Chapter 7—Talk in the Firelight

With slow, methodical movements, he gathered dry twigs from deeper in the cave and formed a small pile. Then, he crushed a few Cinderfoil leaves amd scattered them across the wood.

Taking two stones, he clashed them together - once, twice - until a spark fell.

The tiny embers landed on the leaves, and within seconds, a small fire flickered to life. And illuminated the cramped cave. 

Chael let out a slow breath, the fire's glow casting sharp shadows across the cave. There was a much deeper pathway to continue going into the cave but know who what abomination lied there at the end of the cave?

Even stepping into this cave was a risk as beasts would often come and seek shelter from the Black Storms, much like humans. But thankfully everything seemed safe, and Chael hoped it would stay that way.

He sat back on his heels, watching the flames for a moment, feeling the first bit of warmth since the storm started.

His gaze flicked to Echidna's unconscious form, still lying on the cold stone floor next to the fire and smirk curled his lips. With one boot, he shoved her over, rolling her body away from the fire's warmth.

'Stay cold, bitch.' Chael muttered with utmost pettiness. 

Just then he noticed something strange. There was a sharp open wound on her left palm. It was pretty fresh, too.

Chael narrowed his eyes.

Strange.

Could her hand have been cut by some sharp edge while he recklessly carried her?

He thought for a moment, then a gloomy expression casted over his face. He glanced back at his pouch, pulling out the rest of the Cinderfoil leaves. There was still quite a few left. His fingers turned them over, his expression unreadable as he stared at them.

Then he stood and walked toward the entrance and one by one, he scattered the leaves across the cave floor and spread them across the cave's entrance.

His intentions were unclear but there was something cold in his gaze.

Once he was done, he stashed the last few into his tight waistband in case he needed it for the future and he returned to the fire, lowering himself onto the ground with a tired grunt. But not before he tucked Echinda's pistol into the waistband of his garment away from sight.

The flames crackled softly, their warmth easing the stiffness in his limbs. His body still ached, his wounds throbbed but he sat meditatively and indulged in the flames comfort.

Minutes passed.

Chael sat in the dim light of the cave with his body aching and his mind heavy with exhaustion. His fingers idly traced the hilt of the knife he had taken from one of the mercenaries, the blade still slick with dried blood. He turned it slightly, letting the faint firelight catch on its surface.

But there was no reflection of him. His breath stalled. The metal was polished enough to clearly show the stone walls behind him, yet it reflected nothing of him at all. As if he didn't exist. There was just an empty, depthless void where his reflection should have been.

A cold feeling crept into his chest. His fingers tightened around the handle. Was he losing it?

Had the pain, the exhaustion, the sheer insanity of the last few days finally begun unravelling his mind? Before he could dwell on it further, Echidna stirred, a faint groan slipping past her lips. Chael's focus snapped back, his grip firming on the knife as his eyes narrowed.

Her breath hitched as the cold finally registered. Her silver lashes fluttered and her brow furrowed. She then woke up with a shudder, her body curling instinctively against the cold.

The stone beneath her was freezing and her limbs stiff and her fingers numb as ice. The Black Storm still howled outside, a constant, ear-splitting roar, but inside the cave, a soft orange glow flickered nearby.

She turned toward it, only to realize she couldn't move her hands.

Her silver eyes snapped open fully. She yanked her arms, but the rough pull of rope bit into her wrists. She was pretty tightly bound, and right in front of the flames, staring at her in dark amusement was none other than her ex-captive, Chael.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" The sarcasm and hate in Chael's voice was tangible.

A sharp, furious exhale left her lips, "Oh, you've gotta be fucking kidding me."

Chael's handsome face was half-hidden in the shadows, the warm light of the fire casting sharp edges over his already angular features. His blue eyes - like frozen steel - held no warmth. His messy silver hair sat on his shoulder, and stands of his long fringe clung to his face, damp with sweat and moisture.

Echidna let out a slow and heated breath, her expression dark. "Untie me."

Chael didn't answer.

She shifted, testing the ropes again. "I said-"

"I heard you."

His voice was flat, emotionless, barely above a whisper. But something in it made the fire's warmth feel colder.

Echidna's lips pressed into a thin line.

She looked around and took in the surroundings. The storm outside was still raging and was thick enough to swallow the world whole.

She was trapped with him. She gritted her teeth and with a defeated exhale, she leaned back slightly against the stone wall, forcing herself to calm down. Getting mad wouldn't help.

Instead, she tilted her head, her silver hair falling over one shoulder.

"So," she mused with an irritated edge, "this is your plan? Drag me out into a storm, tie me up, what? You gonna kill me?"

Chael didn't blink, "I'll get to that."

Echidna rolled her eyes and her shoulder rolled forward and she let out a sigh, "You got us well, you bastard. Damn it - my head still feels like it's been split open..."

Silence stretched. The fire crackled softly, but it did nothing to ease the tension in the air.

After a long while, Chael spoke. "Answer this question."

His voice was barely a murmur over the storm's howl.

Echidna's brow furrowed. "What?"

"Did you have any idea what caused my clan to become that way? You were there before me. " Chael narrowed his eyes at her.

Echidna met his stare, unflinching and then she laughed. Not a mocking laugh, just a dry, tired chuckle, like the very idea was absurd.

"Listen, kid." she said, shaking her head. "I hate to say it but the Ashwara Clan was a superpower around these parts. Only high level Harbringers have what it take to pull off something like that over your entire clan, let alone Unveiled like me, you and the rest of Mongrel's Vow."

Chael's jaw clenched, his fingers twitching slightly.

Echinda continued talking hovering her bound hands over the flames for warmth, "It's either the doing of a high level harbringer, or its some sort of an unnatural phenomenom. You know, this isn't the first time something like this has happened..." 

Chael raised an eyebrow, "It isn't?"

Echinda nodded, "It's happened to Garren's ancestral tribe, a small tribe at the borders of Enir-Ilim... around a hundred years ago while his grandparents were away at the city."

Chael absorbed this new information with a frown. "A hundred years ago?"

"That's right... I got this information from Garren himself so its not just baseless rumor." Echinda paused, then continued, "But I do recall a rumor that something like this happened to another little society two hundred years ago. Clearly there's some kind of trend here. The gods only know what's causing this."

Chael remained silent, unsure of what to think or what to do with this information.

She watched him, her expression serious now. "My men came across your village already like that. I was told something was wrong - that it wasn't normal. We went in to loot whatever we could."

Her silver eyes locked onto his glare.

"You?" She smirked faintly. "You were just the biggest prize we could find amongst all the loot. Who knows how many silver, or even gold shards those guys will pay for you."

Chael's scowl deepened, his fingers curling into a fist.

Echidna let out a slow breath, rolling her shoulders against the stone wall. Her wrists were still tied, her fingers tingling from the cold, but at least she was warming up now.

"So then." Echinda smiled, "Just what do you plan to do with this knowledge? Are you going to go on walk on some heroic cause and get to this bottom of this or will you just start anew."

Chael's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond.

Echinda gave him a dark and knowing look with a hint of mischief, "After all, I know how much you hated your position as chief. "

Chael remained silent and stoic. Echinda continued to talk with a smile, "Why don't you join me at Mongrel's Vow? If you do we can erase our grievances and-"

Chael shut her up with a sudden fierce glare. "I'd rather die a thousands deaths than join a legion full of you dogs."

Echinda shrugged, "Suit yourself."

After a while, Chael spoke again - his voice quiet and as sharp as a blade sliding from its sheath. "I left for Enir-Ilim for a single night. A single night... to take care of some business."

His fingers curled against his knee, knuckles white.

"And when I came back… my whole clan… my whole purpose..."

He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.

Echidna's smirk faded slightly.

She studied him, her silver eyes sharpening.

Then she snorted. "Hold the hell on."

Chael didn't look at her.

"You went to Enir-Ilim?" she asked, incredulous. "Are you insane? You? The guy who's literally banned from there?"

His frown deepened.

She let out a sharp laugh. "Ahaha. No, seriously. That city wants you dead on sight. And you-what? Strolled in to 'take care of business' like you own the place?"

He sighed, rubbing a his left hand over his face. "That's none of your business."

Echidna grinned. "Ohhh, it is. It really is."

Chael turned to her slowly, his blue eyes like frozen steel.

Then, without a word, he pulled out the knife he had taken from the guard he eliminated.

The firelight glinted off the blade, its edge dull but deadly enough.

Echidna's smirk wavered just slightly.

She shifted against the stone as he stood up, rolling his sore shoulders, the knife loose in his grip.

He took one step forward.

Then another.

Echidna swallowed, her confidence flickering just for a second.

"Now, listen-" she started.

Chael tilted his head. "You talk too much."

Another step.

"You think I brought you here to keep you alive?" His voice was calm, almost bored. "I just needed to ask you one question. And now that I got my answer..."

Echinda shifted, but just then a low, gurgling growl echoed through the cave.

Both of them froze.

The firelight flickered violently, the entrance darkening.

And then-

A creature stepped into the cave.

A dire wolf.