Chapter 137: The Journey

He walked for only an hour, most of the time with his sword drawn and a constant influx of aurym feeding it, using it as a torch. He might have pressed on through the night, but Kallorn had marched him in circles for the better part of a day. As it stood, he needed to rest, and now was as good a time as any.

Having Ahlund around had spoiled Justin; he wasn't used to having to make a fire himself. He used his hatchet to strip the bark from some branches, then piled them and struck the flint against his sword to produce sparks. After many tries, and with help from a piece of the parchment his dried meat had been wrapped in, he managed to get a flame going. He cared for it like a precious life form, feeding it tiny scraps of wood until it grew large enough to take full branches and fend for itself.