Relu put the final piece of the Remnant, a pelt, into a small metal box, the piece squeezing smaller than it should have been able to. The part’s Relu couldn’t save or find a use for dissolving into the wind.

  Brushing the dirt off their knees, they found their way back to the camp a dozen yards away. Despite it being night, Karu and Mei were the only ones sleeping. Well, Mei was unconscious, that didn’t exactly count. The rest huddled together for warmth around the low fire.

  Relu, taking a slow breath, went to Mei’s side. Sitting beside him while two ghostly snakes curled around him, his Spirit Avatars. One thin and long as a string, colored bronze with six legs, six eyes, and six black dots on its back. Wrapped around Mei’s neck, its head resting near his ear.

  The other a nearly five-foot-long dark purple viper with flecks of green, thick as Relu’s forearm. Slithering and curling around Mei’s body, never in one place for long. Like it couldn’t sit still.

  Relu went to put a hand on Mei, keeping an eye on the purple viper. Then it lunged at them, mouth open. Relu pulling their hand back in time.

  “Seriously, what‘s that for!” they exclaimed, not for the first time.

  “You dare touch us!” the snake hissed at them.

  Relu’s eyes widened. They’d heard tales of Avatars that could talk, but never thought them credible. They took back their composure and said in an even voice, “I was going to heal him. I believe that to be to your benefit.”

  “Liar!”

  “I did it before, why would I be lying now?”

  The viper raised its head till it was eye level with Relu, shaking the rattle at the end of its tail. Relu moved away slowly, keeping eye contact with it.

  Then the Bronze snake spoke, “Let them heal the boy.”

  “Do not speak, you parasite!”

  Then the Viper lunged at the bronze one, the two ripping at each other. Swiftly started, and swiftly ended. The Bronze snake coming out on top despite the size disadvantage.

  It crawled to Relu, looking at them with its six eyes glazed over with milky white cataracts.

  “Sorry for any fright that might have been caused, but please continue healing of Mei. I’ll make sure that one stays away from you.”

  The purple Viper hissed, curling around Mei’s legs. Eyes locked onto Relu

  “Thank you, I will,” They said, ignoring the stare.

  They placed their hands onto Mei again and began healing. Extending their senses into him, smoothing away the scratches and tears. But from what Relu saw, most of the damage was to his soul.

  The inside run ragged from its first use. The damage especially brutal since Mei hadn’t developed channels yet to direct the power. His core formed jaggedly also, being pushed into the physical for the first time on such an explosive use of defeating the Sacred Beast.

  Relu didn’t have the power or skill to help with the issue, so they left it alone. Focusing on reabsorbing their unused mana. Letting the soul heal on its own for now.

  Then they went to gather the rest of the group, wind blowing around the small fire as the suns kissed the horizon. Relu on a log, as they sat in front of them. Karu rubbing the edge of his eyes and yawned.

  Relu took a breath, then spoke, “Currently we have three problems,” they grabbed a stick from the ground, “The first is that we no longer posses proper shelter,” they drew a line in the snow with the stick, then a second one, “The next in the injured, I can heal Xukali fully before the suns fully rise.”

  Relu saw Xukali’s back straighten and look at them fully. Clenching at the swollen purple lump of her right foot.

  “But Mei will have to be pulled or carried. And the third and hopefully final one is that we don’t know what lay in these mountains,” Emphasizing their point by drawing the third line through the other two, “The Sacred Beast from earlier could be only one of many. It was advanced and smart enough to speak, meaning it could have a social circle of some kind. One that wouldn’t take kindly to us killing it.”

  Relu saw them look at each other.

  “But I have a plan. If we make it down fast enough to safety, to I’ani. We could have a chance, or we could go the other way. Up and back to your homes,” Relu paused.

  None of them spoke up.

  “I will not force you to come to a consensus. If you wish to split your path from mine, you are welcome to. Simply say Nay.”

  Again, none of them spoke.

  “Well then, here is what I’ve thought up. As I’ve said earlier, Mei will be dragged, but he’ll not be the only one,” They pointed at the sisters and Xukali, ”You three will take turns resting in a sled, so Me and Karu can walk for multiple days straight to make the best time possible.”

  “Um, and how’ll we do that exactly?” Karu said, raising his hand.

  Relu pulled out two potions from their pack, “With these, they’ll keep us awake for that period. But warning, they will leave us with a rather nasty headache and we’ll be asleep for multiple days afterward.”

  Then the group spoke for a few more minutes, hammering out small details and roles.

  Finally, they all fell silent, Relu surveying the people in front of them. Saying “Any more thoughts?”

  And none came

  OOO

  Xukali looked out into the snowy sky through the small window they left themselves in the blanket covering them. Feeling the ground grind against the sled they laid on. The sisters walking beside them.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Finally getting to rest again after hours of walking. Her arm still covered in raw patches of skin, not fully healed from the Beast attacking them. Xukali trying not to pick at it after Relu nagged their ear off about it.

  She caught herself doing it and stopped. So they whipped away snow that had fallen onto their face. Nose turning red from the cold bite of the air. They closed the window by scrunching up the blanket. Only seeing bands of light pierce through the cloth.

  Hearing and feeling the rumble and grind of the ground beneath. Separated only by a board of wood and cloth. The cold still encroaching upon her through the cocoon.

  They curled up tighter. How had she gotten here? Travelling down a mountain, attacked by Sacred Beasts. Well, It was always like she was in a sled pulled by another. Waiting for the next bump or drop to shake her out of comfort.

  At least that was familiar. But this time she had chosen to stay. Why? Just a walk back and she would be safe.

  She shut her eyes, shutting her mind off from the thoughts. Drifting away. Not really sleeping, just her mind observing the world around her in a trance. Perceiving through what little she could sense. The grind of soil and snow below. Howling of wind, and the footsteps of all those around her.

  A spark, an itch inside her, rumbling and crackling. Then she was snapped away from it, I’ama shaking them.

  “It’s time to make camp,” she said.

  Xukali sat up, rubbing at her eyes, the world darkening as the suns set. They got up fully. Stretching and shivering in the contrast of the cold outside against the warm blanket’s just a few moments before. But they got to helping put up the hammocks made from the remaining tent canvas after they defrosted it.

  She and the sisters helping put Karu and Relu to their beds, bloodshot eyes glazed over. Their bodies going limp as soon as they laid down, Xukali checking their pulses to make sure they hadn’t died.

  “What did Relu put in that potion?” she said.

  “Don’t think I want to know,” I’ama responded

  “Yeah.”

  Then they were off to bed, Ma’u taking first watch. The three of them taking turns like before on the sled. Xukali, laying down in their hammock, just stared into the forest canopy. Pine needles occasionally fluttering down and falling onto them.

  They closed their eyes, looking for sleep. But they couldn’t find it. So they got up, going next to Ma’u by the fire. Wrapping a blanket around themself as they sat.

  “What’re you up for?” Ma’u asked.

  “Don’t know.”

  “Yeah, I’ama has those nights,” she said, brushing light brown hair behind her ear

  in contrast to her sister's red. Looking deep into the pitch black forest.

  “How can you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “See, like that. Like it’s a bright summer day, in this?” they gestured to the dark shadows surrounding them.

  “Not really sure. Relu says it’s a mix of my affinity with Shadows and just having a knack for Spirit sight.”

  “Spirit sight? I think I’ve heard of that before… Uh, if it’s not rude to ask, can you tell me how to do it?”

  “How? It just is.”

  “Um, can you like tell me how it feels? That could give me something.”

  “Hmm, I don’t know? Just regular seeing with my eyes and stuff. Just more… just more there, I guess… Like I could only see with my eyes, but then every part of me could see. From my ears to my toes. A deepening, if that makes any sense.”

  “That’s… thanks for the explanation.”

  Ma’u nodded in reply, looking to the shadow, scanning for something with drooping eyes.

  Xukali swallowed their saliva, the wind pushing through the trees. Shivering their branches. The wooden giants towering above. The fire crackling steadily beside them, letting out a bitter smoke as the cold air bit their noses. A million noisy silences surrounding them. Grating at her.

  Then Xukali said something, anything to break the quiet, “So why did you come, especially after that Beast's attack?”

  “Oh, that…”

  “Oh, uh. You don't have to answer that if you don’t want to.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. You know, I was practically praying to go home the second we started down this mountain. But. well… I realized I just wanted something to return to. Me and my sister were always moving around. Trying to find a home. And I realized this was just another one of those. And you know what? In the end, we always found one.”

  “Why can’t it all just stay still though?” Xukali whispered.

  Then Ma’u’s head shot up, eyes looking to something in the dark.

  “What is it!” Xukali said in a small voice.

  She pointed through the woods. Xukali seeing nothing through the broken up canvas of the intersecting trees. But if she strained her eyes, she could see a dim warm light slowly creeping through the forest.

  “People,” Ma’u responded, “They have weapons, but I can’t see much else. Sorry.”

  “Don’t worry,” Xukali said

  They both sat there doing nothing, but looking with bated breath. What am I doing? Xukali thought

  “Put out the fire, I'll go check them out. Keep an eye on me if anything happens.

  She crept towards them. Hand on her dagger as she did. Slowly moving closer and closer till she could hear and see them clearly. Two men, one tall and bulky, skin covered in wispy fur. The other thin like a willow branch. With smooth interlocking, almost porcelain-like skin and pointed ears.

  Xukali’s eyes were drawn to the short one’s belt. A Piece of thin, coarse rope piercing through a line of human ears, scabbed with blood.

  “Why do we always get patrolling duty, it’s so damn boring,” the small one said.

  “It’s an important duty,” the brawny one replied in a soft voice.

  “Yeah, but we always miss raids. We’re bandits, what’s the point of being one if we ain’t getting our share?”

  “Don’t say that, we’re close enough to camp that the captain might hear you.”

  Xukali stopped walking at those words, breath catching. She turned around to return to camp. Then she stepped on a twig, the wood cracking under her foot. Xukali froze.

  “What was that?” the short one said in his scratchy voice.

  “Probably nothing.”

  “No, no, I think I sense something.”

  Xukali bolted off, following her trail in the snow back under the dim moonlight.”

  “It’s a human! Get it,” The short one shrieked.

  Xukali’s arm burned as she ran, the movement chafing her clothes against the still raw skin. She looked over her shoulder, seeing the pair just behind her. A beastly arm reaching towards her.

  Then the tall one picked her up by the back of her coat. Holding her up to its yellow eyes, the skin around it gray with patches of dark green.

  “Kill it already.,” the short one said. Xukali seeing it fully now. Their face absolutely expressionless, its mouth unmoving even as it spoke.

  “I’m just curious,” he said, holding her up to his eyes

  Xukali struggled and bit at the stone grip of the hand holding her. Then she remembered the knife in her belt. She unsheathed it, cutting the cloth he was holding her by. Xukali landing in a crouch.

  The short one immediately reacted, pulling out a sword and swiping at her. She dodged, but fell to the side with a grunt as her shoulder hit the ground, avoiding the swipe. He stepped towards her, sword raised again. She kicked upwards into his crotch. Making him fall backwards in turn.

  She scrambled to her feet, but she was picked up again by the large gray one, this time in both hands. Restraining her. Gripping tighter as she tried to get out.

  She heard the other one shriek, “Kill the damn thing already!”

  Then it started to crush her, her vision turning black with stars. Her ears ringing. She tried to find anything, do anything that would save her. The world around her gaining an ethereal outline through her blacked-out vision. Feeling a volatile energy inside her, ready, just ready to burst out.

  And she allowed it.

  A burst of lightning pulsed out of her, the grip of the thing tightening around her even more with a crack. Then let go, dropping her on her knees. A small yellow ghostly plant with streaks of green in front of her on the ground. Xukali recognized it as her Spirit Avatar. Then it was gone in a flash.

  Out of the edge of her vision, she saw the doll-like man charging at her, hair and flesh smoking. Skin covered in a web of red scars now. Sword raised and covered in blue crystallizing energy. Then a burning log flew through the air, hitting him. Setting his clothes ablaze.

  Ma’u coming out of the darkness, grabbing Xukali, pulling her up. Her legs shaking, feeling like she had run a marathon in a second. But forced herself to go with Ma’u, letting her pull them along.