Once they arrived, they established a perimeter around the target and advanced in a half-circle towrd it. Petra, a girl from the band of the Silver Lining, arrived first to the scene.

Petra –“Hey! What the shit is that!”

Lanaya –“It’s a blood bath. It probably happened yesterday.”

Leo –“I want to throw up.”

Lanaya –“Now, this is truly a fight to the death . . . Jurren, Radomil, toss the wolves aside!”

Lanaya looked at the inert, wrecked body of the little girl drenched in blood.

Lanaya –“Incredible! That crazy bitch is still alive. Nelis, can you get her back in shape?”

Nelis –“I’ll try . . .”

Lanaya –“We are establishing camp here. We will continue in five hours. Owen, Brys! You’ve got three wolves to cook.”

Owen –“You heard that, folks? We’re eating meat today!”

Nelis grabbed his healing pouch and opened it. Inside, he saw bottles and jars of varying sizes made from clay. The items were surrounded by fattened linen to protect them from insects. Nelis then took some water and a linen rag to clean the girl’s body as the others were installing a tent above his head. He cleaned 17 partially open wounds. He took salt from a jar and applied it to each of them to stop the bleeding before unsheathing an aloe leaf and filling each wound with its gel. Nelis packed his items and took a fishing hook and a cotton thread to sew her skin together.

Nelis sought any wounds he might have missed. As he set his eyes on her face, he slowed his pace, contemplating her traits like one would stare at a dying sun hiding behind the horizon. Her slanted eyes were shaped like waxing gibbous moons flipped to the side. She had mono eyelids. Her skin was tanned with a tone of yellow, like the sand at the edge of the southern sea. She had a tattoo of a dark full moon above her heart. Nelis noticed her right arm was completely burned from the tips of her fingers to the top of her elbow. The scars seemed to have been the work of either oil or boiling water. She wore a strange amulet made of amber. Nelis dressed the girl with new clothing and brewed her herbal tea from white willow bark. He cradled the girl while feeding her sips of tea, one after the other.

Nelis then let the girl sleep in the tent, and after three hours, she woke up.

What happened? Where am I?

She heard voices from outside.

Brys –“You say that like you’re following orders, but you’ve stolen her pendant without permission, didn’t you?”

What? My . . . no . . . you prick!

Nelis –“I didn’t steal it. I’m just looking at it while she sleeps.”

Brys –“And I just want to do the same, but with her!”

Nelis –“It’s a no, and it will stay a no.”

Brys –“And if I give you a bigger portion?”

What’s that smell?

Nelis –“That’s really tempting, but no.”

Owen –“You’re not serving bigger portions. Not when I cook it.”

Brys –“Well, I prepared the ingredients, so it’s also my meal.”

Nelis –“I might regret it, but I won’t change my mind. Sorry! She’ll keep her intimacy.”

The smell of roasted meat filled the air. The tender meat of the wolves she fought the night before, yet it felt too good to be true. Had she been captured by those attacking her village? Or were they refugees of the Vale?

The girl stepped outside of her tent and witnessed the army in front of her. It was like an undisciplined military camp. Bags were scattered on the ground, and the soldiers sat next to trees. Half of them were still eating the meat of the wolves, which had been cooked over a fire.

No banners, are they mercenaries? There are so many . . .

Leo –“Hey, the girl is up!”

Vatra looked to her left and saw a kid younger than her sharpening his sword. At that moment, a man with short brown hair approached her.

Nelis –“Do you remember your name?”

Vatra –“Give it back!”

Nelis –“I’ve heard more common names!”

Vatra –“Give me my amulet and I’ll answer.”

Nelis –“Here.”

As she grabbed it, she glared at him with both fear and anger.

Vatra –“Don’t you ever dare steal from me again!”

Owen –“Careful, Nelis, I bet she bites!”

Nelis –“Shut up! So, what’s your name?”

Vatra – “Vatra . . . I’m Vatra. Where am I? What happened?”

Nelis –“I’m Nelis. We found you in a bloodbath with three wolves.”

Vatra –“How long have I slept?”

Nelis –“After I healed you, I’d say three hours, but before we found you, I have no clue.”

Vatra –“I have to go. Which way is south?”

Nelis –“Before I answer, I have a question. What is a girl like you doing in the middle of the forest fighting for her life without any supplies?”

Who the fuck are they? I mean, they healed me, but . . .

Vatra –“I don’t remember!”

Nelis –“But you remember you wanted to go south?”

Jurren –“Vatra, our leader should be back soon. She would like to speak with you before you go. The south is this way!”

Lanaya –“There’s no need for that Jurren; I’m back. Owen, give her a bowl!”

Owen –“Right away!”

Lanaya –“My name is Lanaya. I am the leader of the Silver Lining. Today, you are my guest, so relax and eat. After all, you’re the one who hunted them.”

Confused by her stature, Vatra scrunched her eyebrows while looking up with an intense curiosity. The person before her had the voice of a girl and the face of one, yet something was off. It wasn’t just her height or the purity of her skin, no. Her silver hairs were glittering under the sunlight, and her eyes were so vivid they almost appeared empty. She seemed too perfect to be human and far taller than the average girl.

Vatra –“What are you?”

Lanaya –“What do you mean?”

Nelis –“We’re mercenaries.”

Vatra –“That’s not what I meant.”

Lanaya –“I’m not that different from you. Besides, I bet your eyes are strange as well in these lands.”

Vatra –“True . . .”

Lanaya –“Anyway, I don’t want to anger you. Let’s eat.”

Vatra followed them and sat next to the fire. She examined her injuries. They had been sutured. She fumbled with the thread to see how tight it was.

Nelis –“Don’t!”

Vatra raised her head halfway to look at him and slowly let the thread go.

Nelis –“If you open it, I won’t close it off again.”

Vatra –“Why did you heal me?”

Lanaya –“I would like to recruit you.”

Vatra –“To what?”

Owen –“Here’s your meal, miss huntress.”

Vatra –“Ehh . . . Thank you . . .”

Vatra tried to process the request she just had, but her stomach was growling for mercy, so she ate without answering.

Lanaya –“When I saw your corpse in that pool of blood, I saw your soul. You’re a fighter, and those are the kind of people I need.”

Vatra listened to her, worried about making a costly mistake.

Lanaya –“One day, I’ll change this world into a better one, a world where everyone will have a fair chance, a world where our fate won’t be written at our birth. Most people make the mistake of trying to live happily in the current state of their world. Yet by accepting their fate, they simply doom their descendants to live the same hardship they didn’t solve. I am the leader of this mercenary band, and we are the Silver Lining. While we might be sellswords, our goal is just.”

If they are mercenaries, who are they working for?

Vatra –“The Silver Lining . . . Never heard of it.”

Lanaya –“Can you tell me a bit about you?”

Vatra –“Like what?”

Lanaya –“Do you have a family?”

Vatra –“They died long ago . . .”

Lanaya –“Some relatives, then?”

Vatra –“None that I know of . . .”

Lanaya –“I’m sorry to hear, but you see, everyone here had no relatives when they joined me, and now we are like a family. If you want, you could help us build this Elysium.”

Vatra –“Isn’t paradise meant for the dead?”

Lanaya –“As if any god would give you that. They don’t care about us. We’re like ants to them. If they intended to give us one, they would change this world into one. The truth is that we are the only ones who can make it happen. I won’t force you, but I know our fates are linked. I can feel it through your soul. Like a sleeping veil awaiting its awakening. If you want to step up to the fate bestowed upon you, we will welcome you.”

Vatra –“I’m sorry, but if I have the choice, I’d rather walk my own path.”

Lanaya –“We’ll give you a few days’ worth of food and a sword. If you want to join us, we’ll be heading north to join the Kalator. If you don’t, I’ll advise you to not stay in the Vale for too long.”

Vatra –“I had a dagger. Could I have it back?”

Lanaya –“Sure. If that’s your decision, I’ll respect it.”

A short moment later, Vatra was about to leave south with her dagger, her swords, and food supplies.

Vatra –“I won’t forget the help you gave me.”

Lanaya –“Until we meet again!”

Vatra –“Farewell, Lanaya.”

Lanaya –“And if I may hope, will it be as friends.”