By the moment Gabrielle woke up, light had returned to Forsia. All the candles had run out, bottles of wine were everywhere, little breadcrumbs covered the bed, she was still wearing her ‘Knight of Red’ outfit and even the hat was still on her head! Speaking of, her head rang and thumped, demanding water immediately . The redhead looked around herself for a moment, finding Lucrece sleeping loud and deeply not too far from her, on a couch. She seemed like she was enjoying her dreams, for a change.

  The smaller girl couldn’t even remember her own dreams… and for some reason, she felt a little relieved about that. With a grunt she got up, stretching until her bones popped back in place… until she realized the obvious.

  No one stood guarding last night. For all she knew, their shadows could have spawned in the city already, if not in the very house they were commandeering.

  With a loud sigh, seriously disappointed in herself, the Witch took her sword and walked out of the room, holding the rusty steel high as she went over to the yard. No signs of danger just yet. She reached for the house’s well and grabbed herself a pail of water, dunking her face in it and drinking for a good minute before taking it out, sighing in relief. Nothing like fresh water for a hangover!

  As the pains of wine receded, Gabi wondered… When was the last time she had fun like this? She sometimes had good moments, yes; Esperanza was kind to her and people in the Company tended to treat her with *some* respect but, actually laying back, drinking and relaxing…

  Honestly, things hadn’t been this nice since Baraqiel was alive.

  The girl slapped herself twice. No. No memories, not in the fog. They had already been insanely lucky, she didn’t want to ruin that! Sigh… why did she always have to ruin everything…?

  Again, she felt that strange rippling in her soul, something creeping from behind her. In the water’s reflection she saw herself, and a shadow forming slowly, smiling widely. Moved by instinct, Gabrielle grabbed her sword and spun on her heels, swinging her blade to cut the rising wretch in half.

  “Focus!” She yelled at herself. “Focus… no negative thoughts… Why is this so hard all of a sudden!?”

  It made no sense! All these years she had been able to go around without thinking too much of Baraqiel, or her own failures, or her frustration for ruining everything ! Why now!? Was it the Fog? Was it messing with her brain!?

  Maybe it was… and if so, they needed to get out of here, quickly. Before she had a chance to make things worse.

  As she grumbled and walked back into the manor, Gabi remembered what Lucrece had told her before:

  ...You gotta tell me what’s bothering you so much when we get out of this Fog, Gabi.

  It seems bad.

  Had things really been that bad that they were affecting her this hard, or was that also the Fog messing up her thoughts?

  No. Things had definitely been bad. They still were pretty bad…

  Gabrielle walked over to the living room, where her spell was ready to be activated. What a surprise to find Lucrece staring at her work! The redhead could swear she had made as little noise as she could! As she walked over to her, the taller woman pouted and crossed her arms.

  “You didn’t wake me up. That’s mean.” She complained.

  “Sorry. You looked comfortable.” The smaller girl kneeled in front of her circle of blood, setting her hands down. “I’ll summon the Compass. After that, we will have time to get ready to leave.”

  “Alright then. Work your magic.”

  The blood was dry by now but it still worked nicely. The Witch took a deep breath, setting her old compass on the center of the circle and, in a soft voice, began whispering the names of each rune she had drawn. One by one they lit up as she commanded them to attention… until the circle was fully illuminated. And then, with a spark of magic, flames rose from the carpet, high like a pillar of pure greenish fire that licked the very ceiling of that room.

  Once it descended, what was left on the floor was the very same compass from before… but the arrow was no longer turning around like crazy: it now pointed straight to the left, trembling, as if something was forcing it to stay the course.

  “It is done.” Gabrielle announced, sitting back and sighing in relief. “It will point to the closest port now.”

  “Ace! Magic is really something else.” Lucrece offered a hand to help her companion back up. Offer that was accepted. “Up you go. Oop, it really was the armour! You’re light as a feather!”

  “I told you.” With a little grin, the redhead began walking up the stairs. “Time to get ready. We will have no more deviations from here.”

  “ Oui oui , cap’n.”

  Preparations took little time. Lucrece stole one of the silky blouses to wear under her brigandine, then took everything that looked shiny, metallic and was not nailed down. By the end of her preparations, she was carrying a sizable bag behind her back, looking quite satisfied with herself.

  Gabrielle, who just put back her sabatons, her battle skirt, kept the red jacket and was already done with all preparations, stared at her companion with a disapproving frown.

  “Stealing is wrong.”

  “Look, they won’t use it and if they left it behind, they were willing to part with it. Bite me.” The thieving blonde lifted her nose. “Now, let’s go! I even packed some food for the way out.”

  “And drink?” The Witch’s expression turned hopeful.

  “That wine was terrible Gabi. But I am carrying a bottle.” Lucrece shook her head softly. Alas, she’d need to show the girl some actual wine one of these days.

  Wait. What was she thinking?

  “...Oh, by the way?” She reached to snatch the hat from the shorter woman’s head, grinning teasingly. “That’s the end of your Hat Time. Sorry.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “Aw…” Said short woman pouted. “Will I get to wear it again soon? Makes me feel dignified.”

  “I will think about it.”

  Gabrielle may not smile much, but Lucrece could notice the way her eyes glimmered with hope, with excitement. Those eyes expressed all her face didn’t… the Lancer guessed it was impossible to just lock up all your emotions after all. Satisfied with her newfound understanding of her companion, the one eyed Lancer nodded and guided the way outside of the house.

  The streets of Forsia were still empty, eerily silent, covered by the Fog; and the outside of the walls, as they exited through the West gates, was not any better either. Without animals or people, they were both keenly aware of the absolute quiet, sometimes interrupted by the trudging of a monster in the distance.

  Following the arrow was not an easy task. It seemed to jerk around every hour or so, violently shifting directions and forcing both women to stop, turn around, and rethread old trails. This, of course, made Lucrece suspect foul play on the compass’ part, but Gabrielle insisted they had to follow the arrow, no matter how silly it seemed. It would take them outside no matter what.

  “You know what I miss?” Suddenly said the Witch.

  “What, Gabi?” The Lancer tilted her head.

  “Horses.”

  “ Putain. Yeah, I do too.”

  Horses had become a bit of a commodity these days, even more than they already were in the past. With the disappearance of animals in every territory overtaken by the fog, farms were the first to feel the direness of the situation. As soon as any non-human being was left unobserved in the fog, poof, it vanished. And no one ever knew where they ended up…

  “This trip would be so much better on a horse.” Lucrece complained “We could actually get out so much faster, and–”

  “What name would you give a horse?” Gabi asked.

  “What?”

  “I’d name mine Fabino.”

  “F-Fabino?” The Lancer tried not to chuckle a bit. “I mean, it is a nice name.”

  “Right?”

  “I guess I’d name mine Pierrot, or something like that. Never gave it much of a thought.” This did, however, create some questions in the blonde woman’s mind. “Are you any good with animals?”

  "I like animals, but I am always scared around them… and they also seem rather skittish around me.”

  “Huh.” Another difference with Claude. Lucrece remembered perfectly how the boy seemed to get along very, very well with animals. She shrugged. “Then why do you want a horse?”

  “Maybe I could be friends with it…” Gabrielle lowered her voice, trying not to sound ridiculous.

  “I’ve heard horses are very loyal. I bet you could be friends with one.”

  Both women shared a bit of a grin, as they continued walking deeper into the forest. It would be a long and arduous journey following the hectic arrow of their compass, but maybe chances were on their side this time…

  —---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Rain was pouring loudly outside the Saint Helena Chapel, in Iron City. It was a dark and stormy night, everyone else had already left the place. Lightning illuminated the inside from time to time, flashing through the painted windows of the small building.

  When Father Vasili turned around, he found, with great dismay, that Tellonius was still there. Smiling, watching, patiently waiting. That man, that tiny, dark skinned, black haired man, had been the bane of Vasili’s existence for who knows how long. Every time the mage appeared in his life, the priest knew things would take a weird and often dangerous turn! But tonight? Tonight was his most dangerous, and weirdest proposition so far.

  “I said ‘No’.” The old man of the church repeated himself. “What, have you gone deaf as well? You insane bastard.”

  Tellonius smiled calmly. He knew the priest like the palm of his hand, they had known each other for so long, he was honestly his longest, bestest friend! Even if he seemed to hate his guts right now!

  ‘Oh he’s just grumpy’ , thought the mage, ‘ not that I really blame him’ .

  Compared to the thin and petite Tellonius, Vasili was a beast. Tall, broad, muscular and with a thick white beard that caused envy in other men in the village, he was the type of man you didn’t want to bother, even at his sixty years of age. And yet, his old friend stood there calmly, smiling, knowing perfectly that this monster of a man would never dare lift a finger against him.

  Even as the priest violently gesticulated, swinging an arm aside.

  “I am not taking part in this ridiculous project! You and your Teacher can both go to the deepest pits in the Hells, for all I care!” Vasili crossed his arms. “Go, you hear me?! Go to the Hells and never return!”

  “You’re mad.” Tellonius said, his smile turning into an expression of shame. He knew what was coming next.

  “You can bet your ass I’m mad!” The priest exploded. “You really have some heavy fat balls, Tell. You disappear on me for years, and every time you come back, you come with a favor to ask. Well, I am putting my foot down here. No more, I say!”

  “Vasya…” The mage sighed. “I am so sorry… You know my work leaves me isolated for long periods of time but, I never meant for it to absorb me like it does! And besides… I always come back, don’t I?”

  “ Regrettably. ” The taller man crossed his thick, powerful arms. His knuckles cracked a little bit as he drummed his fingers.

  “Come on Vasya…” Tellonius smiled a little. Just a little. “We will be able to talk and catch up on the trip.”

  “I said NO! ” The priest roared, to the point that even the smaller man flinched. “Tell your Teacher to get you someone else! And while doing that, tell her to go fuck herself.”

  “...You are the only one I can really trust for this, Vasili.”

  Both men looked each other in the eye. There it was, Tellonius was doing it again, the damn puppy eyes! Begging so pathetically, trying to appeal to the beast’s oversized heart. The priest growled, rubbing his bald head and looking away as he tried to gather strength. Soon after he looked again: His old friend was still there, pouting a little even, he was so damn unserious! Vasili hated him, he hated him with all of his heart.

  … No, he couldn’t lie like that.

  And he did hate that fact.

  “You have not changed a bit since we were in elementary school!” The priest wanted to lash out so badly. “You can’t just make me feel bad every time!”

  “Is it working…?”

  “ Fuck you. ”

  “Come on Vasya, please?” The mage cleared his throat and tried to look at least a little more serious about things. “I need you for this. I literally can’t do it without you.”

  Vasili stomped so hard on the floor he cracked one of the beautiful marble slabs spread on the floor. He bit his lip, threw punches into the air, and finally roared once again before sighing and settling down.

  “ FINE! ”

  “Yes! Thank you so much!” Tellonius reached to hug the bigger man, smiling brightly.

  “Yeah, yeah! Shut up! Tell me the damn details before I change my mind.” The priest made no effort to push the other man away, just sighed.

  “Well, you see.” The mage let go on his own, checking a briefcase on his side and pulling out the schematics for a small vessel. Even if pitiable in size, it was a masterwork: it held room for ten people, a workshop, a forge and all the amenities that a crew could need on such a dangerous expedition. “We need you to protect us on our way there. The Godstorm still rages in the oceans, after all. Our crew will depend on you to arrive in Aespania safely!”

  “How long will it take?” Vasili frowned, pulling a tiny pair of round glasses to put on and read the documents that were presented.

  “Two weeks, tops.” Tellonius nodded. “I assure you, the payment and the amenities will be top notch!”

  “Did your Teacher tell you why you need to do this, though?”

  “Yes. We are to recover some stuff, test out our Deathrock Torch, and reactivate a Prototype Tower if we manage to reach deep enough in the Fog.”

  “I hope you’re not just going to assume I know what the fuck a Deathrock Torch is.”

  “A-Ah, sorry.” The mage rubbed the back of his neck and pulled a second schematic: a mechanism that burns fuel at its base, and produces flame at the top. “It’s our latest invention: it manages to fully burn Deathrock into a powerful, magically-charged green flame. It is highly efficient, lasting for entire weeks! And what’s better, it should repel the Fog like a charm!”

  “It should ?” Vasili lifted a single eyebrow.

  “It should!” Tellonius doubled down.

  “Alright… And what of that Tower?”

  “It’s like a torch, but massive. It is not finished though, so we would need to reach it, finish it, and activate it.”

  “Uh huh. Easy enough.” Sarcasm was not forbidden among the children of the Church. It was one of their biggest delights, in fact. “And where is this Tower?”

  “In a town named Kingstone, back in Doggenbandr.”

  “Isn’t that quite far from Aespania?”

  “My Teacher said she got us a guide!”

  The priest took a deep breath, and then sighed it all out, patting Tellonius’ thick, curly hair, before walking towards the exit in the church.

  “Fine then.” He said-

  “W-Where are you going?” Tellonius blinked.

  “To take my baggage. I assume you’re taking me there now .”

  The mage felt his cheeks grow hot, and tapped his head while sticking out his tongue, embarrassed to have been discovered so easily. The bigger man really had him figured out. He hurried up to join his friend, both of them taking an umbrella and carefully walking out into the powerful rain.

  “How’s the kid, by the way?” Vasili asked casually.

  “Aygon is doing great. He’ll come with us, you know?” Tellonius’ heart swelled with pride. “He has become a great shot, and an excellent mage. With him around, we won’t have anything to fear.”

  “If you say so…”

  Vasili remembered little Aygon well. A tiny, mousey boy, curious and talkative… he wondered how much he could have changed in ten years.

  “Make sure to bring your dice, by the way! The trip will be long and boring without them!” The smaller one added.

  “Still the same, huh?” The monster of a man smirked, nodding slowly. “Fine. I planned on bringing them anyway.”

  “Yes! Time to get Va-silly with it!” Tellonius celebrated as they entered the tiny house beside the chapel.

  “I can and will demolish you like a brick house.”