Chapter 6:Aftermath of Battle

Chapter 6:Aftermath of Battle

Selene followed Peter's gaze and said in surprise,

"Their weapons disappeared."

She spoke Peter's thoughts aloud, to which Peter replied,

"Relics are linked to the souls of their owners. So when they die, they lose connection with the world and disappear."

Selene looked at him in surprise and after a moment asked,

"Disappear after death? This is the first time I've heard about it."

Peter looked at her and, guessing that she knew absolutely nothing about how magic worked, began to explain,

"You know, they rarely show warriors fallen in battle on TV and social media. Propaganda and stuff like that, so people who aren't interested in the topic have little chance to find out,"

Peter explained, his gaze fixed on the ghost in the clearing.

'If Selene can't see her, she's definitely not a demon or anything like that. Probably a former victim of the robbers who can't find her way to the afterlife.'

Interrupting his thoughts, Selene asked,

"Ah, that's interesting... and by the way, do we get these corpses off the road?"

Her voice carried a hint of disgust at the word 'corpses.'

Peter glanced at the bodies and replied,

"Yeah, I'll take the one without a head and the one with the throat wound. You take the last one."

He spared Selene from having to drag the headless bandit, which meant he would have to carry the head in one hand and the corpse in the other. Without another word, they moved the three bodies to the side of the road. Peter kept his movements efficient and precise, avoiding unnecessary contact with the corpses, while Selene's hesitation showed her discomfort.

After clearing the road, Peter returned to retrieve his bag, left behind when he rushed into the fight. He scanned the area and found the bandits' bags under the large oak tree. Inside, they found strange metal rectangles—coins of copper or iron with various engravings indicating value. Peter pocketed a few, making a mental note to investigate their origin later.

Apart from the coins, they found enough food to indicate that the bandits' hideout or a nearby settlement was within two days' journey. There were also spare clothes and weathered coats. Selene took one, realizing her white sweatshirt wasn't ideal for camouflaging in the forest.

They consolidated the most useful supplies into Peter's bag and one of the bandit's bags. Peter picked up a sword that hadn't disappeared with its owner, its blade glinting ominously in the fading light.

Without another word, they headed south, leaving behind the large oak tree and the ghost floating silently in the clearing.

***

After about two hours of traveling, Peter decided to look for shelter as night began to fall. Fifteen minutes later, they found a suitable spot fifty meters from the road, nestled between three large stones scattered across the dense forest.

They pitched a single-person tent and lit a small fire to heat their meal. Once they ate, Peter extinguished the fire to avoid attracting unwanted attention. unfortunately to them, one of the creatures native to this Ether-inhabited area was already watching them from a nearby tree.

It resembled a raven but was three times larger, with talons like an eagle's and a narrow strip of white feathers between piercing eyes that never left Peter and Selene.

Peter locked eyes with the bird, assessing its intent. It watched them with an eerie intelligence but made no hostile move.

'An interesting species of bird. Similar birds live near the mountains and are highly intelligent,'

Peter thought, then he said.

"I'll take the first watch. I'll wake you in about six hours or if something happens,"

Peter said, leaning against one of the stones, ensuring its cold surface would keep him alert.

"All right,"

Selene replied and entered the tent. Peter expected her to struggle to fall asleep in such a dangerous place, but exhaustion overtook her quickly, her steady breathing reaching his keen ears.

'It's strange how easily she trusts me. I could kill her right now,'

Peter mused, glancing at the sword his master had given him. It was an artifact, not a relic. Unlike relics, artifacts didn't vanish upon the owner's death and couldn't be obtained by defeating enemies. They were found in the ancient ruins scattered throughout the Ether.

Peter's master had not crossed the rift, severing his bond with the sword, leaving it ownerless. The old man had taught Peter the theory of binding artifacts to one's soul, but theory and practice were worlds apart.

He placed his hand on the hilt, feeling the cool metal beneath his fingers. Focusing his thoughts, Peter attempted to establish a link between his soul and the sword. For an hour, he sat motionless, his breathing even, his mind unwavering.

At last, a faint pulse of energy flowed from the sword into his body, resonating with his spirit. A smirk appeared on Peter's lips as he felt the first connection forming.

'One step closer,' he thought, his eyes flicking back to the enormous raven still watching him from the tree.

The night was far from over.