“Is… Is that a fruit?” Jorik pointed to a thing not much different from an apple hanging from the branch of a tree. The fruit’s red color promised unmatched sweetness to whoever would gnaw at it.

The two men watched the fruit and gulped audibly as they swallowed back a drool. They had continued south for the last three days, fighting and running between patrols. Until the general. And then, nothing. No more Amentiae.

They had still run without a break, and progressively, the landscape had turned into an eerie forest. Since this morning, they had been walking under the shadows of gigantic trees. The calm forest had some kind of peaceful vibe, as if it wished to tell them they were finally safe. And now they had just encountered their first fruit tree.

“Where do you think we are?” Mahon asked with a sudden extra energy.

They had eaten their last food ration for lunch two days ago, and it had barely been enough to refuel their stamina after days of constant fighting and running. Jorik jumped and managed to catch the tempting fruit. He sniffed it and then tore it in two halves before giving one to Mahon.

“Honestly? I’ve no idea. I’m even starting to suspect we somehow got… behind.”

“Behind? As past the Amentiae blockade?”

“Yes. Since that general, I got that feeling we broke through something. Or somewhere. Somewhere we were never supposed to reach.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. If we were still going towards the Amentiae’s camp, we would have found it by now. And there would be Amentiae crawling everywhere.” Mahon took a look at his surroundings. “Instead, we are here. Have you ever seen a place like that? It’s so… calm. Peaceful.”

Jorik shook his head. “I think we shouldn’t have been able to go there in the first place. That’s why it was guarded by such a monster. I’ve seen how it fought. No one should have been able to win against it. But you did. It’s nothing short of a miracle... Maybe the Fada guided us here?”

Mahon sneered. “The Fada? I don’t think so. If anything, it’s the Amentiae that pushed us here.”

“You know what? It doesn’t really matter. It seems we have finally reached a safe place. Wherever it is.”

“You’re right. It doesn’t matter right now.” Mahon answered with a yawn.

He let his backpack fall on the floor and used it as a pillow as he laid on the comfortable and welcoming moss that blanketed the whole forest around them. He couldn’t resist a groan of delight as he relaxed his sore muscles and closed his eyes, something he hadn’t done for the past five days.

Or was it six?

“If we’re finally done, I’m gonna sleep for a whole day, and no one, even you, can stop me from doing that.”

Jorik chuckled as he dropped to the floor as well. Mahon opened one eyelid and caught the satisfying smile of the noble as he laid beside him. Jorik turned to him.

“Yes, I’ve learned my lesson. One problem at a time, right? Today’s rest, and we’ll wait for tomorrow for everything else.”