Chapter 352

After a while of travel they made their way as far from the death's passage as much as possible. The further they could get from the passage the better. No one was comfortable while near that place especially Captain Cory of the pirates.

The captain could not rest at ease until he put a good distance between himself and the passage. When they were far enough away from it for him to feel safe he allowed everyone to rest. Some worked on making camp while other pirates began to work on setting up a meal for the group. They could not go without eating and resting.

From above the sky shined down on them with a vast number of stars twinkling away. The moon was bright that night as he watched over everyone who served him from where he stood.

"Captain," Prince Leo's voice called out to him as the captain was busy sewing up a torn seam in his shirt from everything that had gone down lately, the prince hesitated to interrupt him at first before finally asking, "How much further is the capital from here?"

"We should be able to make the journey in a few more days on foot like this." Captain Cory responded.

The prince was becoming impatient to reach the capital. He could feel the fatigue from the journey starting to weigh on him. If he could feel the weight of the fatigue he knew the child that the beast was bringing along was probably feeling the worst of it. Then his eyes glanced over from the young fox beside the wolf to the second one who was likely reaching his limit.

Sebastian was struggling to maintain his balance as he walked on foot. It was impossible to ride in the merchant carts the entire time due to others needing time to rest. Rest was something everyone took in shifts throughout the journey however the closer they got to reaching Drethia the worse it became to endure the terrain on foot. Many of the merchant carts used to disguise the pirate group were destroyed over time by the rough terrain itself or damaged by dangerous beasts that attempted to attack from the shadows.

He looks like he is going to collapse soon.. Prince Leo worried as he watched Sebastian nearly fall over a rock in the path they were taking. From looking at Sebastian traveling on foot it felt like he hardly spent time traveling.

In fact nobody was aware of the fact that Sebastian had not traveled on foot in what felt like a lifetime. He was truly the god known as Iemis. Traveling by use of his own magic had become a habit and daily routine for him. It was impossible to recall the last time he had truly moved on foot.

"-!!!" Sebastian was taken off guard by a slip of his own foot on the rocky path beneath his own feet.

Thump!

Sebastian's weakening heart was racing in his chest as he caught his balance against a tree. It was barely enough time to catch himself. If he had failed to catch himself it was impossible to know the damage his body would take from a real tumble. He was already pushing himself to maintain this weakened state. It was difficult for him to control his own magic as his mana was becoming more erratic with each passing day.

"Sebastian!" Vorbuk's voice could be heard calling out to him from behind. The god could recognize without looking back that the beast had taken human form in order to converse with him out of worry. It was only natural that Vorbuk was worried about the one who had taken care of him when he was a child in his previous life.

Sebastian hesitated to speak before carefully asking, "Are you going to ask me to rest? I believe there are others who need the rest much more then I do."

Vorbuk grit his teeth as he looked at the pale and exhausted expression that was hidden in Sebastian's shaking eyes, it was clear to him that he was trying to hide his condition from everyone, "You are beginning to look like a corpse."

Sebastian flinched at those words as he continued to walk along with the group, his feet managing to maintain his balance as he refused to collapse in front of Vorbuk and the others, "You never were kind with your words even as a child."

"Have I ever had a reason to be gentle with my words around you?" Vorbuk felt there was no reason to soften his words when he spoke with Sebastian.

Sebastian sighed as he glanced down at the young fox that was clinging to Vorbuk since he had returned to the group. It looked as though the child was worried that the beast protecting her would vanish if she released him from her sight.

What are you going to do with the child? Have you not considered the risk in her coming to the capital of Drethia with us? Sebastian wanted to ask those two questions however he refrained from doing so.

Sebastian slowly started to ask Vorbuk a question but paused when he sensed something strange. His eyes turned at the same time as Vorbuk's. They were both not the only ones to turn and look because everyone could sense the change in the atmosphere. There was a soft sound of rolling waves against the rocks.

Ah. This place... Sebastian knew this place very well as he gazed out at the view stretching out before him.

In front of the group stood a tall dark tower in the middle of a forest. It seemed more like the ruins of what was meant to be a forest. The trees in the area seemed to be dying and the ground was scattered with darkened flowers that bloomed in a haunting way up from the rock covering the ground.

It was the ruins of what was once a magic tower. This was no ordinary tower, however, as they did unspeakable things in this place.

How many lives were lost in that clear stream that flowed through this valley? Sebastian knew the answer more clearly then anyone else.

"What is this place?" Prince Leo's voice could be heard asking anyone who heard him. Though the question was directed at the captain, Cory, who was closest to him.

Vorbuk's interest sunk into the question that the prince had asked. Sebastian could see the curiosity in his eyes as he answered before anyone else had the chance, "It was a magic tower that did unspeakable things. I believe you hold one of their victims rather closely."

"What-?" Vorbuk was confused and Prince Leo looked over in their direction as he listened to he words that followed.

Sebastian hesitated a moment before saying, "This is the place where Aoki grew up. The place where the executioner was experimented on as a child."

"We will be resting here for the night. Everyone is exhausted and it is abandoned so we should be safe here for a while." Captain Cory stated before anyone had a chance to react to the words of Sebastian. He was not going to listen to words that could shake King Vorbuk about the place. It did not matter to him what the place might have meant to them or what secrets lied within the ruins of the fallen magic tower of Drethia. "Anyone who needs to wash up can up can use the stream below."

Vorbuk listened to the words of the captain and regardless of how uncomfortable he felt he knew he could not force the group to continue on without proper rest. It had been a rough journey for everyone and they had finally found a place of shelter to sleep properly.

"We should go wash up as well-" Vorbuk started to head for the stream like some of the pirates were doing.

Sebastian reached out quickly and grabbed onto Vorbuk's wrist as he said, "Don't go there."