Q: Who caused Yeriel’s death?

A: Lightless.

- - -

I kept myself awake even with the terrible weakness in my limp body and fuzzy mind, grounding my teeth. It wasn’t this terrible even against that Ghoul, however, this time around the accidental acting up of the bloodline pulled out everything it could from me, leaving a haggard, limp body.

Well, the throbbing pain was of some use now. As my mind was busy registering it, I eliminated all the thoughts of what I did. I knew someday I would’ve to do it, however, thinking of how easy it had been, taking a life, sickened me. It was likely because my mind was high on adrenaline, but I can’t deny it was I who did it. Even if the individual was some rogue, criminal, and had done many evil deeds, I felt a horrible churning in my stomach.

Shaking my head, I eliminated my thoughts on those lines yet again. My head was feverish, eyelids heavy, I was in no condition to even walk, so Noyar carried me along with her, while my aunt gave me worried glances from time to time on our way towards the Warders’ camp. Even her face was pale, fortunately, I don’t see any serious injuries outside, unlike Noyar.

“Shailyn,” I called, “are you alright?”

“Yes,” Shailyn answered with a sigh. “Dark arts are a terrible deterrence against spirit energy. I need some rest and work out to get back to my natural form.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“We fell into a trap,” Shailyn said, clasping her palm into a fist. Even admitting it was difficult for her. “I hate to admit it, but it’s my shortsightedness that caused it.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Noyar joined. Her voice was more haggard than Shailyn's. “How would we know they were ready for us with traps and organised assault? If you ask me, it's your instinct that kept us alive against such an assault.”

“Still, I should’ve known something like this would’ve happened,” Shailyn said, gritting her teeth. “I should’ve known that they would be prepared for us. . . .”

A frown appeared on my brows as I heard the entire story. Something must be really fishy if the two of them fell into traps this easily. After they fell into the trap, a dozen armed men, including the warlock Rojar Iker, assaulted them. Shailyn had a one-on-one battle with the warlock, while Noyar was alone against the many, protecting her. Naturally, even for a knight like Noyar, stopping over ten men was not a workable job.

She failed to protect Shailyn; and to help her knight, Shailyn had to divide some of her attention to the others—that put her at a terrible disadvantage against the warlock. He assaulted her with a frightening deterrence of dark art, rendering almost half of her energy busy stopping it, making her no better than an average Magus.

The only way she was not dead was because Rojar Iker was an affliction expert. Most of his spells need time to cause a terminal effect. At a disadvantage, they chose to withdraw. Noyar carried Shailyn on her back and rushed out from there, however, they group didn’t let them go that easily. The group of rogues chased after them, and then they were there.

“Are you able to exorcise all the afflictions?” I couldn’t help but ask. Despite those affliction spells are slow, they are far worse. Most of them invade the body, and rendered spirit energy usage useless, to depict terrible curses and diseases.

“I’m alright,” Shailyn said, “Or will be. Noyar will need some assistance. She got hit with a couple while withdrawing. I guess your friend could help her.”

“I’m alright,” Noyar said stubbornly, though her haggard voice told there were more than a couple of problems with her.

“I guess we all need help in some places,” I muttered.

I felt shame letting her carry me when she was in such a state, but it can’t be help, I don’t feel an ounce of strength in my body. Other than the beating I got from Althan, its punisher’s ability Fury and the sudden acting up of the bloodline caused it, not to mention that I didn’t sit still after freeing myself. I think I’ll be able to use spirit energy soon, which would also relieve my pain and fatigue by some. I took the medicine I had with me, though nothing I had would be of much help to getting the physical form back within hours.

Perhaps Yeriel would have something, I thought, damn, I said I would be back in a couple of hours, and it's already double of that time and we would need half an hour or more to get there. She would be worried sick.

“Enough about us,” Shailyn said, looking worriedly at the mess of a face. “What happened to you? Did the Dark Deer attack you too?”

I shook my head with some shame. “It’s a stupid mistake on my part,” I said. “I let myself get into a trap, but nothing serious, it isn’t the Dark Deer.”

“Nothing serious?” Shailyn said, leaning closer to touch my face as I grunted. “Look at you. Your nose is broken, face swollen with blood patch marks, and your arm, it's broken too. Whoever did this seems to have some blood-feud with you.”

I let out a breath self-consciously. “Nothing serious,” I said. Bloody hell, it hurts even just to converse. Fortunately, the slight whistling through my broken nostrils had stopped. “I’ll deal with this personally.” I tried to keep it at a level tone. “We have more imminent danger at hand. Dark Deer is far more dangerous than the ones that beat me up.”

“So you will not tell me who did this to you?” Shailyn asked, eyes glaring. Finding me looking away and silent, she said again, sighing, “Knowing you it would be only a couple of things. Is it something shameful? Or you think you are good enough to deal with this alone?”

I kept my silence.

“So it’s a pride thing.” It seemed my silence was enough for Shailyn to make a judgement.

Well, it’s not just pride, I . . . we have more important things to take care of. Dark Deer and the dominion took priority over Althan and his gang. Moreover, I don’t think that bastard would show me his face any time soon. Shaking my head of those thoughts, I brought out the container of the honey.

“And where did you get that False-ward?” Shailyn asked again, eyes piercingly at the suit I wore. “You know you can get into trouble for that?”

I sipped a couple of drops of the honey into my mouth and swirled spirit energy. A frown appeared on my brows.

“Are you listening?” Shailyn nudged me. “Give me that honey. It’s awful here.”

“Let’s get to the camp first,” I said, jerking my head. “I don’t think this honey would have any use with this terrible cold, aunt.”

The blizzard slowed down a little as we moved through the snow-filled inclined land. After some time, I got off from Noyar’s back, after I got some strength back in my body. Noyar was quite in a terrible state with her injuries and cold. Other than the afflictions, her right thigh held an injury. The wounds didn’t close off yet, however, no blood bobbled out of there, though I can’t say anything about the pain. It was likely penetrated through her light armour with a spear or similar weapon.

There were some other scratches, while the muscles in her left shoulder seemed to get some tears in her battle. I noticed only because she was only clanging me on her back with her right arm. Shailyn, on the other hand, seemed to have no injuries on the outside other than the fatigue seeming through her pale face and weary eyes. She was even struggling to move, though she never complained. As it was mentioned in the book, the residents of Victoria, all are fighters, especially the women.

As the blizzard calmed down, we also slowed down a little, though haste could be seen in every one of our steps, since nobody can tell when the blizzard would strike again. It could be the next minute or the next hour.

“We are almost there,” I said, and a sudden gust of wind hit us. “Looks like the blizzard would continue again.”

“Let’s hurry for the last minute,” Shailyn said, and at that very moment, her legs stopped, eyes staring into the looming darkness in front of us. “Someone approaching.”

I frowned, but found nothing, however, my right palm held the hilt of Punisher, despite the exhaustion. Noyar did the same, alert, standing sideways as if to hide the wound on her thigh. Too many unexpected things happened today already, I wouldn’t be surprised if something else happened again. Moreover, Shailyn was a full-fledged Magus and was proficient in Spirit Cloud. If someone approaches, she would be the first to notice.

“It's me,” a voice said, which didn’t come as familiar with the sound of wind rushing. It took a couple more seconds to finally see the approaching silhouette, a male of average height, however, the figure felt somewhat familiar. “Thank Ishar, I finally found you.”

“William,” Shailyn called with uncertainty, “is that you?”

“Daaryl’s breath, who else would it be?” the young sorcerer came out, panting. His face looked quite haggard and weak as he peered at the three of us. However, the one thing that caught everyone’s attention was the bandage on his left eye. “I rushed the moment I felt the disturbance, but when I got there, it was too late. Bless the Almighty, you are alright.”

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