Jolted awake, Jaycee swatted at the hands that rattled him. Clearing the remnants of sleep from his eyes, the once blurry view came into focus. Night was still upon them. He could just discern the silhouette of the moon glowing through the midnight fog. The dew beneath his hands felt damp to the touch.

Before him, Alec had his hand held out. Begrudgingly, he took it and got pulled up by a firm grip. The sudden shift made him dizzy, but it faded quickly. He steadied himself and lightly patted his cheeks to rid himself from sleep.

Despite Alec’s amused expression, he didn’t comment on his method of waking himself up. “Nap time is over. They found us quicker than I expected.”

Fioma’s military would pursue them to the world’s ends if it were feasible. However, Jaycee was somewhat perplexed.

“I thought their influence was weaker here?” he mused.

From what he had observed, Fioma’s army appeared for diplomatic purposes only. The Worlds Above and Below had never engaged in a full-scale war, yet they treaded a very delicate line.

“A lot has happened while you were locked up,” Alec said, pausing with his gaze lowered. “Commander Jin has a voracious appetite for more territory, and there’s only one way to satisfy it.”

Rumors had circulated within the prison walls, yet Jaycee had scarcely interacted with anyone except the random guard. His isolation in a solitary cell within a nearly deserted block had severely restricted his understanding of the situation beyond the walls.

“He wants to start a war,” Jaycee declared. The idea caused a throbbing in his head, a severe pain spreading from his forehead to the back of his skull. From Fioma’s point of view, he could see why, as they had little land and no alternative to gain more. Yet, he wondered, was war the only solution?

Suddenly, a piercing howl snapped them back to reality. There was no time to relax and converse; the military was right on their heels.

“I sent Kyla to divert their attention. We need to go now. The village we are meeting the others at isn’t more than half a day’s journey.”

Jaycee nodded, seeing no reason to object. If they made it through the night, there would be more chances to uncover what he had overlooked.

Without exchanging further words, they proceeded. Leaving the field behind, they found themselves on a scenic rocky path, flanked by trees and shrubs. It seemed to have once been a well-trodden pedestrian route, now succumbed to the ravages of time. Weeds sprouted through the cracks, and tufts of grass emerged sporadically.

They navigated around several fallen trees, decayed and surrendering to the earth below. Despite the night’s darkness complicating their journey, Jaycee watched Alec navigate with ease, as if he had committed the path to memory, tactfully avoiding any peril.

The deeper they went, the denser the woods became. A light mist rolled in, making the previously intricate trail riskier. Odd sounds reverberated around them, from crickets to low growls that felt like hot breath in his ears.

Jaycee honed his senses and kept his eyes on the man in front of him, whose black hair blended in with the night. If it wasn’t for his bright red robes, Jaycee was sure the twilight would have already swallowed him whole.

Moments later, Alec’s voice filled the surrounding air. “Duck.”

Jaycee was on the verge of questioning him when he detected movement behind him. Swiftly, he ducked and rolled aside, stirring up a cloud of dust. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a fleeting glimpse of something furry darting past.

Alec rushed over and helped him to his feet. Side by side, they faced the wolf that stopped before them, its fangs exposed, emitting a menacing hiss from its throat.

“What the hell is that?” asked Jaycee. He clutched his sword, his gaze fixed firmly on his target.

“A rabid wolf. I can smell it’s rotting flesh from here.” Alec’s observation was accurate.

Having a moment to examine the creature before him, he noticed a foul odor drifting from it as it stayed hunched on all fours. Its dark fur masked well with the terrain around it.

“This is strange,” said Jaycee. In Sheol, survival was a challenge for both humans and animals, yet none compared to the wolf baring its fangs. It was if it had mutated and lost all sense of existence.

“The world is dying. Such sights are now commonplace,” Alec said, lips curving downward subtly.

Although he barely knew the man, standing beside him like this felt natural to Jaycee.

Seconds ticked by before either side moved. Abruptly, the wolf charged, baring its teeth as it hurled itself at Alec. He sidestepped, and Jaycee observed as saliva frothed from the beast’s maw.

The wolf spun around, its claws tearing into the earth as it lunged for Jaycee, who barely managed to evade it. Tumbling over a protruding rock, he plunged face-first into the ground. He coughed from the dirt filling his mouth and struggled to rise, using all his strength to push himself up with his arms. His once formidable strength and agility had faded; he was now a has-been assassin, his reputation long gone.

The metallic taste of iron touched his lips. Jaycee licked them clean and spat out the rest. Casting aside any further irrelevant thoughts, he drew his blade.

Behind the beast, Alec watched him, his fan poised to strike.

It was now or never.

They both leaped at their target, weapons raised and spirits ablaze with fury.