Chapter 13

As Xain, Larkin, and Zee marched through the dense forest, their senses on high alert for any signs of danger, a sudden realization struck Xain like a lightning bolt. *Hold on a second... I still don't know why they're being chased,* he thought, his mind racing to catch up with the situation. Despite his decision to join their journey and lend a hand, he had yet to unravel the mystery behind their desperate flight. *Why not just ask?* Ercale's voice sounded in his head, an entirely practical and obvious suggestion that seemed to cut through the mental fog.

Hearing Ercale's suggestion, Xain couldn't help but feel like a bit of an idiot. *Makes sense. Where would I be without you,* he mused, Ercale's response was straightforward: *Dead.* The bluntness left no room for argument, and Xain found himself agreeing, *True, can't argue with that. But I'll ask Zee.* Xain changed course, heading toward Zee, who was absorbed in the forest's beauty, her serene smile catching his attention. *So cute!* he thought as he approached her.

"Hey, Zee," Xain began, his tone casual. "I've been wondering... Why are they chasing you guys?" Zee shrugged her shoulders in response. "I don't know, they're after Larkin, not me." Xain halted abruptly, his arm freezing mid-motion momentarily. "Wait, what?" Zee chuckled softly, amused by Xain's reaction. "Yeah, that woman was after Larkin, not me. But there are different people chasing me," she explained, leaving Xain thoroughly puzzled.

Xain quickly regained his composure and asked, "Alright, then who's after you and why?" Zee's smile remained as she explained, "Pretty much for the same reason Malvin chased you for years—I'm a thief. I swiped something valuable, and someone wants it back badly." She then produced a golden necklace from her pocket, adorned with a bright blue gem shaped like a water droplet. *How in the... How did she come across that?* Ercale said with surprise, a reaction Xain hadn't expected from him before.

As Zee put the necklace back on her person, Xain asked Ercale, his curiosity evident. *Why do you sound so surprised? It looks expensive, but I don't get much else from it.* Ercale's response dripped with frustration. *Of course, you're as clueless as ever, ape. That necklace isn't just valuable; it's an artifact capable of summoning a god.*

Xain's eyes widened in sheer astonishment, and he couldn't contain his exclamation this time, "WHAT!?" The sudden outburst startled both Zee and Larkin. Larkin shot Xain a puzzled look and inquired, "What's the matter?" Xain quickly tried to cover up his outburst with a forced laugh, "Oh, nothing important. Just giving my vocal cords a little exercise. Ha ha ha." He knew it was a terrible excuse, but he couldn't come up with a better one on the spot.

Both Zee and Larkin exchanged odd glances at Xain's peculiar explanation, but they seemed content to let it slide, returning to their trek through the forest. Inside his own mind, Xain inquired of Ercale for further clarification. *Care to shed some light on this?* Xain's query prompted a surprisingly engaged response from Ercale, devoid of his typical boredom or annoyance.

*The artifact in question is known as 'The Tear Of Leon.' It possesses the ability to summon the God Of Healing, Leon.* Xain's inquisitive nature persisted, prompting him to ask more questions. *A bit of a plain name for a god, isn't it? But being the God Of Healing is a positive designation, right?* His commentary was tinged with a mild optimism, despite his complete lack of knowledge concerning deities and their natures, a concept introduced to him a mere two days prior.

Ercale's response carried a hint of contemplation, and Xain could almost sense the wheels turning in his mind before he continued. *Leon is... decent, I suppose. He could be categorized as a benevolent god, almost excessively so. In fact, his unwavering goodness became so insufferable that I attempted to end his existence on several occasions. Unfortunately, I never quite succeeded.*

As Xain absorbed this information, he found himself propelled by another inquiry. *Why did you want to kill Leon? And why does he have such a plain name!* Ercale's response bore a hint of disdain as he retorted, *Are you genuinely asking The Demon Lord Ercale, who has waged war against The Goddess Of Aetheria, why I had an issue with a god?* In retrospect, the question seemed rather self-explanatory.

**2 Hours later**

As time seemed to stretch on, though it had been merely two hours, Xain's chronoscope hands indicated the hour as 9 o'clock. Finally emerging from the forest, they were met with the sight of a road. Zee appeared somewhat wistful, as if she had hoped to remain within the forest's embrace a while longer. Consulting the map, Larkin's finger traced an eastern direction as he eagerly declared, "Let's move along the road. It'll lead us straight to Aeruna in a jiffy!" However, Xain's voice cut in with a more pragmatic perspective, "By 'jiffy,' do you mean a few months? Aeruna is ridiculously far away from Ironhelm, much like everything else, I guess." Living in a city positioned at the center of all others had its quirks; you were simultaneously both the closest and farthest from everywhere else.

Larkin's response was accompanied by a confident grin as he told Xain, "Don't ya worry, Xain. I've got a plan," he declared, a sense of assurance lacing his words. He pointed down the road, directing their attention to a distant point. "There's a small town nearby where we might secure some form of transportation."

Xain's skepticism still lingered, but his options were limited, and he knew it. "Okay, but how ar—," he began to ask, only for his words to be abruptly swallowed by the cacophonous eruption of an explosion echoing from the very forest they had recently emerged from. The force of the blast sent shockwaves that rippled through the air, reaching them even on the road. Their heads snapped toward the direction of the forest, where a raging fire now consumed the verdant expanse. The flames surged skyward, their towering inferno visible even from a distance, the flames reached heights that loomed above the trees, casting a nightmarish glow against the sky.