I woke suddenly with the feeling that I had fallen asleep at a crucial moment. Around me stretched a dark forest, with a small campfire ahead casting light into the shadows. Almost immediately, I saw Catherine getting up and walking toward me.

  — Are you alright? I thought you weren’t going to wake up. — Her expression showed relief, but also a trace of suspicion. — I don’t know what happened back in the city, but you saved us.

  — I don’t really remember what happened — or how we ended up here. Those people… they all died… — Flashes of the massacre ran through my mind: the light of the hammer crushing hope along with the bodies of those humble people who had only fought for their freedom; the smell of blood and death still fresh in my senses; my trembling hands, heavy with guilt for not foreseeing that our simple plan to save Finder would cost so many innocent lives. Most unsettling of all was that imposing, majestic man being there — searching for Catherine.

  — They died fighting for what they believed in. Against the Crucis, it’s always like this. The people are never given a choice but submission.

  — It could have been different, Catherine. We could have found a way that didn’t drag all those people into it. — I paused, looked straight into her eyes, and asked: — Who was that man, and why did he seem to know you? He even mentioned your father. That doesn’t feel like coincidence.

  We stared at each other in silence for a full minute. She seemed to be weighing the best possible answer. Her steady gaze felt like it was consuming me. She didn’t look intimidated by the question — on the contrary, her posture made me feel guilty for even asking. In that moment, it felt like I was the one being judged — how far I would push, how I would proceed.

  I was about to speak again when I heard the sound of heavy footsteps among the trees. I jumped to my feet and moved in front of her, facing the massive shadow approaching through the darkness. It was Finder, covered in foliage, with part of his metal arm crushed inward — likely damage from the battle in the square.

  — It seems you finally woke up, Human. We must move immediately. Church soldiers are nearby.

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  — I know where we can go. I was already heading toward the nation of Surum. It’s the only nearby place beyond the Crucis’ reach. I don’t believe we have another option right now. The road won’t be easy, but with the big guy there, I think we can make it safely.

  — Just point the direction, small human. I will handle the rest.

  Over the following days, we traveled a long and punishing path focused on survival and escape from the Church’s constant pursuit. Everything around us seemed intent on killing us. The region’s fauna and flora were both alive and hostile — plants that tried to coil and suffocate us if we slept in the wrong place; animals that built natural traps for their prey; trees that released gas to knock victims down and turn them into roots. And beyond all that were the Night Beasts — savage and merciless creatures that stalked and attacked without warning. Some were too strong even for Finder to face, leaving us no choice but to flee as fast as possible. There was no space to breathe, no moment of true safety.

  Amid the constant danger, I felt Catherine growing distant. Since our conversation, she avoided any deeper connection and seemed withdrawn into her own thoughts. Finder, on the other hand, became a trusted friend. Throughout our escape, he constantly shared his knowledge of survival, hunting, and combat — always with the stated goal of making me, as he put it, a “minimally useful travel companion.”

  After many exhausting days, at the break of a beautiful dawn, I saw a massive mountain in the distance — yet unlike any we had passed before. Its shape was unique: despite its enormous height, the summit was flat, and atop it stood walls so vast they seemed to touch the sky. The mountain and the fortress merged visually into what looked like a single work of nature — an impenetrable, imposing stronghold that inspired only one feeling in me: intimidation.

  We stopped for a moment to take in the majestic sight after our long journey.

  — Surum! I’ve always wanted to see it in person — I’d only read about it. It really is as beautiful as they say. — Catherine exclaimed, clearly excited.

  — Haven’t seen you this cheerful in days. Looks like the real Catherine is finally back. — She glanced at me from the corner of her eye, ignored the comment, and continued walking.

  — We’re in Surum territory now, boys. We don’t need to worry about the Crucis anymore. Our concerns will be different from here on.

  — My only concern right now is finding the gate to that enormous fortress.

  — You’re as direct as ever, Finder. Didn’t even stop to admire the view, did you? — I joked.

  — I see no difference between the forest and that mountain. They are merely images processed by my ocular sphere, Human. — With that, he moved to the front and led the way toward the great nation of Surum.