Burning Soul

After realising that they were walking in circles Milot asked the convoy to stop, they had encountered the first trap.

“Sounds like we are close to her!

So where to, Wizards?” He turned and asked the already exhausted bunch of people. Unlike the guards, they were not used to travel and it was for a long time the convoy needed any wizards, surely they were exhausted and sick with travel sickness.

Even Milot and Catherine suffered from travel sickness. Their body's sensory organs sent a mixed message to their brain causing dizziness and lightheadedness. He got off the cart, took a breath to feel better and started suspecting the area where they all waited. After examining the area he found it safe to stay there.

“I think we should rest here a bit, no one’s going anyways!

We shouldn’t rush things!” Catherine suggested to which the whole convoy let out a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, you are right we have been travelling non-stop since morning and it’d take a lot of energy to figure out our way in this dense forest.

Let’s take a stop here and continue later.” Milot agreed as it was already past noon and they’ve been travelling for hours. It was time to take some rest

But as Milot knew, they were close to their destination and anything might happen to anyone at any time. Precautions were worth taking. For instance, he stared at the ground thinking something and then he faced his convoy and started announcing the norms which were to be followed by everyone present there:- One will not be going too far from the convoy. Everyone is preferred to be in groups. If an enemy attacks, one will not make any move without my consent. Staying alert every time is better for us as the area seems to be dangerous.

The environment was rather soothing, it wasn’t a harsh sunny day and the shade of trees was more than enough to keep them away from the harm. The sky was an expanse of sapphire blue, white fluffy clouds dotted the azure blue sky. It was actually cool and breezy noon. The temporary camp was set up to cook the meal, with the experienced guards around it wasn’t a rather hard thing.

As they rested they could see a glimpse of the capital city. From the distance, they could see the towers of the cathedral and the royal palace, “Who would say looking at those towers from here that such chaos unfolded around those towers.” Milot, who was leaning his back on a tree trunk, raised his arm while stretching his body and commented on the view.

“Things are anyways nicer from afar!” Catherine was walking in circles where the food was being prepared to keep an eye on the cook. After a second, narrowing her deep eyes she went near the vessel in which broth was being prepared for everyone. She took a spoon nearby and replied while testing the cooking. The broth was perfectly prepared and it contained every required ingredient in exact proportion making its taste quite peculiar, it's smell made her feel hungry.

“By the way, where did he go?” Milot looked around to see where Theo go,

“Ah! He went a little further where the space is a bit open, see he’s lying on the ground there!” She moved away from the vessel and started walking in the direction of Milot while pointing towards Theo who was a bit farther from the camps.

“Is it safe, didn’t we get tricked already?” Milot hesitated a little bit and showed his concern, he was rather right about the situation, they were already facing the trap and being alone wouldn’t be any good right?

“Rest assured Sylph is hanging around him!” She smiled and pointed out a small figure messing with Theo

“Spirits are interesting beings!” Milot showed an awed expression,

“Yeah, they are sensitive to emotions. I don’t know about others but Sylph has always been a worrywart! Whenever she sees someone hurt, she thinks it’s her responsibility to look after them.

Remember she almost exhausted her Mana trying to heal the people in the capital!

I believe she sensed sorrow in him and that’s why she’s hanging around him. Poor boy.” She sighed at the end of her sentence,

“Yeah!

He just learned swordsmanship and not to mention losing an arm at such an age! …. Urgh I can’t think any worse.”

“It’s not the injuries you see that hurt most Milot, it’s the one’s we don’t see!” Catherine replied to his comment.

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In the distance, Theo was lying on the fresh green grass which contained some small yellow-coloured flowers in it and the small bees were humbling around them followed by some dragonflies, looking at the sky as Sylph sat next to his head, not quite thinking as she kept messing around with his hair which he didn’t mind. It was really a relaxing aura. Due to travel sickness, he was also suffering from dizziness; his head became heavy.

He needed a good rest and right now he was letting himself get one. He kept lying on the grass in a position in which he felt comfortable while closing his eyes. There was just enough he could do. Meanwhile, others kept up with the work.

As he relaxed something intrigued his ears, a rather familiar tone after a very long time, the voice he heard a long time ago echoed as he slowly opened his eyes.

As he opened his eyes the first thing before he was Sylph and her confused expression.

“Did you hear the same thing?

It’s been a long time since I heard the tone!” He spoke without moving, it was the same humming tone from long ago, he was intrigued just like the last time and tried getting up,

“No! You rest!

No moving!” Sylph caught his head and pulled it down again, “But I gotta look…”

Before he could continue Catherine came calling for them, “Hey you both! Get here, the lunch is ready!”

After she called out Theo tried giving ear to the tone he heard earlier but to no avail! They both got up and began walking to the camp, Theo looked around again to try and see if he could hear the tone again but there was no sound anymore!

‘Strange, why is it that when I’m all alone, I hear this tone!

Who’s voice is it!’ Thoughts began piling up in his mind as he paused while walking.

Seeing him stop like that, Sylph approached him and asked, “Anything wrong?”

He shook his head and replied with a smile before walking back to the camp.

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…

The food was unexpectedly delicious, although while travelling it’s the norm that carries on food is just quick to make but here it was a whole meal and that too inclusive of the ingredients rarely seen out in wild,

Having wizards had their perks, they stood with proud faces rubbing their noses, “God I wish I could have had such food in the wild!” Milot commented, drooling over the served food.