The road towards the buried couple was silent. Ezra's eyes reached the end of his head every few seconds to check on Nicholai. He was hoping his confidence was high enough for such a first task.

“Not nervous?” Anabelle spoke aloud to Nicholai.

“A little bit. I’ve never fought monsters, or even another magic user like this.” He kept his voice calm, his feet stayed steady, all to keep himself, and his mind from tripping.

“Same here. My forest never encountered monster attacks. There were Drymites and others, but they never seemed to be hostile.”

“Do you think they considered you to be a monster?” Nicholai asked, making the two laugh with one another. Ezra eased his worrying. “Hey I hope you don’t mind my asking, but Anabelle, just what are you?”

“Oh. Well my father was human.” Nicholai and Ezra both stopped in surprise. “I only knew him for a short time.”

The two men were completely dumbfounded at the story. They tried thinking of the possibility of such a thing.

“You’re a horse Anabelle.” Ezra spoke flat to her.

“I’m aware of that. I’ve been a horse for the last 6000 years.” Nicholai and Ezra sighed together.

“Well, guess we’ll have to believe it. If 6000 years have anything to do with it, how can we really tell if she’s lying or not.” Nicholai said, and turned back to continue their trail. “Besides, what are some of your favorite things to do?”

“Well. I did enjo picking flowers and making my own flower bed.” Anabelle answered. Ezra’s eyes gasped remembering something from before.

“Hey, that reminds me. When I was in the forest I saw trails of red and white flowers. That had to have been done by you.” Ezra said to her. Anabelle stopped to think.

“I only produce red flowers. And I do that to help small creatures follow me so I can lead them somewhere safe. I can’t create white flowers.” She responded.

“Then who the hell was responsible for that?” The swordsman asked in an annoyance.

“Don’t harass her. She doesn’t know.” Nicholai defended.

“Oh. Well then. Tell me something I don't know. Like what happened with you and that witch.” Ezra commanded Nicholai.

“I thought you’d be capable of reading the situation. We….” Nicholai began to fall apart.

“You had no idea what to do did you?” Ezra teased.

“I knew what to do! I read tons of romance books. And some of them are very descriptive.” Nicholai shouted back. Ezra became concerned for the boy.

“Maybe not do what they do in the books.”

“So you’ll teach me?” Nicholai got close to Ezra and asked his question like a child looking up to an older brother.

“What!? No! Learning that stuff is the same as anything else. Experience is key. However if you don’t value it, then it will mean nothing.” Ezra said back to the mage. The two continued on as Ezra gave Nicholai his talk about girls and their tendencies.Yet he noticed they were close to the destination. The two small dirt piles indicating where the bodies lay. “Well. Let’s do this. Once we use that potion, be ready for a fight. Expect any possibility in every fight.” Nicholai nodded to him, and Anabelle the same. He dug one of the bodies from the earth. Nicholai took the small vial from his bag."The potion will remove the magic signature and trace it back to the source."

Nicholai crouched down before the body and poured all the contents onto it. The liquid began glowing. All of it lifted together off the deceased body and formed together. It shifted itself into a ball. Then move away from the three at a quick pace.

“After it!” Ezra called, already following it’s trail. Nicholai knew his physical capabilities were underwhelming, so he mounted Anabelle and they followed behind the red-haired swordsman and the floating ball. Anabelle trotted quickly, trying to catch up. For he was completely dashing along. His hands were to his side within his robe, and his large sword was sheathed on his back. Nicholai was amazed at his physical prowess. He just kept going, they ran through forest, over hills and rivers. The floating ball started to shrink as they trailed it.

They approached a grove of trees, their leaves were colored black, and the bark was the same. Ezra stopped before entering.

“Something the matter?” Nicholais asked stopping with Anabelle at Ezra’s same place.

“Get ready to fight.” Ezra unsheathed his blade. “I can smell the beast. Rather we find Zarcah or not. That monster is here.” The three entered the woods slowly. Each step was accompanied by breaking leaves, metal weapons scattered throughout, and loose bags hanging and resting on the roots.

“I get it now. Adventurers.” Nicholai stated. “They get lured here, and that beast kills them.”

“You would think some of them would be able to kill it by now.” Ezra said, taking another look around. “Considering the size of these weapons, I can see why it’s still a problem.”

“Why’s that?” Nicholai asked. A roar rang throughout the trees. Then a large figure dashed to Ezra in a bolt of lighting. Pushing him back and making him fly through the trees. Nicholai quickly turned to see a tall skinny figure. Most of its body was devoid of hair. Leaving the large white mane. It’s eyes were completely golden, yet one was cut out. Several weapons were pierced through its body.

It roared again. Asserting its dominance over the battlefield. Nicholai readied his staff, yet he was unable to even prepare himself, as the beast came down with a fast strike. Destroying the earth beneath it’s claws. Nicholai believed the battle to be over far before it could even begin. His own abilities were useless in this battle. Yet his hope was not quickly faded. A fireball lunged at the beast. Knocking it back. Ezra jumped through the air, his sword in hand towards the beast. He brought down his blade with a scorching flame. The beats screamed through the woods.

“Nicholai, go the way it hit me. There's a cave where I'm sure Zarcah is. Go! I’ll handle this beast.” Ezra commanded. Nicholai continued to stare at the monster before him. His body shaking as it’s eyes fixated on him. “Nicholai!”

Anabelle yelled for him. He snapped out of his trance. Ezra began lunging his sword towards the monster. Nicholai inhaled deeply, and once exhaling he ran off.

“Ezra, what should I do?” Anabelle asked. Ezra looked back to her.

“I have an idea.” Ezra jumped onto Anabelle’s back. He stuck his arm out and shot small fireballs at the beast. Gaining its attention. “Alright ride back the way we came. I need to fight it in the open field.”

Anabelle took to moving away, Ezra kept firing balls of flames towards the monster. Its miniscule brain gave it a simple directive. Follow the flames. The mare sped off as quick as she could. The beast flashed towards them. Ezra swung his blade and made it drop to the ground and roll into the trees.

“Alright. Keep it up.” Ezra said in encouragement.

“Did you really find Zarcah?” Anabelle asked through the excitement.

“I believe so. Plus. This thing is pretty fast. It’ll wipe him out in a second. So I'll leave the necromancer to him. Or maybe we should take this thing out as quickly as possible to help him out.” Erza looked forward seeing their opening. The beast flashed before them, blocking their path. The swordsman jumped from his horse and into the beast. Knocking it out of the woods, and out into the open ground. “Alright. Time to slay!”

Ezra dashed towards the beast. His sword went for an upward slash. Yet something struck him on his head. It was the beast claws. He was struck down, and bounced into a tree. He wondered just what the beast did. Then he witnessed something extraordinary. Lightning was flowing under the beast’s skin.

“I see. It’s siphoning electrical energy into its body to move faster.” The secret of the monster was revealed to him. Now he had to figure out his way around it. The beast surged more energy through itself, and dashed into Ezra. The swordsman dodged at the last second. He tossed his sword fiercely at the beast. It pierced it’s skin so hard it came out through the other end. Ezra jumped back and grabbed the hilt from the beats back, and lifted him into the air with just one hand. He swung the sword down, the beast fell off and flew away from Ezra. “If I want to move faster than this thing. I may have to use the Dragon Tower.”

The clouds above to stir, turning gray and forming a center for the monster. A massive bolt of lightning struck from the sky, penetrating the beast. It flowed into it, changing it’s pale body and white to a bright yellow color.

“Crap, it's probably gonna start moving faster.” Ezra said to himself. The beast dashed forward again. The swordsman took a defensive stance. Holding the blade diagonally to his body. It’s claw struck the upward side of his blade. The sword was swung upward, catching the beast off balance for a short second. Ezra, his eyes closed , spun as the sword was vertical. His left leg lifted and bent where his foot was at the knee of the leg still firmly on the earth. His 180 degree turn came back to him facing the beast, yet his sword slashed down intersecting the beast torso and slicing it’s flesh. Ezra’s leg returned to the ground, and the sword was now in its opposite position from his stance. The monster roared, and all of the lightning once siphoned through its body exploded out of its wound as it’s skin and mane reverted to its natural color. The blast made Ezra soar towards the black woods, the floral within the blast radius now mimicked the forest in hue. “Alright. I know what to do now.”

More lighting began to form above the monster. Ezra stood up, his sword horizontal to his eyes. Another large thunder bolt fell from the sky. He tossed his blade with great forced away from him and the beast and into the earth. Just at the tip of it’s hair. The bolt redirected from the monster and over to the sword. Capturing the lightning inside it.

Now unarmed, he ran up to the beast. His knee left the ground quickly and struck the beast's face. Knocking it down, and Ezra now standing on its lying torso. He delivered punches to its large face. Breaking bones and teeth. Anabelle rushed over to his sword. He grabbed it with her bare teeth. Yet was brought regret once the lightning started to attack her. She silently screamed in agony. Yet managed to make her way to Ezra, who noticed her efforts. She tossed the blade to him. His arm reached out to grasp it. The beast let out one last hallowing roar, before metal broke through it’s punctured skull and into its brain.

Nicholai followed the broken trees all to a location where his ally most likely landed after being attacked. There was the cave spoke about. Small flames lit a path into. Nicholai took a heavy breath before walking in. His staff walked with him. Lifting it and marking the ground as he went.

He approached the main hub of the cave. It was rather large. A small plateau of land stood above him, and the main area and more candles lighting the area as well as tables arranged in a manner. To the left were 3 tables. One was littered with books and glass vials. The second was covered with jars that held unknown liquids and body parts. Lastly a table with arranged tools for surgical situations. Nearly all had been used, evident by the dried blood that began its hue. This paralyzed Nicholai. E dared not turn to the other tables. Yet he did, and found that each had engulf bloodstains and puddles. By looking a new corridor had been seen. The young mage slowly crept through, using the candles as a guide. The end saw dozens of bodies lying dead. Some had limbs missing. Some weren’t even in one piece. And all were covered in possibly their own blood.

“Like what you see!” A dastardly voice came behind him. Nicholai quickly turned and Zarcah stood behind him. Yet below him. The necromancer was no higher than Anabelle’s neck placement. “Oooooooh. A handsome young mage. I could use you. You must be popular with the ladies. If I could get that body of yours, I could finally find myself a beautiful and wonderful brid-” Nicholai struck the small man on the head with his staff. Knocking him out completely. He crouched down to his body, to ensure that he had truly fallen.

“This can't be the guy.” Nicholai told himself.

“Hey. you in here?” Ezra’s voice rang through the cavern.

“Yeah over here.” Nicholai grabbed one of Zarcah’s legs and dragged him along. Ezra and Anabelle stood before the tables.

“Good job taking him out.” Ezra congratulated.

“There was no fight.”

“What! Come on there had to have been something.”

“Nope. Just a simple hit to the head and he was out for the count. What about you?” Nicholai asked. Looking at Ezra’s face and clothes covered in dirt.

“Eh. It was fast, but nothing I haven’t dealt with before.” Anabelle ignored their conversation and gazed to the tables.

“Guys.” She called them. Ezra noticed first, then slowly began moving over to analyze. Nicholai kept his distance, still shaken from what he has seen so far. Ezra walked down through the tables. His emotion towards it almost began to mimic that of his ally. Then he looked at the small man.

“Seems Granius was right.” He kicked Zarcah’s head. Hoping to damage the little murderer. “Well. I guess we can call this mission complete. Let’s head-” Ezra was interrupted by the sounds of chains rattling. They came from above them. The cave started to shake slightly. Pebbles on the ground bounced in every direction. Then the sound of something being broken rang through. They readied themself. Something heavy struck the ground above them. Causing the area to collapse. The rest of the cave was following. “Let’s go.”

Nicholai began sprinting towards the exit, Zarcah’s body still dragging along the ground. Ezra let Anabelle past him. He took one last glance and began to head for the exit. However, a boulder fell blocking part of his path. Nicholai and Anabelle looked back. They saw most of the cave now collapsed, and Ezra starting to vault over the boulder. Yet a pair of golden eyes shined in the darkness. The swordsman robe was grabbed by a rather long arm with a sizable hand. He was pulled down. He took to his first instinct and electrified whatever grabbed him. He continued his vault and ran out of the cave with his companions. The cave completely fell on top of itself. Leaving the entrance now completely blocked off.

Nicholai and Ezra were gasping for air. Yet, large thumping began coming from the fallen hole. They started to move backwards away. Their weapons are still prepared.

“Why are we still here?” Nicholai asked.

“Well. If whatever was down there gets out, we will be back to square one.” Ezra responded. He felt little to no fear. Nicholai the complete opposite. The top of the cave burst open, rocks fell in every direction, now scattered around them. They wondered what kind of other monster Zarcah held down there. Some beast with incredible strength? A wolf of some kind? No. What emerged from the top of the cavern, had short jagged green hair. Golden eyes. Wore black boots, green short shorts, and a long sleeved white battle shirt with an open spot for cleavage exposure.

It was a girl. A tall short haired, long legged girl. She was entirely furious. Mostly from having a cave dropped on top of her.