Paragon of Destruction

"So what's the plan?" Stoneheart asked.

They were sitting at the edge of the camp, far enough from the others that they could talk in private. Even so, Arran could see the recruits and villagers occasionally shooting nervous looks at him, and he understood that they had seen the aftermath of the massacre.

"We can't fight them," Snowcloud said. "The main force will receive word of what happened soon enough, and when that happens, it won't just be a single raiding party that comes after us." Brow furrowed, she shook her head. "The only way for us to find safety is with your uncle."

Stoneheart's face fell, and he sighed deeply, whatever hopes he had for Snowcloud's plan clearly gone. "He's over a hundred miles north of here, with thousands of enemies in between. There's no way for a group this large to pass unnoticed."

"That's why I'm going alone," Snowcloud said. "By myself, I have a good chance of slipping past them, and I should be able to get there in a day or two."

"You're leaving us behind?" On hearing the words, Stoneheart's eyes went wide with shock.

"I'm getting help," she said. "While I seek out your uncle, you will travel northeast. With the army to the northwest, that will keep some distance between you until I return."

Arran thought on it for some moments. The plan wasn't a bad one, all considering. With the villagers and recruits in tow, there was no way to shake off their pursuers, but they might be able to buy a few days — enough for Snowcloud to get help, if she succeeded.

"You want me to stay with the group?" he asked her.

She nodded, though he could see barely concealed worry in her eyes. "If they catch up, you're the only one with a chance to hold them back."

Stoneheart did not pick up on her worried tone, and the tall novice let out a sigh of relief. "If he's with us, we can take them."

Snowcloud shook her head. "He can't fight an entire army by himself. And even if he could…" She shot a look at Arran. "Can I tell him?"

Uncomfortable though he felt at his secrets being shared, Arran understood that if they were to travel together, Stoneheart should know the truth. After a brief moment of hesitation, he gave Snowcloud a nod.

"Someone used Blood magic on Ghostblade," she explained. "That's why he was able to defeat so many of them. But the battle caused him to go into an uncontrollable rage, and if it happens again, I worry the rage might not pass so easily."

She had reason to worry, Arran knew. Even now, he could still feel a distant yearning for battle within himself. If he fed it again, he had little doubt that the bloodlust would both be stronger and faster in coming.

Perhaps it would win him the battle, but whether he would still be himself afterward, he did not know. Moreover, the blind rage would cause him to forget about the danger, and this time, their enemies would be better prepared.

Still, he would use the power if there was no other choice. But if he did, he knew that none around him would be safe — friend or ally.

"Blood magic?" Stoneheart's expression briefly became concerned, but after a moment, he shrugged. "Strength is strength. Let's hope you won't have to use it again."

"I will leave immediately," Snowcloud said. "And you should do the same. Remember, head northeast."

She turned to Arran, and in a softer voice, she said, "Don't fight unless you have no other choice."

Arran nodded. Although the warning was unnecessary, he knew Snowcloud was more concerned than she dared to show.

"Before you leave…" He retrieved his Duskcloak, then handed it to her. "Take this. It's a Duskcloak. If you channel Essence into it, it will hide you, as long as you don't move."

"Won't you need it?" Snowcloud asked, furrowing her brow as she examined the garment.

Arran shook his head. "I won't."

If their group was attacked, he would not hide while the others were slaughtered. And once his bloodlust was unleashed, the only way the battle would end was if either he died or his enemies did. Whatever the case, there would be no chance to hide.

Snowcloud accepted the cloak without further argument, then repeated the plan once more for Stoneheart's benefit. Finally, she stood up and said her goodbyes before departing, leaving Arran and Stoneheart behind.

Arran watched her as she left, and for a short while, he sat in silence. The days to come would be filled with danger, and he knew that their only hope was a distant one — though Snowcloud had put on a confident facade, her journey would be even more perilous than theirs. And if she failed, so would they.

"I suppose we should be on our way as well," Stoneheart said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Not yet," Arran replied. He looked at the others in their camp. "Have they eaten yet?"

"Barely," the tall novice said. "Snowcloud shared some food with us earlier, but with a group this large…"

Arran reached for his void bag and retrieved some of Panurge's food, then handed it to Stoneheart. "Eat this. I'll make sure the others are fed."

Stoneheart looked at the dried meat and fruits as if he had just been handed a sumptuous feast, yet despite his obvious hunger, he looked up at Arran and asked, "Is there enough for everyone?"

"More than enough."

Arran had sold most of the food he had to Lord Sevaril, but even so, what he had stashed away was enough that feeding this entire group for a few days would barely make a dent.

The recruits and villagers lacked the Body Refinement techniques they needed to properly use the Natural Essence in the food, but it would still nourish them, and in the march to come, they would need every bit of their strength.

As he made his way through the camp and handed out food, he received grateful words and looks. Whatever worries the others might feel over his actions in the valley, it was clear that their hunger was stronger than their fear.

They broke camp barely a quarter hour later, and when they did, the group's spirits had noticeably improved — whatever dangers lay ahead, at least they wouldn't have to face their deaths on empty stomachs.

Arran headed the group as they traveled, while Stoneheart guarded the rear. Every so often the tall novice would send out scouts, but although none returned with any word of their enemies, one of them failed to return altogether. Hopefully, Arran thought, the man had fled.

They paused once during that first day, and then only to eat a quick meal before continuing. Even the villagers' children seemed to sense the danger, and driven by fear, their pace was better than Arran had expected.

Still, he knew it wasn't enough.

With a group this large, their tracks were impossible to cover, and they were being pursued by Body Refiners. Whatever distance there was between them and their enemies would grow shorter with each passing hour, and eventually, they would be caught.

The only questions were how long it would take the raiders to catch up and whether Snowheart would succeed in bringing help before that. If she was late in coming, or if she was captured by the enemy, they would not escape.

They walked well into the evening, only stopping to make camp when it became too dark to navigate the forest's treacherous terrain.

Arran briefly considered lighting the way with Fire Essence and continuing through the night, but after some thought, he decided against it. The day's march had already left the villagers exhausted, and without rest, they would be unable to continue in the days to come.

That night, he barely slept, and he awoke well before dawn.

As he waited for first light to appear, he thought about Snowcloud. If she had evaded capture, she should now have covered half the way to Stoneheart's uncle — their salvation.

But if she had failed, she could be dead already. And then, the rest of the group would soon meet the same fate.