*CRACKLE CRACKLE*

  Outside the temple, a campfire burned bright. It’s crackle echoed through the silent cave in a soothing rhythm.

  Xantha, using branches of plants. Made skewers out of the amphibian located inside. She placed each skewer one by one on the fire, long sticks supporting it on the side. Aeris sat beside her, slowly skinned the amphibians with her sabre, than gave it to Xantha.

  On one side, Edric sat with his head covered between his knees. Just in front of him on the other side of the fire, Kael sat by himself, legs crossed and one hand rubbing the cheek where he got punched.

  They sat there silently , reminiscing on the past couple of minutes. Edric had revealed his entire story , well except the reincarnation part that is. He kept it as amnesia , then narrated his tale from the start, to Garrick and eventually to how he got stuck in Magnus.

  Xantha handed one cooked skewer to Kael, he grabs it and starts munching it.

  After a big bite he speaks. “So let me get this straight, you lost your memories, than get chased by the syndicate, then got stuck here. Oh I almost forgot, you're the heir of the house of Veyra. Then you got transported into my memory and then you punched me, destroying my handsome face.” His tone was half serious and half light hearted to lift the mood.

  Unfortunately, the mood was still low. Edric's head was still tucked inside his knees, he didn’t exactly know how to feel. One hand he felt like a large weight being dropped, the feeling of telling his secret made his mind calm down. On the other hand he didn’t know how the other’s will take it, what if they end up hating him.

  Xantha chimed in. “Stop making fun of him, he didn’t know. Here Ed,” she hands him a skewer.

  Edric lifted his head, with sad eyes he grabbed it. Xantha could see his mind was clearly low.

  “It’s not your fault,” Aeris chimined in. “You didn’t have a choice, so stop being so weak.”

  A thought was still on Kael’s mind. “But why did you punch me?”

  Edric remained silent for a moment, then spoke. “Well, when I was waking up. I caught glimpses of memories here and there. In the last memory, I say your father packing up to go somewhere, I think the capital? Anyway you said something like What if the Veyra heir is alive or something like that?”

  Kael rubbing his temples, his face both confused and frustrated. “Oh come on, I only said that because your eyes are the same color, and you looked how I would have imagined you’d looked like.”

  Edric didn’t say anything, he just ate his frogs and looked away.

  “Stop shouting, it’s annoying.” Aeris smacked Kael's head.

  “AH fine. Loosen up. It’s not your fault. Besides, count yourself lucky.”

  Edric looked at him confused,

  “Didn’t you say you were going to the Veyra estate for answers. Well you got yourself a local who lived there till age 13. I know the ins and outs of the city or atleast whatever remains I guess. But still I’ll tag along.” Kael let out a big smile. Somehow it eased Ed up.

  “Will yeah I guess… But I have a question. Do you guys know how the big pillar of the kingdom suddenly fell? Kael, I imagine you wouldn't sit still when you heard the news.”

  Kael leaned back, looked up at the lush ceiling. “Yeah you got a point. When was it, Yeah, I think around four years ago. I was west , and heard the news a month late. Ones I heard about it I immediately started traveling up north to but for some reason…”

  His voice trailed off for a moment.

  “It took me about a month to come near and the more and more I came closer. The more blocked roads, guards posted for no reason. I asked all the nearby settlements around but all of them either didn’t know or just kept quiet. Than I crossed a mountain taking a long route to escape the guards. There should be a small town nearby, which is a popular hub for Veyra mercenaries to drink and rest.”

  Kael's eyes dilated. “ All I saw was burnt wood and stone. The odd part was around half of the town disappeared… vanished like it didn’t exist. It looked like a large knife cut the town in half, one half burnt and the other disappeared.”

  Edric hesitated. “Were there any people dead or alive?”

  Kael nodded. “Not that I saw, then again I only saw from afar. I can’t exactly explain but something stopped me from going near. Almost like a-”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Curse.” Aeris finished his sentence.

  “Yeah like that. Than I tried my best to got the main city, I wondered what the marble vibrant city has become. But I couldn’t exactly find it.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  “You might not know but the main Veyra city is located in a very mountainous range. It was a military hub afterall. But when I tried to go there, some of the geography changed, other routes had those annoying guards. Than I took a shortcut I knew under a river. Thankfully it still existed but I couldn't cross through. There monsters, a shit ton of them. And at my level I wouldn’t survive.”

  “So you gave up.” Aeris blunt as ever.

  “Sheesh, I didn’t give up. I waited till I got stronger, and I tried to get some intel from other cities. I figured the main culprits would become lax and make a crack to go through. Anyway now that section of the country is basically a forbidden land, all people know are rumors and folklore.”

  “Folklore?”

  Xantha chimed in. “Some say the Veyra family made a deal with the devil. So the devil has come back for revenge or around those lines.” Edric and Kael look at her for a good second. “Ahem, I heard gossip back at the tavern.”

  Edric stared at the fire, he had hoped he could get some new info from Kael. His information wasn’t bad but didn’t exactly help his situation. He didn’t what he had to do? Should he follow to the Veyra estate or live a new life here? All those racked his head.

  He stood up from his place. “I’m going to have some alone time. You guys take some rest.” He started to walk but stopped mid step, he turned back. “Sorry, for punching you.” He continued to walk into the distance,

  “Hey, wait” Kael was about to get up and say something, but Aeris patted his shoulder to stop him.

  “Let him have his space.” Her voice is serious and stiff. She stood up and went back into the temple.

  *******

  *Crackle Crackle*

  Water crackled down the small stream through the caves, the sound of incests and reptile was oddly melodic to the ear.

  Edric sat down on the grass facing the small stream, he hunched down with his face under his knees. His mind was confused and stressed, his main question was what to do next. Somehow revealing his secret felt like taking a rock of his shoulders.

  Edric breathed a long and deep sigh. “ sigh- should I be feeling relieved or not? On one hand It’s revealing but on the other hand… ”

  “ On the other hand?”

  “Ah!”

  A voice inturputes his crazed monologue, he turns to Xantha calmly walking towards him. She smiles and sits down next to him.

  “Why are you here?”

  “Just sight seeing, it’s quite peaceful here. So what’s on your mind?”

  Edric turns towards the stream, he calmly watched the small body of water go down clashing between the rocks before utterign a word.

  “Just on what to do next… I don’t particularly remember my past at all, well except a few glimpses here and there. I could just forgot about the past and leave a new life, It’s not like people care about the past—” his voice stutters for a good second. “ But there is something I can’t shake, it’s like my hearts telling me to go to some unsolidated mission, to find answers atleast.”

  “Then find the answers–” Xantha’s voice calm and confident.

  “But what if I dont want to be a ruler of the great Veyra family or whatever.”

  “No one is saying you should be a ruler. You just need answers, also about people not caring about the old house. I think Kael cares enough , so thats one person. And I know there are several other people who can’t speak up who also care.”

  Edric remained silent, he looked up at the lush caves ceiling. He took deep breath and decided….

  ******

  Inside the temple, near a window frame, Kael sits with his back leaning against the wall. He stares at a broken window outside the light from glowberries illuminate the surrounding.

  His expression is blank, dull and listless. A bit odd for Kael, in his eyes there was excitement, instead it was filled with doubts and he might not show it. But the fact that Edric was the heir is sought after, jogged some thoughts in him.

  *Tap Tap*

  Light footsteps echo through the hall, Aeris sets nearby on an adjacent window frame.

  “Whatever is on you mind… Best say it outloud instead of scheming.” her tone blunt.

  Kael with fake enthusiasm. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “Don’t put on that fake smile. Your quite smart and cunning. Edric on the other hand is innocent and hopeful.” She turns her head to see the painting on the ceiling. “Who knows perhaps you knew about his past..”

  Kael expression turns to a mild anger.

  “I guess not”

  Kael in an irritated tone. “And your some angel. Who knows what all secret you hide behind your mask. Besides What would you know, Veyra wasn’t your home.”

  “Well you arnt wrong, but I don’t hide behind a farce.”

  “Hmph”

  “What’s you plan now?”

  “I-I dont know. I mean what can we do. Yeah sure, Edric is the hier and proving by blood aint so difficult. But what good would that do? He is just one person and I don’t think he likes me anymore.”

  “I think he just felt betrayed. There’s only a handful of people he knows…”

  “Yeah I guess. Anyway it’s his decision to make.”

  “What about you? What do you want.”

  “Me, well I want answers…”

  *Creak*

  The door slightly creak opens, Edric and Xantha entered into the temple. Edric face is a lot more relaxed now. Which peeked Kael’s interest. Before He could ask, Edric spoke up.

  “I want answers to. So I decided.”

  “Which is?” Aeris questioned him with great curiosity. Kael sitting to the side, watched awkwardly not knowing what to say.

  “The same as before, go to the source of my problems– the Veyra estate. There might not be much but I could find something.” Edric’s voice is calm and confident. The small chat with Xantha eased his nerve and removed his doubt. Aeris rubbed her chin while thinking, she gather her thoughts are speaks.

  “That’s your decision to make, and it seems your confident about it.” she said in an approving tone. “But Xantha what about you?”

  Xantha chuckles, “Hmmm, I thought real hard…. I can’t exactly walk free, I mean there probably a bounty on me so I figured I’d join Edric.”

  Aeris nodded, in her mind it made sense. Kael still looked sullen, his eyes awkwardly avoided Edric.

  “Wait, arn’t all three of your identity compromised.” Edric chimed in. The people in auction knew Xantha, the captain knew Aeris and Cain knew Kael. In fact Edric was the only one no one saw the face of.

  “Hehehe”

  Edric’s blunt tone made Kael chuckle, perhaps this was his true attention.

  “Hey, Kael I can’t go there alone I need a local tour guide.” Edric smiled at Kael.

  Kael paused for a second, “Heh, sure there’s know one better than me. But what about you” he referred to Aeris. Well it’s true Aeris might have someone chasing her, but she’s more than capable enough to take care of herself.

  “Haven’t decided yet, I can tag along for a while atleast until we cross this region . After that I can’t guarantee I will stay.”

  “That’s plenty enough. So *Yawn* let’s get some sleep hopefully without getting into a memory this time.” Edric goes to grab the fabric. “Let’s figure out a way to get out of here tomorrow.”

  With that there objective is decided, at dawn or atleast once they wake up they head out this cave. And make there way to the Veyra estate. The group layed there makeshift bed and layed down to relax their minds.