Several days had passed since the incident in the forest. The attack and Elira's abduction had left us both restless, sleep never coming easily. It was hard to close our eyes knowing we were being hunted: me for my blood and race, and her by the shadow of her own father.

Today, we finally crossed the endless plains, leaving behind the territory of Ashvale. Though it was only a modest town, it ruled over vast stretches of farmland and small villages that thrived under its protection. It had been a shield for those people against the demon continent. Now, because of me, because of my 'unintentional' destruction of Ashvale, it was gone.

The villages emptied faster than I expected. The fear spread like wildfire, the news carried across the land without the need for radios or cell phones. Maybe a horse and a desperate messenger were all it took to shatter an entire region.

The rain had soaked my hair completely. It hadn't stopped since yesterday, as if the land itself were weeping, begging for vengeance. But did it really need to drench me and Elira as well? I rolled my eyes and kept moving, the wind pushing against my body so hard it felt alive, almost spiteful.

We couldn't stop to rest, not now. The hunters didn't fear the rain. They would still scour the fields, their dogs sniffing for our trail even when the scent was washed away. That left us no choice but to push through the storm that no sane person would challenge.

The plains gave way to a series of rolling hills ahead, and far in the distance, I could see the faint peak of a mountain. It looked small from here, but I knew its size. Elira had told me she had crossed these lands many times before with her father. She knew the paths, the safest way to leave this county behind.

But not in this weather. She warned me of the rocks, slick and treacherous in the rain. Still, I couldn't stop. Something heavy sat in my throat, an instinct whispering that if we didn't cross today, the forest wouldn't be our last nightmare. The feeling clung to me like the cold.

And there was something else, the pull of curiosity. My mind kept circling back to the clone inside the system's world. I wanted to face her again, to study her, to steal her perfection. To get my needles back and grow stronger. It was an opportunity I couldn't waste.

But before I could return there, I needed to rest. Just for a while. Sleep was the key to entering that place again, and right now, even that seemed like a luxury we could barely afford.

"Beatrice!" Elira's voice rode the wind, nearly swallowed by the rain. "Can you see that? That's where we must enter." She pointed ahead, every thread of her clothing soaked through. I worried she might catch a cold, but I knew how to nurse her, using {Healing Touch}.

But it also made me wonder. Would it work on me as well? Could vampires catch colds at all? Part of me wanted to find out. But now wasn't the time for such foolish thoughts.

I followed her finger. The green hills narrowed ahead, two slopes pressing close until they formed a tight tunnel. The gap looked promising, but something in my gut warned me it would not be easy.

"Yeah. What about it?" I called back, keeping a hand on Beelzebub to stop him from being blown away. He puffed up like a wet leaf in the storm.

"There is a passage that leads straight to the mountain range, but—" Her voice cut off. Of course, something was up.

"Just say it." I fought the wind to make myself heard.

"It's heavily guarded. We'll have to sneak past the sentries. And when it storms like this, it floods, so the path might be unusable. But the other option is crossing the hills themselves, and those are full of patrols and monsters. Far more dangerous. Far harder to pass. What do we do?"

I heard the worry in her tone. Our faces were probably blacklisted from that passage already. That left the hills. I would rather fight monsters than bargain with humans.

"Let's head for the hills!" I shouted over the rain.

"Are you sure?" Elira's voice wavered behind me, nearly swallowed by the wind.

"It's our best option," I said firmly. "At least there we can run if something happens. But if we get trapped in that narrow passage, we might never get out. Maybe one of us could escape, or maybe neither." My words came out heavy as I pushed forward against the storm, turning toward the looming hills ahead.

My feet sank into the wet dirt and soaked grass with every step. Beelzebub trembled on my shoulder, so I cupped him and blew warm air until his fur stopped bristling. "Just a little longer," I murmured. "Sorry for this. Next time I will be prepared for everything, I promise." I kissed the tiny chestnut head and felt him relax against my collarbone.

Climbing the first hill turned into a fight. My feet slipped, I fell, and I had to claw my way back up more times than I liked. Elira did no better. She looked exhausted; it showed in the dark rings under her eyes and the way she kept slowing her steps. I knew we needed to rest, but part of me still pushed for crossing today. It felt urgent, like a thing that could not wait.

I scanned the ridge. Bare trees dotted the slopes and, far off, I could see towers, likely the guard posts, standing like wet teeth in the gray. The storm hid us well, but then a stupid, delicious idea slid into my head. Just a what if. If I said it out loud, Elira would probably punch me, but the thought made my pulse go sweet and fast.

I will overrun one of their outposts. No one would expect it. Hehe.

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