Chapter 34

Autumn winced as the bandages over her eye were peeled off, sticky half-dried blood clumping together.

They had long since reached a large villa-like property, the adventurers each retreating to various parts of the house. Ember had opted to explore, and Autumn had too, until she was dragged away by Sage.

Autumn sat on tall table, various medical equipment piled around her. Sage reached towards a bottle of disinfectant that Autumn had sneakily hid behind her.

Sage sighed, "I don't know how you've gone this long without that getting infected, but it has to get done eventually."

"Can't you just use healing magic?" Autumn persuaded.

"Disinfectant makes healing magic more potent since there is less that needs to be done."

Autumn sighed and resigned herself to the inevitable. The stinging pain caused tears to well up in her eyes.

Surprisingly, her injured eye also filled with tears, mixing with blood and forming a pinkish hue as it dripped down her face.

Sage hovered his hand over her eye and a warm light appeared. The ruptured cells of Autumn's eye slowly knit back together. Her iris remained a dull grey color, a stark contrast to the emerald green of her other eye.

"I can't see out of it," Autumn complained, worry growing in her heart.

Sage nodded. "You'll need to use mana for it to function. See if you can give it a try. Open your senses to the world, not just what is on the surface, but underneath the waves."

Autumn listened, closing her eyes to better focus. Soon, threads of light entered her vision even though her eyes remained shut. Autumn concentrated more, marveling in the magic.

However the window of sight only lasted a brief second more before it snapped back to darkness.

Autumn opened her eyes, disappointed.

Sage laughed, "It takes some practice. For Khrona, seeing is just as easy as it is for everyone else. Soon, it'll be the same for you."

Nodding her head, Autumn hopped down from the table and ran down a corridor, yelping as she made a sharp turn and crashed into the wall.

Ember popped her head out from a door, "Autumn! There you are!"

Ember paused, taking in her appearance. The blood and dirt had been cleaned up and her clothes changed into clean ones. Ember had as well changed her clothing at some point, both of them donning a simple but cute white dress.

Ember waved her over, "I like your dress," she snickered.

Autumn rolled her eyes in response, it was, after all, the same dress she was wearing.

Waving her over, Ember laughed, "Come in!"

Autumn shook her head, "Just a moment…I think I just gave myself another concussion."

Ember paid no heed to her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into the room. Surprisingly the room was filled with soft grass and trees, which, upon further inspection were fake.

"Wow," Autumn commented, marveling at the network of branches stretching overhead.

"Mhmm!" Ember cheerfully replied, "There are a few other rooms as well, but this one is the only one that stands out."

Autumn laughed, "I wonder how good my climbing skills are?"

Autumn shifted into her wolf form and scampered over to a leaning tree. Digging her paws into the soft wood, Autumn slowly made her way to the top.

Ember complained, "The last time I climbed up a mountain with you on my back. I don't think I ever want to climb again."

"Lighten up! Climbing is fun!"

"We're wolves, not cats," Ember complained, yet nonetheless followed. She glanced up at Autumn a few times, staying a reasonable distance away.

Her eyes widened as she caught sight of a shadowy form. "Autumn, wait!"

Autumn tilted her head, her ears flopping to the side. "What is it?"

Ember's gaze remained locked behind her. Autumn slowly turned her head, an unnerving feeling coming over her.

Sure enough, a large black panther loomed over her. It's dark pelt was similar to Autumn with it's eyes just as dark.

It lifted its lips, showing a full set of sharp teeth.

Autumn took a step backwards, stumbling when her paws met air.

The panther reached out a paw, claws carefully retracted in order to not hurt the wolf pup.

Quickly setting Autumn on the branch and hauling Ember up to join her, the panther leaped to another branch and lay down.

"Who are you?" Autumn asked, puzzled.

"Who am I?" The panther echoed.

Ember narrowed her eyes. "What's your name?" She asked, suspicion clouding her features.

"A name is merely a phrase, a sound-"

"That's enough! Khrona! No, don't speak anymore please!" Ember cut him off.

"I am Alp."

Autumn snickered, glancing over at Ember. "He's Alp today."

"How am I supposed to tell?"

Khrona shrugged, running off to a sunny branch and laying down.

"Let's go find somewhere to nap as well. Thinking too much will only make you dumber."

Surprisingly, sleep came easily. The heat of the sun and rhythmic breathing of Ember lulled her into a gentle slumber.