Their plan going forward was rather simple. Hit the nest for two days, kill it, move on. Reaching Norn would be the next step where they would kill The Pact members before heading north. They wouldn't need much in the way of supplies, and they planned on hitting up a few more towns and cities along the way to Europe. They weren't going to hide their presence as they stormed the Underworld.

James liked the simple plan and was more than ready to start fighting the nest. That's why their run through the tunnels had left the dragons and animals behind with the understanding they would catch up. Mother wasn't exactly happy, but he wasn't too worried. The only one even more unhappy was Coral as she was carried.

First, they reached the cavern that held Norn and from there broke northeast and through another tunnel. It possibly could have made more sense to strike Norn while they were there, but they had to backtrack either way.

Reaching the nest took the better part of a morning as they pushed themselves as hard as they could. Amber and Zenaria kept up well enough, while Priest grumbled and complained as they came to a stop. Dropping Coral on the ground, he walked away to calm himself.

The woman in question was gasping for each breath while tears streamed down her face. James only smiled at her before looking out over the cavern that held the nest. It was his first time really seeing a Underworld city, even if it was abandoned.

The simple stone structures were built rather well. Large bricks, likely carved from the cavern itself made up each building. Their dull brown color glowed with a gentle light, just like the smooth walls, floor, and ceiling of the stone passages and caverns. It was easy enough to see by, and it was even easier to see the scurrying monsters that roamed over the buildings like giant insects.

"Ready?" James asked.

Amber pulled Coral to her feet and pushed her toward Zenaria. "Take the baby and help her level up."

"She's not a baby," James grunted. "Be nice."

"No."

Zenaria sighed. "Amber, you can't treat her like the plague that she is."

Now it was James's time to sigh. "I think I'll take her to level up. The two of us could use some time together."

"Hell no!" both ladies growled.

"Do I get a choice?" Coral asked after catching her breath.

"No!" Amber snapped. "Go with Zenaria and be happy that she won't kill you. If you were with me, I'd let you lose an arm and leg before helping."

Whimpering, Coral clung to Zenaria, making the kitsune glare at Amber.

"We need her," James stated. "We can't let her get injured. Help her level, and if I find out she was hurt too badly, you both will lose privileges. No more baths and no more sex."

"James!" Zenaria gasped.

Amber glared at him. "You're really going that far for an enemy?"

James closed his eyes as he started shaking with anger. Amber must have realized she messed up as she scrambled back and Zenaria started leading Coral away. When he next opened his eyes, all three of them were nearly to the city, leaving him alone with Priest.

"Why are you going this far for Coral?" Priest asked.

"Gut feeling," James admitted. "Something is telling me that she was dealt a shit hand in life, just like me."

Humming, Priest didn't say anything as they started walking toward the city.

"I wish the girls trusted my decisions more," James said softly.

Pursing his lips, Priest started jogging toward the city, leaving James to his thoughts.

Anger was the first thing James felt, and he had to forcefully restrain his soul as he looked toward the city. Focusing on his Violet Eye, he scanned the cavern and found souls not only in the city and buildings, but around the outlying farmland.

Taking a closer look, he confirmed it was indeed farmland. Changing his heading, he ventured toward what looked like a barn.

What could they possibly be growing underground? I wish I had an alchemist to tell me these things.

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***

Amber sulked as she reached the edges of the city. It was only a second later when Priest stopped next to her.

"What do you want?" she asked, tinges of anger still in her voice.

"He thinks you don't trust him," Priest said bluntly.

Stopping mid-step, she lowered her foot. "What do you mean?"

Priest shook his head. "Don't you see it? You and Zenaria are questioning every order he's giving you and making light of his wishes. He thinks you don't trust his decisions."

Closing her eyes, Amber groaned. "Dammit…"

"It's clear that you don't."

"I do," she argued. "I just…" Crossing her arms, she added, "I don't know, Priest. I'm just angry that she is with us. He didn't even ask us."

"He doesn't have to," Priest said with a grunt. "For one, you aren't married to him, nor are you Luna. He may sleep with you, but he has a goal in mind and wants to succeed no matter what. It's up to you if you want to keep pushing him away."

"I'm not pushing him away," she argued.

"Yes, you are. Every decision he's made always have a purpose. Can you agree with that?"

"Yes," she admitted.

"Then why are you suddenly doubting him? Did you think that maybe he sees something in her that he can help with? That maybe, just maybe she was in a horrible place and didn't have a choice in working for The Pact. Her sister could be dying and they are helping in exchange for her fighting on the front lines for them."

Opening her eyes, Amber asked, "is that true?"

"How should I know." Priest matched her by crossing his arms. "I've known her for only a few hours. But James wants to know why she gave up so easily. She seemed ready to be done with life."

Deflating, Amber slumped slightly. "He didn't tell me anything like that."

"When was he supposed to?" Priest asked. "Before or after you continually belittled the woman and expressed your desire to see her die?"

"It wasn't like that!"

Cocking his brow, he didn't need to question her further.

Running a hand through her hair, Amber spread out her soul and found the small ember that was Coral. "I'll give her space for now. Let me think through things."

Nodding, Priest started walking toward Zenaria.

All of the anger she had been feeling was gone, replaced by regret as she looked for the nearest monster. She wouldn't gain much from the small creatures, but that didn't matter. The point was to prove to herself that she was strong enough to stand by her mate's side. That he could count on her, and right now, she wasn't so sure he could.

***

Zenaria slowed Coral to a stop as they reached the entrance to the first building. It wasn't very big, at only two stories, but she could feel four souls inside. Resting her hand on Coral's shoulder, she pulled out the woman's spear and shield. Handing them over, she said, "you'll need to rely on Soul Siphon for now. Simply attach your self to a monster and drain it dry in order to grow stronger. Once you are attached, kill it like you normally would and you'll claim its soul that much faster."

"That's all?" Coral questioned, disbelief in her eyes.

Smiling, Zenaria nodded. "When I first started leveling, someone helped me just like I'm doing for you. Even Luna was helped when she first started, and she was the strongest out of all of us but James. If she can reach those heights, then you can too."

Tightening her grip on her spear, Coral stepped forward. "Who's Luna? She's been mentioned a few times."

Feeling the tears forming in her eyes, Zenaria pushed the woman into the building. "We can talk about that later…"

Coral looked like she wanted to apologize when something inside the building growled, pulling her into her fighting stance. Zenaria watched as she raised her shield and readied her spear. Stepping into the building with her, she found a squat monster that looked like some sort of dog.

Its snout was much shorter than a wolves, but its mouth opened wider with three rows of jagged teeth. When it growled, the air rippled with power as a light black mist sprayed out.

"Breathe it in!" Zenaria ordered. "I won't let it kill you."

"Are you insane?" Coral snapped.

"Trust me. You'll grow much stronger if you breathe it in." Stepping between the two of them, Zenaria took the brunt of the mist and felt her Poison and Corruption Resistances kick in. Wrapping the monster in wires, she didn't kill it as a small trickle of energy flowed from it and into Coral. A moment later, the link shook and nearly shattered as the woman started coughing and gasping for air.

You can do this, Coral. She thought to herself. Breathe it in and I will help you grow stronger. This is what James wanted. I don't know why he wants you to grow stronger, but he sees something in you.

The coughing subsided as the fog dispersed and the monster thrashed in the webbing. Fighting to stay on her feet, Coral walked forward on shaky legs and stabbed the beast in the throat before twisting her four pronged spear and ripping it out. Blood gushed from the wound, increasing the flow of Soul Energy into the woman.

Once the beast was dead, Zenaria watched Coral's soul flare up, increasing slightly in power, but she still had a bit to go before she reached level one. That's when the true path of power started.

"I—" Coughing, Coral bent over, clutching her chest.

"You gained some resistances," Zenaria finished for her. "Breathe in the poison, Coral. Grow stronger and remember to take damage. I won't let anything kill you. Regeneration is your greatest skill."

Nodding, Coral straightened up as the second monster came down the stairs. Poisonous fog washed over the room once again, making the woman double over. Puke splattered the ground, mostly bile as the poison worked through her system.

Wrapping the monster in wires again, Zenaria held it still. The poison was particularly bad, and the monsters were in no way lower level. They were at a nest and Coral would increase quickly. She should at least be level four by the end of their two days. That is if she could stop puking and start fighting.

Stepping back, Zenaria waited for Coral to recover and to kill the monster. Rolling out her shoulders, the woman looked better as she staggered toward the stairs.

"Let's keep going—" Another coughing fit cut her off as Zenaria stepped up to her side.

"I have your back, Coral. Let's clear a few buildings and get you to level one, maybe even two."

Nodding, Coral wiped her lips before lifting her spear. "Let's do it."

Smiling, Zenaria could see why James kept her alive. She was a survivor and had tenacity. Now it was time to see how hard she could be pushed.

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