Chapter 36: Campfire

And they were out, met with green pastures sprawling across the landscape as if it was never-ending. At the far lands were pure fog, gray in color as it mixed with the sky. There were flowers that grew taller than normal, as well as the butterflies that fluttered by them, which had a certain ocean-blue glow as they drifted.

At first, Arwyn's eyes shone in intrigue, though he remembered how unforgiving this world could be, as if these small creatures created an illusion of calm and peace. No wonder why it was called Terra Incognita, since no one even wanted to explore this new terrain. 

The scent of wildflowers hung in the air sweetly, mingling with the rustle of tall grass swaying in the breeze. Somewhere in the distance, a faint hum—maybe from unseen creatures—vibrated faintly, a reminder that this beauty could turn deadly in an instant.

The plains went on and on, and they could barely see the light of the setting sun. Nathaniel spoke, gently breaking the silence. "Let's put up a campfire early. We've been travelling for four days straight."

Arwyn turned to him, then glanced at Santina, who gave a quick nod. The idea of stopping sounded better than he wanted to admit. His legs felt heavy, with his boots caked with mud from days of walking, and his mind reached the point where it was used to the chaos they'd left behind, so a break was more than welcome. 

Santina seemed to feel the same. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, though her sharp eyes still scanned the horizon.

They found a spot where the grass thinned out, surrounded by those towering flowers that cast long shadows in the fading light. Nathaniel dropped his pack with a grunt, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the weight of their journey. 

Arwyn rummaged through his own bag, pulling out flint and tinder they'd grabbed from the last town they'd passed through. Santina, always practical, started gathering dry twigs and clumps of grass, her steps quiet but purposeful.

Yes, yes, Arwyn would have drawn a firepit by himself, but his Passion Energy told him otherwise. One more sketch, and he'd have fainted.

It didn't take long. Soon, a small fire sparked to life, its flames licking at the kindling and sending up a thin trail of smoke. The warmth spread quickly, pushing back the chill that had started to settle in with the dusk. Arwyn plopped down cross-legged, his sketchbook resting on his knees like always. 

Nathaniel stretched out on the grass nearby, hands behind his head, staring up at the sky. Santina took a seat on a fallen log, her whipsword laid across her lap, its sleek metal glinting in the firelight.

For a while, no one said anything. The crackle of the fire mixed with the distant rustle of the wind through the pastures, and it felt good to just sit. To breathe. 

Then Arwyn grinned, breaking the quiet. "So, who's got the best weapon here? I mean, my sketchbook's basically unlimited potential. What've you two got to top that?"

Nathaniel snorted, not even opening his eyes. "Kid, you've got a book. I've got a serpent tattoo and more years of experience than you can count. Don't push it."

Santina smirked, running a finger along the hilt of her whipsword. "And I've got this. Quicker than anything you can scribble, Arwyn, and it doesn't drain me dry to use."

Arwyn laughed, leaning back on his hands. "Alright, fine. But I can make anything. You're stuck with what you've got."

"Until you overdo it and collapse," Nathaniel muttered, his tone light but pointed. "Flamethrower incident ring a bell?"

Arwyn winced, rubbing the back of his neck as he remembered how idiotic he was at using this power he had back on his homeland. "Yeah, yeah. Fair point."

Santina tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "So, Arwyn, what's the biggest thing you've ever sketched? Something that actually worked, I mean."

He tapped his pencil against his chin, thinking. "Well, it's probably the sniper rifle. It saved your hides with it back in Runar, if you remember."

Nathaniel chuckled low. "Not bad. Though you were out for hours after, I'm guessing."

"Yeah, but it's worth it," Arwyn shot back, shrugging. "What about you, Nathaniel? Craziest thing you've seen a Sketcher pull off?"

Nathaniel's eyes cracked open, gazing at the stars peeking through the fog. "A castle. Full-on, with turrets and a moat. Took the guy weeks to recover, but damn if it wasn't a sight. I think his name was uhh… uhh… I can't seem to remember…"

Santina let out a low whistle. "That's wild. And stupid."

"Most Dream Sketchers are," Nathaniel said, his voice softening a bit. "It's why they don't last long, and why you don't see them pretty often."

The words hung there, and the mood shifted. Arwyn stared into the fire, the flames dancing in his eyes. He thought about his mother, the Phoenix Quill, all the questions he still couldn't answer about his own power.

So there was a deep silence as the fire sparked in the center.

…

…

…

"Do you think… I'll burn out?" he asked, quieter now, almost like he didn't mean to say it out loud.

Nathaniel sat up, fixing him with a steady look. "Not if you're careful. Not if you listen."

Santina reached over, nudging his shoulder. "We'll keep you from doing anything too dumb."

Arwyn managed a small smile, though it felt fragile. "Thanks."

The fire popped, sending a spark drifting into the night. Santina spoke next, her voice lower than usual. "Never thought I'd end up here, you know. With you two. Bounty hunting was easier in some ways. Lonely, but easier."

Nathaniel glanced at her, his expression hard to read. "What made you quit?"

She shrugged, but her grip tightened on her whipsword. "I didn't quit. I got stripped out of my position." Santina sighed deeply, before continuing. "Well, I got sick of being a tool anyway. Guilds, clients, Mayor Othello and his shit friends, they didn't care what it cost me. I decided I'd rather ruin my own life in my own way, even if it's messier this way."

Arwyn nodded, feeling a strange kinship. "I didn't sign up for this… ability either. But here we are."

Nathaniel's lips quirked into a faint smile. "I guess fate's got a way of doing that. It sticks you where you're needed, not where you'd pick."

Santina snorted. "You sound ancient."

"I am ancient," Nathaniel fired back, grinning. "Older than you'd guess."

They all laughed, the sound bright against the quiet of Terra Incognita. For a moment, the weight of their journey slipped away, and it was just the three of them, sharing a fire and a bit of warmth.

Then, a droplet landed on Arwyn's hand. He blinked, staring at the tiny wet spot on his palm. Another followed, cool against his skin, then another. He looked up just as the sky split open, and rain came down in a torrent, hissing as it struck the fire.

Arwyn scrambled to his feet with a yelp. "What the hell? Where'd that come from?"

Nathaniel was already moving, snatching up his pack. "Terra Incognita. It never lets you get too comfortable."

Santina cursed under her breath, yanking her cloak tight around her shoulders. "We need cover. Fast."

They kicked dirt over the fire, smothering it as the rain soaked through their clothes. The once-calm landscape turned chaotic, the tall flowers bending under the deluge, and the glowing butterflies gone as if they'd never been there. 

Arwyn's heart raced, the sudden shift pulling him back to the reality of this place. Terra Incognita didn't care about their rest or their laughter. It was wild, untamed, and they were just passing through.

They ran, boots slipping on the wet grass, searching for anything to shield them. Nathaniel spotted a rocky outcrop ahead, its jagged edge offering a narrow overhang. It wasn't much, but it was something. They ducked beneath it, huddling close as the rain pounded the ground just beyond their feet.

Arwyn wiped water from his face, his hair dripping into his eyes. "Well, that was a nice break while it lasted."

Nathaniel chuckled, though it sounded tired. "Get used to it, kid. This land's full of surprises."

Santina shivered, her voice sharp. "It's more than that. This place feels alive. And it's not happy we're here."

Arwyn nodded, the unease he'd felt earlier creeping back. The rain didn't feel random. It felt like a warning, a sign of bigger things stirring. They had to keep going, had to find the Phoenix Quill, but right now, all they could do was wait.

Till—

"Hello?!" A voice, coming from afar, small and young. "Can you hear me?!"

"What the…" Santina was the first one to hear. "Do you guys hear that?"

"Course I do," Arwyn retorted, eyes searching through the endless fog as rain downpoured remorselessly. "I can't track it down though."

Nathaniel stood, his hand brushing his coat where a weapon hid. "Whoever it is, they're close."

A shadow flickered in the mist, small and hunched, staggering toward them through the storm.