I catch up to Piia just as she steps onto yesterday's path. The trail of destruction is still clearly evident, no shock there. We both look up and down the jade corridor, something has changed but I can’t put my finger on it.

“The Daemon blood is gone.” Piia points out.

“That's what's missing, how strange. Does it evaporate after some time?” I’m not sure the physical laws and science are the same here. How could blood evaporate at night, especially without direct sunlight or high temperatures? The forest has a pleasant coolness with only a light breeze breaking through.

“The creatures of the night. It was good we got off this path when we did.” The comment makes me tense up in fear, how close did we come to these creatures?

“Do you know what creature would eat dried blood off the floor?” My imagination plays to my fears, though it’s hard to be scared when the day is bright with the sun. Hopefully, we find decent shelter again tonight. If we don’t reach her tribe today, I’ll be encouraging Piia to make camp early.

“There are many, best not to think about it now. They will have followed the trail to the clearing where the bodies are.” Piia says as she begins trekking through Silva.

The forest’s natural glow sits all around us, it hangs in the air as we pass through its midsts. Looking at the emerald motes swirling around as we move reminds me of the clearing when I was attempting to resuscitate Piia.

“Piia, this green glow that surrounds us. You said it is Mother?” I indicate the green air. Piia looks over her shoulder at me, without breaking her pace.

“It is Mother. Have you noticed it thickening the deeper we go into Silva, her presence is getting stronger. Humans once loved it, they used to say that fresh air only begins in Mother’s aura. Their settlements and cities smell foul all the time, it was an escape for them.

Now it only brings them fear, they call it her floating poison. I hope they believe that Satyr dung, it will keep them out.” Resentment thick on her tongue.

I think about how the aura swirled and cascaded down her throat, you could feel the magic.

“I think Mother saved you in that clearing.” Piia slows her pace.

“Why? Did you see her?”

“You weren’t breathing after the Daemon strangled you. Her aura became dense and flowed like water. It stirred all around you and then shot down your throat. Suddenly your chest filled with air and you started breathing again. It was incredible.” I’m glad one of the Gods in this world likes us.

Piia stops on the track and looks into the foliage. “Thank you Mother. Thank you for my life.” She says then turns to me.

“Just as the sun will rise, Mother will protect. Our old Voice would say that every night before we slept. Mother hasn’t abandoned us, she has a plan for me.” Her confidence is now boosted by this new knowledge of Mother's intervention, she moves on with an extra pace.

The healing salve has worked like a charm. I look down at my forearm and see a thick bark scab over the laceration. The scab is already dry and flaking at the edges, almost like the injury happened three weeks ago.

While I was inspecting my wound, Piia was mulling over Mother's magic in the clearing.

“Seth, when you meet my tribe. Can you retell that story to them? They need to hear how Mother saved me, they need to know that she still loves us.”

“Of course, whatever I can do to help.” She smiles at me for a second before changing into a deep scowl as a pungent smell hits us.

“Jesus Christ.” I gag at the smell. I find burning wood has a pleasant scent, however this odour contains oils or chemicals that smell carcinogenic.

“We should check on the forest ahead.” Piia doesn’t hesitate and trudges on.

“I thought you said smoke attracts creatures of the forest. And this is also the path the Daemons used. I can make a strong assumption about what's ahead.”

“We have a duty here, just like the Guardians. Ready your blade.” Piia says with determination. I reckon the Guardians are more suited to this task than me, I unsheath my Xiphos in preparation. I run my thumb down the blade checking the sharpness, hoping it will instil confidence. Fairly blunt until my finger catches on a jagged notch.

Ouch, you stupid twit. I inspect the cut, a welt of blood forming on the end. Looking back at the blade, I catch a strange sight, only for a brief second, and then it’s gone. The little jagged edge of metal glowed a dull red light then quickly died to gunmetal grey.

That was weird. I was about to ask Piia when she let out a soft moan of pain.

I snap up, sword ready for danger (Wow look at me, I’m learning). Piia is standing on the outskirts of a large clearing. This time it’s not natural, it’s man-made or Daemon-made.

Like tombstones in a graveyard, tree stumps spread out before us.

Small fires can be seen everywhere, large patches of black charred ground are clear evidence that fires once raged in the area. Bodies lay all around, a small battle was fought here, however no victor is in sight. I grab Piia and pull her back to the treeline and crouch down.

“This is bonkers. Let’s get out of here.” I whisper while turning in a crouch ready to retreat into the deep woods.

“No, let’s hide and observe. Mother has a purpose for me, this could be it.” Piia’s courage is starting to seem like a death wish.

“Hiding isn’t exactly our greatest talent and what exactly do you think Mother expects you to do about this chaos?” Avoiding this carnage would be the first step to self-preservation, death lingers like a thick fog in the air.

“Listen. This camp wasn’t known by my people because it wasn’t here last Luna. The people that built or destroyed it could threaten my tribe. We are very close to my home Seth.” I see desperation and concern in her eyes. She is thinking of her family first and survival second.

“Okay, but let's not hang around for too long. We spot anything alive with four eyes or horns, and we leave. Agreed?” I try to reason with her heroics.

Frowning, she points at her head. ‘I have horns, you wet fawn.”

“I meant Daemons, obviously. We barely survived our last encounter and they were half dead and a Guardian helped us.”

She just nods a reply. That will have to do.

We observe the camp from cover, it was partially built before the battle and fires were beginning to consume it.

The chopped trees were being used to build a palisade wall, which looked half complete before the battle, with two large watchtowers on opposing sides. Only one tower stood tall and proud now, the other engulfed by flames. Ironically the structure’s design resembled a fire watch tower you would find in North American forests.

The sentry hut on top displayed a large indigo flag that rippled in the breeze. Like a long triangle on its side, the flag starts wide before eventually ending in a thin ribbon flickering in the air. The flag's emblem displays a pair of Daemon eye’s with a ram’s horn curling around, embellished with a laurel wreath and rune symbols for the 15th Lux. I reach into my inventory and retrieve the looted pendant to confirm this.

After making the connection, I look closer at the bodies littering the area. Most are charred crispin remains, humanoid, imps, Guardians and other unrecognisable creatures.

“This was definitely a Daemon camp. Look, the flag matches one of the pendants I retrieved from the Opio Daemon.” I show Piia while pointing to the flag. A deep frown forms in her expression as the realisation takes root.

“They must be building a village in Silva. Why would they try to live here? Mother ensures these lands are hostile to agents of Chaos.”

“This isn’t a village, it’s a military camp." I say with a grimace.

Piia's worry deepens at the comment, her eyes fix ahead watching the base for signs of life.

“What is a military?” I see the peaceful culture all Satyrs must live by in that question. Piia has experienced hardship in her life, but an invading force this close to her tribe will only bring sorrow. I will need to convince her this is a major threat to their way of life, they should leave this area immediately.

“Militaries are a type of industry, soldiers are the equivalent of traders, their products and wares are war and death. They are professionals at organised large-scale fighting.” I can see fear in Piia’s eyes.

“Our Tribe has old stories of warriors and wars. How do you know they are not just settlers looking for new land to live in?”

“Let’s say your tribe moved. What would your priorities be when settling into a new area?” Piia briefly considers the question before answering.

“When I was young, my Tribe was driven deeper into Silva to escape a nearby human settlement. I remember our old Voice had sent scouts to find suitable land. When my people finally made the journey, large huts were already semi-constructed and shrubs had been cleared to plant our fruit and waterleaf bushes.”

“Shelter from the elements and sustenance makes sense. Look at this base and the land they chose to build on. They clear the trees to provide building material, but also for a clear line of sight all around the base, no threats could get close without someone seeing. They establish their base on a hill so any enemy will have an uphill fight.

They build the watchtowers first to see across the clearing in all directions, next they start on the wall to defend their tents. They don’t have young children or old folk living in those tents because this isn’t a village. Once those walls are built, that base will be easy to defend with few numbers, that’s why they are building it before constructing proper shelters.” I feel ashamed of my race while explaining military tactics to Piia.