Alexander ducked beneath the first orb that detached itself from the bigger one, the rest continuing to do so for the rest of the barrage. "TABER!" Kieran shouted. Taber nodded, throwing his weight down in time to erupt a ten-foot-wide wall of earth. "Don't let those orbs touch you! Darkness Magic causes decay! If it touches it, you will eventually rot to death!"

Alexander's heart sank as an orb narrowly missed him as he ran toward his friend's barrier. The four panted with rapid, shallow breaths. "What... the hell... do we do?" Taber huffed while he peeked out slightly from the wall, jolting back as an orb gave him a close shave. The four argued over different plans of attack, until the wind picked up, reducing their wall to sand. They ducked out of the way as a burst of air impacted where they once were, leaving behind a shallow crater.

Markos continued to throw volleys of attacks until, finally, Kieran had had enough. Unsheathing his dagger, he burst forward in a cloak of lightning. Markos took out his own dagger, blocking and parrying Kieran's advance. He went to stab at Kieran, who stepped to the side, attempting to slash at Markos. The two continued to go back and forth as Alexander and Taber decided to take the chance and hit him while he was distracted. However, years of theft had sharpened Markos' senses, as he leapt back a couple of steps, gaining enough distance from Kieran to grab the two boys and slam them into each other. Kieran went to lunge, when Markos spun around and kicked the knife out of Kieran's hand. Kieran wasn't sure where exactly Markos had learned such skills, but he knew for a fact that this wasn't the first time he had to use them.

Another kick had Kieran tumbling as he attempted to smooth the impact. Taber pulled out his sword, hardening the stone on his left arm to form a gauntlet. He swung upward, narrowly skimming past Markos, who ducked beneath the next swing, taking out Taber's footing with a kick and kneeing him in the jaw. Emily attempted to shoot a jet of water. Markos dove out of the way, shooting off a blitz of dark orbs. Kieran made it in time to grab her and dash away with Thunder Step. He put her down. "If you're gonna be in the way, then get out of it, idiot." He spoke harshly before grabbing his dagger and sprinting back to Markos.

The two locked eyes and blades once more, slashing and dodging each other's advances. "So what the hell is it you want with that artifact, anyway?"

"You wouldn't get it, kid! Best to leave me to my devices and head back on your way!"

"Not gonna happen," Kieran grunted, parrying Markos' attack to the side. "I have something important to do and you're in my way!"

"Same goes for you, kid." Markos began to spin, but Kieran saw it coming this time. He performed the same maneuver, their legs colliding in midair. As they landed, they lunged at each other at the same time. "You got moves, I'll give you that. Adventurer?"

"As if." Kieran ducked beneath the next slash, taking out Markos' footing as he had once done with Taber. Alexander and the others were ready for it. Taber created an angled pillar beneath Alex, who used the extra momentum to spring off of it, adding speed. Emily had created a ball of water around his legs. As Alexander overloaded his legs with flames, the ball bursted into a small explosion of steam. It wasn't much, but the pressure gave Alexander just a little more momentum as he coated an arm in fire.

"Fire Magic... Soaring Blazing Fist!" The disoriented Markos didn't have much time to react before Alexander's fist slammed into his gut, retching as the air escaped his lungs in full. Markos slammed into the wall with such force that had he not been a capable Mage, he'd have been severely injured or worse.

Alexander winced as he began to stand up. Evidently he'd only planned how to get into the air. Not quite how he'd expected to land. Despite that, however, Alexander wobbled onto his feet, coughing quickly every few steps. Emily and Taber joined his side, while Kieran dug around inside of the satchel, pulling out the wooden totem they'd been looking for. Putting it into his own bag, he joined the others.

"Alright," Alexander scolded, heaving slightly. "Why did you steal it?"

Markos, barely conscious, looked up toward Alexander through light gasps. "Alright... Fine... I was hired..."

"By who?" Kieran pressed, raising his bag. "Who would possibly pay big money for a wooden doll?"

Markos coughed a weak, sarcastic chuckle. "Well, if you must know... that would be the Followers of Anxor... wanted it for some project they're working on..." He shifted, his breathing getting somewhat better relatively quickly for the type of injury he'd sustained.

Their eyes widened at the mention of the cult. "The Followers?" Emily stammered. "So you're in league with them? Why would you want to help that cult spread their influence further?"

Markos waved a hand in dismissal. "I don't. They're a group with flawed ideologies."

"Then why?" Taber stepped forward.

"Look," Markos began. "You're on the younger side, so I wouldn't expect you to know... I don't suspect you've ever had a child..." He let loose another torrent of coughs before he continued, his voice sadder, more reserved. "Six years ago, my daughter was stolen away from me... she was only nine... we've always been poor, so I turned to theft in order to pay for the search parties. One year later, I joined Phantom Dagger. For five years, I stuck to the basics. Jewelry, bread... until I met the Followers..."

"Then what?" Alex chimed in. "Why change your style for some cult you hardly agree with?"

"They offered something far more precious than coin or jewelry."

"Like what?" Kieran's sharp voice snapped bitterly. "A plaque recognizing you for your efforts in the downfall of Leod? A statue? A certificate granting you full immunity in this new world they're creat-"

"MY DAUGHTER!" Markos barked through tears, sniffling at the insults and the inner turmoil. "They told me... they knew where to find my daughter... they'd return my daughter to me if I helped them... do what I do best, just snatch an artifact rich in Arcanic Energy..." He winced in pain as he stood, tears streaming down his stubbled cheeks. "And that's why... I can't stop here!" The four were launched backward by a torrent of wind energy, whirling around Markos violently as his agonized shouts filled the small cave room.

Alexander pushed against the wind. "I understand where you're coming from, but you can't do this for them!"

"I don't care! At the end of the day, if it gets me my daughter back, I will do whatever I have to! Even if that means destroying an entire nation to do so!"

Emily trudged, shouting sympathetically. "I'm sure your daughter would be much happier if she was able to spend time with you again in peace! That won't happen if the Followers win!"

"I! DON'T! CARE!"

Kieran had had enough. He coated himself in a cloak of lightning. Thunder Step...

Markos gagged at the force of Kieran's hand chopping him in the neck. Hard enough to incapacitate him, but soft enough to keep him conscious. "You want to be reunited," he began. "I get it. You ache to see your family... and the emotions become too much to bear... right? But don't ever place your own selfish desires before those of your family."

Markos grunted, attempting to return to his feet. However, with each failed attempt at standing, each grunt melted more and more into frustrated cries. "I just... I just want to see my daughter again... Was that too much to ask...?"

"No," Alex said, limping over to Markos. "It's not. Look," he made sure Markos was looking up at him before he continued. "We're going to take out the Followers. And we will get your daughter back."

"Yeah," Markos chuckled between sniffles. "Good luck with that, kid... You don't stand a chance with the Eros Four in the way."

"'Eros Four'?" Alexander raised a brow.

"The woman who hired me, 'Master Eros,' as they call her. They're like her chosen bodyguards. It's said that they all house advanced Magics. Potentially rare ones, too."

"I'm sure we can handle them," Kieran said off-handedly, picking up his bag and checking again to ensure the artifact hadn't fallen out. "However, while your intentions were valid, you still stole an artifact and put an entire village on the brink of a massacre. We have to turn you in, regardless."

Markos nodded remorsefully. "Right... At least then, I might be able to see her in this life. Hephast forbid we cross paths in the afterlife..." The others looked at him in pity. Regardless, Kieran tied a rope around his arms, keeping them in front of his torso out of whatever minor respect he'd gained toward him. Kieran tilted his head, gesturing outside. The others nodded, following along.

At the table, Commander Mason conversed with Shen and the others at the table. "Keep security tight around the perimeter. If the patterns match up, these beasts will start getting feisty as soon as the sun falls past the horizon. I put my trust in those kids, but not my faith. They left a few hours ago, I don't think they're going to make back before the-" His speech was cut off by a disc of dark mist swirling into existence a few meters from the table. "Well, speak of the Demon King..." The Commander marched over, eyeing Markos as he emerged with Kieran from the mist. He turned his head to Kieran. "So? What's the report?"

Kieran reached into his bag and placed the totem in Mason's callused hand. "He was hired by the Followers of Anxor. Was doing it in hopes of reuniting with his daughter."

Mason nodded skeptically. "The Followers of Anxor? Who the hell are they, why should I care?"

"They're the whole reason Azerael sent us out to begin with. I'd recommend looking into them yourselves, sir."

"Surely. I had a hunch Azerael wasn't sending out his students simply to deal with some petty thief. Very well, we can handle things from here. We'll find out as much as we can about these so-called 'Followers' from Markos over here." He nodded over to the prisoner.

"In that case," Kieran said, handing Markos over, "we have somewhere to be."

"Very well. Travel on, and may Hephast guide you on your journey, Mages." He patted Emily on the back before heading back over to the table with Markos. As the four began to turn toward the exit, Markos' voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Kids! When you see that rag-tag cult, kick their asses for me! And, of course... please, return my daughter back to me and my wife. Where she belongs."

Taken aback by his request, the four stared blankly. Then, Alexander chuckled. "Yeah, don't worry! We're gonna crush their regime to bits!" Markos chuckled back.

"I don't know about that much, but I like the spunk! I'll take your word for it, then!" A guard nudged him and he fell silent.

"Alright, Mister Zelf. Pipe down." With that, the four made their way north out of the village.

Down the road, Alexander walked with a pep to his stride, smiling to himself down the road. Making sure they were out of earshot, the irritated Kieran Renvar groaned to Alex. "Why must you always be so boisterous?"

"Because," Alexander said, turning around and walking backwards. "We're gonna beat him. And bust right through everybody in between!"

Kieran stopped in his tracks for a moment, the others following suit out of curiosity. Finally, to their surprise, Kieran gave a very small chuckle, though they all found out he was chuckling more at what he had to say rather than being amused by Alexander's words. "Whatever you say, blockhead."

Alexander stood with a sense of insulted shock. "Excuse me?! How about you get back here and say that to my face, nimrod!"

The two took turns insulting each other as they continued down the path. Emily was just surprised that they'd made it to their next camping spot without killing each other.

The small campfire popped and crackled rhythmically in the cool evening air. The sky teemed with celestial life, and beneath that sky, the three friends sat around the fire while Kieran resigned himself to a log, book in hand, turning the pages purposefully once every few minutes.

"I'm telling you," Alexander exclaimed, "I was totally winning that fight!"

Emily giggled as she prodded, "and that's exactly when you lost to Master Azerael, right?"

"No, no! Look! I only let him win!"

"Well, you definitely looked like you were letting him win," Taber interjected. "Hell, you were so kind you volunteered to bite the dirt!"

"For the last time, the dirt rose up to my face!" Alexander tried hopelessly to defend himself from a tease fest that was rigged against him from the start. He looked around his friends until he locked eyes with Kieran. "Hey, Kieran! Get over here, have some fun!"

"No, I think I'll pass." Kieran continued to read, penciling in various areas as he continued.

Alexander walked over, reading the pages. "Plans? Look dude, I get we're on a quest or mission or whatever, but without morale we're only going to suffer. Look, just come on. Take a break and relax so we can-"

"Relax?" Kieran's tongue might as well have started bleeding with how sharp his tone became. "We don't have time to 'relax.' I don't know if it's just me, but not once this entire journey have any of you actually gotten serious. Trying to take in the sights, or slam back a drink, but never once actually sharpening up your skills or anything like that! I don't know whether or not you've all noticed, but despite how calm this area appears to be, Anxor and his cult are this close to conquering Messel!" He trembled with anger and frustration. "Now I don't know whether you all view this as one of your little 'fairy tales' back home, but this is real! You may not call this place home, but I DO!" The entire camp fell silent. Even the campfire appeared to be afraid to make too much noise.

Alexander took a shaky breath. "I watched a man weep for his child... I am acutely aware that this is no fairy tale. But if we can't keep up morale-"

"We're talking about an entire continent falling to these tyrants! Think I give a damn about morale? We need to get this job done!"

"We need to keep our heads!"

"We won't have heads if Anxor succeeds!"

"And we won't defeat Anxor if we lose them too soon!"

They kept going back and forth, their auras permeating through the forest. Emily softly cleared her throat. "Do you think you two can calm down...?" The two continued to stare each other down, until they finally let go.

"You-" Kieran struggled. "You have a point..." Alex was taken aback, until Kieran continued. "But if any part of you still thinks this is some kind of game, then come off it. If you're truly the 'Chosen One,' we're ALL going to be relying on you to have your head in the right place. And right now?" Kieran huffed. "Right now, you're hardly what I'd call 'Chosen One' material..." He moved over to his bedroll and lay down. The rest reluctantly followed suit, putting out the fire and resigning themselves to the darkness.