He looked out, towards the field the outsider watched most of the night. She’d seemed to await something, so Taiga spent the night on high alert. Nothing ever appeared.

Now, with scattered homes and farms blocking the view, even if someone did come to save her, it would be too late. While Mallegin discussed something with the guild commissioner, Poppy, sober for once, handed the outsider over to a couple of town guards. They seemed young, inexperienced. Likely on loan to the guild as needed.

Mouse and Taiga stood a short distance away while the veterans handled the details. Taiga handed their passbooks and mercenary guild licenses to Mallegin when asked, and accepted them back once stamped. He rotated the license in the light, watching it glimmer with fresh ink. He checked Mouse’s license, stamped as well, then folded them into his leather protector, and stowed them away into his pack. 

Mouse sat crouched a couple meters away, further behind Taiga as if he worked as some sort of barrier between Mouse and the mercenaries. His eyes followed a line of ants, dutifully taking bits of feld fruit back to their queen. 

“You about ready to go? We’ll head back to Applegate, while Mal and them head back south for their horses. So we’ll be going our separate ways from here.” Taiga took a couple steps closer to him. Mouse nodded in reply.

“I heard that if you mess up the path a line of ants take, the rest of the ants will get lost,” he murmured, “what do they do then?”

“Where did you hear that?” Taiga didn’t bother to wonder where his mind wandered to.

“From a couple of kids.”

Taiga paused, glancing back towards the mercenaries who were finishing up. The guards began to take the outsider away. “Ants will usually find the path again. If they can’t, they’ll go back the way they came.”

“I see.” Mouse watched a little longer, “I want to go to Leryn Forest.”

“I know.”

“We need to get there soon.”

“We will.”

“I need to save Pnendua.” 

“Above anything else.”

Taiga knew Pnendua as the name of the Guardian Spirit who raised Mouse. His answer seemed to placate Mouse for now, but his tension steadily increased after the night Taiga found him by the lake. Even more so after the outsider told them about the magic imbalance.

Mouse fiddled blades of grass between his fingers, silent. His back curved, shoulder tense and drawn forward. Even if they rode horses, they were a long way from Leryn forest. Without, it easily amounted to a few months of travel. By then, the temperatures would begin to sink as late fall set in, and eventually winter. They’d need to find lodging, and potentially pass up furthering their journey late into the night like they could in summer. Their journey had definitely started at an inconvenient time of year.

“Alright, that’s everything, boys. You two sure about heading further north? There ain’t a whole lot out there.” Poppy cocked his head at them. He had an arm on the strap of his sack. Behind him, two of his companions waited by their horse.

“Thanks, but we’re good. We have a friend up north we’re wanting to visit.” Taiga put on his smile for them. 

Poppy and Mallegin looked at each other, before Mallegin held out his hand. “Take it, as thanks for helping with this mission. And good luck to your future.” Taiga put out his hand, and Mallegin placed two tin coins with a gold ring and hollowed, circular center - two hundred daud - in his hand. Enough for a night in an inn and food expenses for a few days.

“Are… you sure?” Taiga asked, already closing his fingers around the coins, “we weren’t expecting payment for our trial mission.”

“It’s fine! You pulled more than your share, it’s only fair. Besides, we’re getting our tabs cleared with the guild for this. That’s payment enough,” He laughed. Then, he calmed, eyes glancing beyond Taiga. He stepped forward, lowering his voice, “about your friend… a lot of jobs are easier in groups. If he can’t handle people, he’s not going to do well as a mercenary.”

Of course they noticed Mouse’s distance from them, but Taiga was surprised they mentioned it as a warning. He kept his smile on his face, and slid the coins into his money pouch. “No need to worry. The adjustment from the border in the west has just taken a toll on him.”

Poppy blinked, “you two are from the west? We didn’t realize.” An expected reaction. 

“Ah, I apologize if my concern was out of place. We were just a bit…” Mallegin trailed off a bit, “worried.” 

Taiga chuckled a bit, “it’s fine.” They were good people. “But we’ve got to get going. We’re heading back towards Applegate.”

Mallegin backed up, whispering something to Poppy. He likely didn’t think Taiga could hear him, but he made out ‘I need a drink after this’. Taiga smothered another laugh. They waved each other off, and Hela called out from behind them, “let’s dine if we meet again!” 

Taiga nodded, gave a final wave, and turned back to Mouse. He stood a little further away, leaning against a tree. Although only four days, their time together felt incredibly long. Maybe they’d find an inn tonight, get a good rest before setting off on the next leg of their journey. Despite near full nights of sleep, exhaustion weighed Taiga down. Mouse smiled, leaping up and taking several giddy steps towards him.

“We’re free?” Mouse’s tone leapt.

“Yeah, we’re free.” Taiga readjusted his pack, crossing the strap over his head for more security.

“Good! I was struggling to not kick them.”

“That would have caused issues, yes. Thanks for holding back.” Mouse lit up at the appreciation. He nodded, hopping up beside him and a few steps ahead. 

They walked along the main road. The sun hung high enough in the sky for peddlers and shops to set up, and a few people mingled around stalls and storefronts. Early enough for he and Mouse to walk with ease before a majority of the residents took to the streets. If they could get out of town before mid-morning, they’d likely make it to Applegate by the day’s end. 

Mouse hummed a children’s song, snacking on a peach Taiga hadn’t given him money for. When they reached an outcropping of farms, Taiga checked the sun, and knew they’d definitely make it to Applegate. A few farmers looked up at them, nodding in a short bow, which Taiga returned.

Behind them, somewhere in the distance, a bell’s echo broke the singing of birds. The farmers paused their work, looking out towards the sound. After about ten seconds, another bell sounded, closer this time. Then another off to their right.

“What is that?” Taiga asked a farmer, recalling the belltower when they fought Grhaanfjes. Something in him ran cold, his body tensing with each ring.

“Warning bells,” a farmer muttered, putting his tool down and putting his hands to his eyes, blocking the sun to get a better look out ahead of them. Another bell rang, closer to them, then another to the left. In town, most of the townsfolk came to a standstill, looking out, trying to find the cause of the bells. 

“Never heard them go off before,” another farmer added, putting their tools in the belt. “It means evacuate, right?”

“Aren’t we safe here? On the outskirts?” The farmers looked to each other, a little fear and mostly confusion spreading between them.

Taiga listened, but only heard the murmurs of the farmers and the bells. But Mouse yanked his sleeve, his head cocking slightly to listen further. “We should check.”

“Y’all need to get as far away as you can,” Taiga tightened his pack to him, and the two of them took off back into town, “stay away until the bells stop!” 

Mouse took off ahead of him, his eyes focused not on the confused residents, but something further out. Taiga stayed on his heels, although he couldn’t match Mouse’s pace even if he tried. Taiga didn’t catch sight of a single town guard or knight around, most likely already dealing with the disturbance. 

“Everyone needs to evacuate until the bells stop ringing!” Taiga yelled. Only after being told directly what to do, did people start rushing around. He repeated his message through halted breaths, sucking in air and exalting the words any time he could. It caught up to him, his lungs overworking, but he propelled his feet forward nonetheless.

Further into town, fewer people were in sight. A guard caught sight of them, running over to them and telling them to leave. Taiga held back, though Mouse took off without him. Taiga watched the path he took as he paused to talk to the guard.

“We’re mercenaries. What’s going on?” 

The guard paused, nodding. “We’ll take any help we can get. We’re under attack.”

“By?” Taiga had figured as much. He kept his eyes on Mouse, running further ahead.

“We don’t know. It looks like demons. The knights stationed are fighting them now, but we’re greatly outnumbered. And massive amounts of corruption are making its way towards town.”

“Okay, got it.” Taiga took off, chasing after his last glimpse of Mouse. 

“Wait! The corruption is overwhelming! That way is dangerous!” The guard called after him. Taiga ignored the warning. He knew just how dangerous it was.