbed it on the tree trunk numerous times.

"They don’t feel shit."

"They should." He kept stabbing, "Even these trees are conspiring against us."

"Only if you had shown this aggression while searching Gervase."

Laughter from behind stopped him from sinking his knife in the tree.

"Yofrah should have commanded those armors to keep some captives." He put the knife to rest.

"Gervase was there infront of us. If someone was to be held a captive then it would have to be him."

"I doubt he has teleported himself out of Deragra."

"Then either Wutke or Lord Wernh'An will get him before us." The man said, "Deragra, protected by these false sense emitting trees, is the safest place for him, even now."

The soldiers heard mud squishing from nearby trees. Their bodies locked in bowing position before Yofrah emerged from darkness.

Something was on his shoulder but none of those soldiers dared to stand straight without Yofrah's command. As far as their sights reached to, they saw antlers on the thing Yofrah was hoisting.

Yofrah threw the deer with open belly infront of them, also letting them know he did not want their endless bows, "A wolf got this. Meat is fresh though. Will be good for tonight."

Yofrah unbuckled his baldric and headed for the rumbling stream along with his drawn sword.He flicked away clots of blood from both sides of the blade. And for the stains he could not remove, there was the rivulet.

Soldiers watched him submerge the sword in shallow water. The stream's current cleansed his dear weapon from the sins it had been part of. Trails of blood floated in water, thinned with waves and subsequently disappeared.

Yofrah's men kept a distance while cleaning their own swords and daggers.

"Blood of Gervase's guardians will send a message to this forest." Yofrah cupped water from his palms.

He then splattered cold water on his face. His henchmen did the same. Soon there was no sense of hierarchy. From commander to his soldiers, all killed their thirst from the same stream.

Yofrah opened his eyes and took his sword from the rivulet's possession. He reached for a rag to scrub residue from its blade but stopped the moment he found it clean.

His sword was shiny as a new one.

He sank his hand in water, cupping some of it out. His eyes watched it until every drop of water dripped from his fingers.

"Don’t drink it." Yofrah screamed.