"We can't go there," whispered Allo to me at the front of the crowd. "It's cursed."

"You don't have anywhere else to go that Jabba didn't know of." I understood now why Alex had offered to stay back and watch our rear. Normally, I stayed in the back with my bow, but this time, she urged me to stay with the front of the group. It made sense, but it also meant I now needed to deal with the Elder. She reminded me a little of my grandmother, which made my heart ache.

"It is safe from the Harvesters, and there aren't many places that are from what I've seen." I kept my eyes peeled as I drifted through the trees. Cekta and Shelli should be just ahead. "Facing your fears is required in this case. You want your people to survive, right?"

Cekta leaped up as I came into view. Massive, dark runes drawn into the ground covered the entire small clearing. "Everyone needs to pass through the runes before continuing."

I nodded and waved Allo forward.

She saw the runic circle and her eyes went wide. "Oh, my…"

Allo crossed the circle and waited on the other side where Shelli stood. She bowed to the older woman, and they quickly began talking in very low voices. The others who followed us passed through the circle and waited for everyone else to finish.

Kabi was the last one, shepherding Lisdco and his little daughter. He glanced back in the direction we'd come, where Alex remained. Once those three crossed, the runes flickered and went out.

"Please hurry, they will only last a short time, and we must move in a single file line," whispered Cekta. People started following Shelli as she led the way deeper into the forest. Cekta shuffled closer to Kabi and me. "Where's Alex?"

"She is covering our trail," said Kabi, again glancing back, this time with his sword clenched in his hand. "You were correct about Jabba…"

Cekta smiled for a second, then frowned. "That is unfortunate."

"It is, but at least they'll be safe if we can get away from here," said Kabi, turning back in the direction we needed to go.

The bugs were relentless, but at least they couldn't land on me. My skill kicked in when they tried, and they passed harmlessly by. No other beast bothered us for the moment, as I kept watch.

"It's still a long way back," I added. "While your runes help lessen the trail for any followers from there, we still might come across others."

My ears strained for any note of that eerie music that came from the harvesters. The creatures spooked me more than the beasts back home. Only the carnivorous plants were worse, with their visions to get you to come closer.

Cekta nodded.

"I'll take the lead if you are watching our behind," I offered. Kabi must have leveled up a skill, since now he danced through the forest without leaving a trail. Much like me and Alex. Now only if Cekta and Shelli could learn to do the same.

Even if their people didn't think it honorable, it was useful when you were the one being hunted.

"I'll keep an eye out for Alex," said Kabi, his sword still in hand.

I nodded, but studied him. The whispers last time I'd slept spoke of destiny, and something between the two of them. The subtle glances he gave her spoke of a connection, but I only guessed at a crush. He'd be flustered from my suggestion as if it was true, but I didn't know enough about their people yet to understand them. The connection might be something else entirely, I just couldn't tell.

Picking up my pace, I took the lead. Shelli flashed me a bright smile as I passed her.

The blues and greens of the forest were soothing, though these giant trees put ours to shame. It felt like we were the bugs here, the tiny little ones in the shadows of the large forest.

At the same time, it felt like I should be here. Like this was my place, at least for this moment in time.

The bushes rustled in the distance and I held a hand up, causing everyone behind me to stop. I notched an arrow and steadied myself for whatever was ahead, banishing thoughts of home in favor of survival.

***

I launched myself forward, spear in sight as I flew silently through the air. I sliced at the harvester's behind legs with my claws as I passed. Three golden lines formed a few feet beyond my actual claws, cutting deep into its armor.

It twisted about to face me, but I slammed my burning fist into the side of its beak. Pain caused it to jerk away, dropping my spear from its mouth. My left hand snagged it as it shrunk and I tossed it into my small inventory.

The creature shook its head before concentrating on me as I rolled away, my stomach grumbling.

The Harvester hesitated for a second, then chased me, six legs stabbing into the ground.

This time I raced away, dodging in different directions as long as the shadows covered me, hiding me from sight. Eventually, it lost me, and it paused before returning to the clearing where Jabbo had died, along with the first, unbonded Harvester.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

This time I hid farther away, but still close enough for a decent view.

Just as I had decided to head back in the direction of the others, three more creatures crossed into my sense range. Two more harvesters, and something else. It walked between them, shorter than they, but drawing the bulk of my focus. Then the group came into sight.

[Harvester, Bound, Level 100, Predator, Chicken.]

[Harvester, Bound, Level 100, Predator, Chicken.]

[[Unknown, Unknown, Forger, Level 135, Predator, Unknown, OFFENDER.]

[An OFFENDER has been detected in your area, with a bounty. You have been given a temporary boost to stats and abilities.]

[Dilom, The Hybridizer, Forger, Level 135, Predator, Unknown, OFFENDER.]

This Forger looked different. While it still had an orange tint to its skin, it had tall ears with three points flaring upward from a head of long white hair. Bright blue eyes adorned its face, which studied the dead Jabba on the ground. It carried a digital tablet, of all things, and wore what appeared to be a long white lab coat with strange snaps across the front.

I didn't dare move, or even breathe.

"Such a waste," Dilom said, shaking his head. He tapped several times on the tablet before turning to the dead Harvester. "Always the native ones that ruin my experiments."

He squatted down, and a metal rod appeared in his fingers that he used to poke around inside the carcass.

"Now, what killed you and took your heart?"

Not good.

He stood up and studied the bound Harvester that hadn't moved from its spot in the clearing. Again, he tapped on his tablet several times, this time muttering low enough I couldn't hear him.

Slowly I stepped back, putting a mushroom in between me and the group. I kept a very slow and consistent movement, staying in the shadows and going from mushroom to mushroom. Every second that passed, I put more and more distance between me and them. However, as soon as I got far enough away that they were barely on the edges of my radar, I stopped and waited to see where they went.

Eventually, the Forger led the three living harvesters off, heading back in the direction they had come from.

I then resumed my slow and steady pace, heading back toward the drowned city. My stomach growled louder, needing food. I snacked on the heart from the harvester, and the flavor of chicken filled my mouth.

[You have devoured a harvester and gained the skill Whispering Trap. Whispering Trap: You can produce an eerie sound with your aura, drawing prey closer. It might have a hypnotic effect if your fortitude is higher than their willpower.]

That was nice, really nice. Nicer still with how high level my fortitude was. It was my third highest stat. If I could use this from the shadows… ideas crossed my mind in rapid succession.

First, I needed to get back to the others, and then find some time to practice.

"I'm on my way back, we all need to talk," I sent to the others, though I knew I'd take some time to reach them. Yet, I didn't receive an answer, which was weird. Then again, Cekta mentioned not being able to keep multiple runes up. Hopefully, he was covering the trail for the group instead of talking to me.

Either way, I just needed to continue north near enough to the edge of the forest that I could find the fallen tree. From there, I knew where to go.

It shouldn't be too hard, right?

#

A few hours later, I still hadn't caught up with the others after skirting around an unknown number of Harvesters that seemed to be flooding the area. The blue light from above started to fade, and I backtracked to the edge of the forest. From there, it was much easier to keep on track.

The massive trees kept guard, though several much smaller trees were dotted here and there closer to the lake. I spotted the blue and green ferns with bunches of tall grass. A cool breeze came off the lake, and I caught myself tilting that way a couple of times. Finally, I said fuck it and headed through the grasses when I felt nothing around.

The grasses stopped at the rocky edge of a massive lake. Across the way, an enormous mountain rose in the distance. Its peak was a bright white, while the rock itself appeared almost pitch black.

The strange colors here made little sense to me, but that didn't matter. It was gorgeous. Large boulders protruded into the lake, blocking sight lines up and down the coast.

Still I felt nothing, and couldn't help moving closer to the water.

A figure touched the edges of my senses, but I ignored him, instead staring at the freaking purple water. How was the water purple? Then again, my vision was pretty wonky in the early morning hours, even in a more normal place.

The sun should come up soon, but I wasn't sure about the timing. I still hadn't completely gotten my bearings in this alien world.

"You need to be careful near the water," said Kabi, as he crossed from the grasses to the rocky beach. "The water clan doesn't like trespassers."

"I mean them no harm, as long as they don't mean me harm." I turned away from the water and my thoughts of a swim. "Did the others make it to the village?"

"Yes, though everyone wondered where you made off too."

I shrugged. "Had to take a longer route. The forest is filled with Harvesters."

Kabi's eyebrows rose, as he turned to face the trees. "That is not good news."

"No, and I didn't dare get into any fights. Some of them were around level 100." While I thought I could take one down on my own, I didn't want to risk it, then have a bunch of them arrive mid-fight. One-on-one, I could do it. But against a dozen level 100 creatures? Noseen would say I was still too squishy, and he would be right.

Kabi closed his eyes for a moment.

"So, are you going to tell me about the link between the two of us?" I asked softly. Now that he was closer, I touched the line stretching from his aura to mine. It only went one way.

"You know of it?" he asked, taking a step back and bowing his head. "I apologize for not telling you of it sooner. Until you woke up, I didn't know what type of person you were."

"I get that, but you need to explain it now."

He didn't move, keeping his head bowed. "I dance the warrior's blade. We follow those with honor, and you saved my life."

I stepped back a little. "How did I save your life?"

My mind raced, thinking of the bomb.

"I was to be killed as an example, then the Forger returned with Lenna and you blew everything up."

I stopped myself from saying the first thing that came to mind. He earnestly believed he needed to follow me.

"You were lucky," I finally said. "My arrival had nothing to do with you."

"It doesn't matter, I owe you everything." His eyes stayed down, facing the dirt. "I helped kill that Master, and brought you with us… but then you freed us of our collars, again putting me farther into your debt. You ask nothing of us, but have given us everything. You are worthy."

Still, he did not raise his head.

"You need to look at me."

"Not until you signal me to."

"You can get up," I said tapping his shoulder, hoping this was the correct thing to do. "I understand that you believe you owe me."

Something shifted right after I spoke the words. The bond tightened.

What did I do?

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