It was already noon when Zeke finally opened his eyes. He couldn't tell what had led to this outcome. Maybe it was due to his exhaustion or the fact that he finally had confirmation that everyone was safe. He couldn't be sure, but it was the first time in ages he had slept so soundly.
However, even after waking up, he remained prone on the ground. His eyes were glued to the ceiling of his tent as he carefully tested his condition.
Wiggling his toes? Check.
Circling his ankles? Check.
Bending his knees? Check.
One joint at a time, he investigated the state of his body. From his toes to his brows, nothing was left out. Zeke dared to move only after he had a complete picture of his current state. Slowly, ever so slowly, he sat up. He had to rely on his only remaining arm to do so, but that was a small price to pay for survival. Most surprisingly, there was almost no pain.
Akasha had done a good job, fantastic even.
No, that was still an understatement. What she had done was closer to a miracle. Nobody else could have used [Telekinesis] so precisely that not even the tiniest bone splinter remained. This meticulous procedure was the only reason he could mend his broken body in a mere day. It was to the point that Zeke would have been functionally immortal had he awakened with a Life affinity instead.
It was becoming more and more obvious to him how much of an asset she was. Maybe even his greatest one besides the Trinity Project.
With a groan, Zeke stood. Well, sort of. His tent was too small to accommodate his height, so it was more of an awkward crouch. Even so, he was overjoyed at being able to stand on his own two feet.
Zeke shuffled outside and was greeted by the dry and warm air of the Korrovan savannah. It took him a moment to get accustomed to the midday sun. However, after a few moments of furious blinking, his surroundings became clear.
They were at the point where the mountains met the plains — not yet a desert but its closest relative. It was a dry and dusty place where almost no greenery existed. Zeke knew this location. It was where they had left their guide a couple of days ago. Their base camp.
A frown formed on Zeke's face. The place looked different now, different from what he remembered. A fire seemed to have erupted at some point and consumed what little there was. An ominous feeling began to form in his stomach.
"Master!" an energetic voice called.
Zeke's lips curved up even before he had fully turned his head. Vulcanos was rushing toward him with the force of a mountain. He seemed like an excited puppy who had finally met its owner after a long time. However, Zeke paled at the sight. Would his current body be able to endure such an enthusiastic greeting?
Fortunately, Vulcanos realized his mistake in time. His feet left deep furrows as he ground to a halt just before colliding with Zeke. This didn't mean that his excitement had dimmed, though.
Zeke smiled warmly at the sight of the giant who was left in the dilemma of not knowing how to express his happiness. From a hug to a pat on the shoulder to a fist bump, Vulcanos stopped himself each time. Eventually, the Chimeroi hung his head with a pitiful expression. He seemed to have deemed Zeke too fragile for any physical contact whatsoever.
"How are you doing?" Zeke asked.
"Me? I am fine, master. That sneaky frog had no chance from the beginning. I would have killed him faster if not for my state back then."
Zeke smiled warmly. It seemed Vulcanos didn't hold the slightest grudge, even after he had almost died twice.
"…and I am sorry," Vulcanos said.
"What for?"
"That FIre Mage should have never been allowed to escape. If only I had been a little stronger, I could have caught him."
Zeke immediately shook his head. "The entire situation was my fault, to begin with. I should have foreseen the ambush. That was my job, and I fucked it up."
"You couldn't have known, master."
"That doesn't matter," Zeke said. He stretched out his one good hand and pointed at the slave collar around Vulcano's neck. "Do you know what this means?"
"That I am a slave?"
Zeke shook his head. "It means that I am responsible for you. It means that I need to take care of you. And I didn't do that yesterday. I let the treasure blind me, and this is the result." Zeke said while pointing at his missing right arm. "Will you forgive me?"
Vulcanos looked horrified. "There is nothing to forgive, master!"
Zeke frowned. "No, there definitely is. It doesn't matter to me if you joined willingly. For as long as you follow me, you are one of my people. Do you know what that means?"
Vulcanos slowly shook his head.
"It means that you are under my protection," Zeke explained. "It means that any attack against you is the same as an attack against me. But I fell short of that promise, and that is why I am asking for forgiveness."
Vulcanos remained silent for a long moment, and it seemed as if he was contemplating Zeke's words. However, an easy grin soon returned to his face. "I still don't think you need to apologize, master. Chimeroi die. It's the way of the world."
Zeke shook his head. "It is not my way."
"What is your way, then?" a soft voice asked from behind. Zeke had noticed Gravitas a while ago. However, she had chosen to remain silent up to this point.
"My way, huh?" Zeke mumbled as he slowly turned toward her. He used his one remaining hand to rummage through his pocket. The hand emerged a moment later, holding a single, gleaming silver coin.
"A gift of silver…" Zeke said as he closed his fist. When he opened it, white was replaced with yellow. "…repaid in gold."
Then, he looked at the stump that was all that remained of his right arm. "A debt of blood…" he said slowly before looking up at her, "…repaid with death."
Zeke let the heavy atmosphere linger for a while, but his expression turned gentle soon after. "That is my way," he said. "That said, I will not forget what you have done for me. If there is anything you want, feel free to ask."
Gravitas's eyebrows rose, and she studied his expression. Zeke felt like she was trying to determine if this was a serious proposal. He was deadly serious, and that was what he tried to convey with his expression.
After a while, Gravitas nodded. Her face gave nothing away, but Zeke still felt like he could see a bit more warmth in her gaze. "I forgive you, master."
"Me too," Vulcanos chimed in.
Zeke smiled. He enjoyed the harmonious atmosphere for a moment before clearing his throat. "Then let's discuss the topic at hand. What is our current situation."
Immediately, both Chimeroi scowled. He had been right. Something had happened. The two exchanged a glance before Gravitas spoke. "It's best if you see for yourself."
Without another word, she led the way. Zeke was only a step behind her as they made their way through the blackened camp. The remains of scorched tents and equipment lay scattered about, and the smell of burned flesh was nauseating.
Suddenly, his feet froze. Even though they hadn't reached their destination, Zeke already knew what they would find. His sphere of awareness had shown him exactly what awaited him.
Zeke took a deep breath and continued walking.
A moment later, he arrived next to Gravitas. In front of her lay a tattered sheet. By the contours of the cloth, it wasn't obvious what it was hiding, but Zeke had already seen it. He kneeled down and gently pulled back the cover. He wanted to see it with his own eyes.
The first thing that came into view was a single lock of grey hair. The boy had been covered with it, but now, this one strand was all that remained. The rest of his body was a patchwork of burns, bruises, and scars. His anxious and shy face had been reduced to a mask of horror and pain. Jaihar and his men must have tortured him for quite a while. It seemed the little guy had been reluctant to talk — to the bitter end.
Zeke's hand began to tremble. He had not expected such loyalty from the kid, and he had not wished for it either. It was a heavy burden, one he could not repay anymore. He gently placed the sheet back over the boy's form and stood.
"What else?" Zeke asked, forcing a nonchalant tone. However, his voice almost caught in his throat.
Gravitas hesitated, but eventually, she still reported their situation accurately. "The man who escaped has killed our mounts and burned the camp…."
"…meaning we don't have any way to get back to the capital and no supplies?"
She nodded.
Zeke fell silent. This was so much worse than he had expected. With a mount and proficient guide, the capital was a mere week away. But what about now?
They had no guide, no mounts, and no supplies. Even worse? Thanks to his idea to use all their bottles for the black liquid, they didn't even have anything left to drink. How were they going to survive the journey through the desert without any water?
Zeke hung his head. How could he have fucked this up so much?
"Enough moping, whelp," a deep voice said. "You should have known, yes, but mistakes happen to the best of us. Move past it and figure out a way to deal with this situation."
This was the first time he had heard the Dragon's voice since they had thought they would die. For some reason, hearing its voice again filled him with a sense of comfort. "Thanks…." Zeke hesitated, "Khai'Zhar."
The Dragon fell silent, and Zeke was beginning to think he had offended it by using its name. Luckily, that wasn't the case. "Enough of your nonsense, whelp," it said eventually. "Tell me what you are going to do."
"I don't know," Zeke admitted. "We can't cross the desert without water."
"Not that," Khai'Zhar scoffed. "I don't care about your petty logistic problems. I want to know what you are going to do about this situation — about the humiliation we have suffered."
Zeke fell silent. His gaze traveled from his missing arm to the mutilated body of their guide. "Isn't it obvious?"
"I want you to say it."
Zeke gritted his teeth, his gaze turning dark. "I will take revenge in blood."
"Not enough."
"I will kill them all," Zeke promised. "A river of blood for every drop we have spilled. A severed head for every loss we have suffered. Is that what you want to hear?"
"Better," Khai'Zhar said. "When you have fulfilled this oath, and only then, are you allowed to call my name again."
Zeke nodded. He understood what this was. Khai'Zhar had told him a while ago that knowing a Dragon's name was a privilege that had to be earned. He had skipped the process, but it was now giving him a way to prove himself worthy.
He took a deep breath and collected his thoughts. This wasn't the time to dwell on his mistakes. Neither was it the time for despair.
The fact that the Firebrand family dared to be so bold was a sign that something big had happened in the capital. Every second he wasted here was one more moment his allies were in danger. Both the Nair family and the members of the Lion's Den were potential targets.
He needed to get back. He needed to get back as soon as possible.
"Akasha," Zeke said. "It's time to make a plan."