Zeke snapped out of his thoughts as the world around him began to change. The crisp outlines of the desk in front of him grew hazy. Startled, he looked up and saw the entire room undergoing the same transformation. Maximilian's study blurred into a whirl of colors and shapes. As he watched this strange display, his vision gradually darkened, and all sensations faded away.
A moment later, Zeke felt uncomfortable. He scrunched his brows and sat up from his prone position on the ground. His body ached all over. He was hungry, tired, dehydrated, and stiff from sleeping in a half-seated position.
Had he really been in such a miserable state?
Zeke vaguely recalled falling asleep, but he hadn't realized how poor his condition had been. The days of mental anguish must have overshadowed everything…
Zeke's eyes widened as he realized that the oppressive atmosphere he had felt in the Deadlands had vanished. He looked around quickly, but the menacing shadows from earlier were gone. Though he was still surrounded by a dark mist, it no longer felt threatening. It was no different from ordinary darkness.
A smile appeared on his face as Zeke felt his taut nerves slowly relax. The last couple of days had been hard on him, and it was only now that he fully understood how taxing that state had been on his mind and body.
Without further ado, he stood up and approached the small fire burning in the middle of their camp. Gravitas, Ash, and Snow were sleeping nearby while Vulcanos was sitting upright, tending to the fire while standing guard. It seemed the three had come up with a system without him.
At his approach, Vulcanos sharply turned his head, eyes glowing faintly. The Chimeroi was clearly on high alert. However, the moment he spotted Zeke, his caution gave way to surprise, and the firey atmosphere quickly subsided.
"Master?" he asked cautiously. "You are awake?"
Zeke nodded, seating himself across from the big man. "Do we have any food left? I am starving."
A smile quickly spread across Vulcanos' face. "Are you feeling better?" It had been a long time since Zeke had asked for anything, and usually, Snow had to coax him to eat.
Zeke smiled back. "Yes, I'm feeling much better now. Sorry for the trouble."
"No, no. It was no trouble, Master. Let me quickly heat something up."
While Vulcanos used his flames to grill a hefty chunk of rump, Zeke consulted with Akasha. He needed to know how they had progressed so far. Though he had been awake, his tortured state had left him in no mood to pay much attention to the overall state of the journey.
By the time the heavenly smell of grilled meat reached his nose, Zeke was aware of everything. They had been walking for five days already, and according to Akasha's calculations, they would need another two days to reach the end of the Deadlands. However, Zeke thought they could likely reach it faster now that his condition had improved.
After a hearty meal and plenty of water, he finally felt life returning to his body. The stiffness left his muscles, and many of the minor aches were already starting to fade. Zeke marveled at the rate at which his body recovered. As long as he cared for himself at least a little, his body would quickly return to peak condition. Now, he just needed a few hours of sleep.
Zeke's mind hadn't recovered during his time in the dream world. It made sense—his body had been idle, but his mind had not. If anything, his meeting with Sheol had only added more stress to his already exhausted mind.
He wished Vulcanos a good night before instructing Akasha to wake him, then drifted back into a deep slumber. For the first time in almost a week, Zeke was able to rest comfortably, with neither dreams nor nightmares plaguing him.
***
Two days went by in a flash.
The previously strenuous journey had turned into a monotonous march. They didn't face any obstructions, and without any nightmares plaguing him, the dullness of the surroundings was the biggest hurdle.
The blackened earth crunched under his boots. Zeke had fallen into a routine, putting one foot in front of the other without paying much attention to his surroundings. His thoughts were still occupied with his discussion with Sheol. Their talks about the Soul had opened his eyes to a world of endless possibilities. Now that he had time to digest everything he had learned, he grasped the implications of such a method.
Sheol could literally be in multiple places at once, taking independent actions—an Army of One in the truest sense.
Consumed by his thoughts, Zeke hardly noticed the passage of time. Yet, just as the second day was ending, a change occurred. The impenetrable black mist that had shrouded everything began to lighten. After a few more steps, the darkness gave way, revealing a sight he hadn't seen in the past week. He stopped in his tracks, awestruck by the majestic scene.
Zeke gazed at the panoramic view of of the valley spread in front of them, the evening sun casting a beautiful red glow as it dipped below the horizon. A smile crept onto his face. At last, they had reached the border of the Deadlands. After days of monotonous black mist, the vibrant colors were almost blinding. The greens of the forest, the blue of the lake, and the red of the sun looked more like a painting than reality.
For a long moment, he just stood there enjoying the view. His companions had also come to a halt, enjoying the view by his side. This was the first time Zeke had been outside the continent, and the thought excited him.
The differences were immediately apparent. There was no sign of civilization anywhere to be found—no roads, villages, cities, or even distant campfire smoke. The scene before him was primal, almost indescribably so. The forests, fields, and lakes all appeared wholly untamed. It was almost as if he had found a previously undiscovered piece of land.
After taking in these sights for a while, he turned to Snow with a smile on his face. "How does it feel to be home?"
The girl looked excited but still shook her head. "We're not quite there yet."
Zeke furrowed his brows. According to Akasha's calculations, they should be close to Snow's tribe. Would she only feel at home when she was back with her family?
"Do you know the way?"
Snow smirked at him in a way he couldn't quite place. "It's hard to miss," she said before pointing with her dainty hand.
Zeke followed her finger and immediately understood. She was pointing at a solitary mountain jutting out of the ground like the tip of a spear. It was so tall that its peak was likely covered in snow year-round.
He turned to her. "That's where you live?"
Snow nodded, the pride evident on her face. "My father and I are the only ones allowed on the peak."
Zeke nodded, unsurprised. Given the fact that Snow was a Pureblood, it meant that at least one of her parents had to be a Progenitor. It seemed that person was her father. Something else occurred to him at that moment. He motioned to the distant mountain. "Is that where those flowers grow?"
Snow bit her lip, lost in thought for a moment, but still nodded in the end. The location of the flowers had been her bargaining chip, but it seemed she now trusted him enough to reveal it.
Zeke could only smile wryly. Even if he knew their location, getting them without her help would be almost impossible. If her father lived there, trying to steal them would be suicide. Hopefully, the man would be appreciative after being reunited with his long-lost daughter.
Even so, a hint of excitement rose within him.
With one last glance at the setting sun, Zeke quickly issued his orders. "Let's stay here for the night."
They made camp close to the Deadlands, well aware that most creatures didn't dare to approach the black mist. The night passed without any incidents, and the group started their trip with the first rays of the sun.
Zeke had expected the journey to only take them a couple of hours, but when the day came to an end, the distance seemed to have hardly shrunk. The only difference was that the size of the mountain had increased. He narrowed his eyes. How large was this thing?
It took another four days to reach the vicinity of the mountain. They could have made it in half that time if not for the constant attacks. It had become apparent that the wilderness wasn't the only thing that was untamed around here. Beasts roamed the plains and forests, uncontested in this natural environment.
It was only now that Zeke realized how much work the Adventurer's guild and the kingdoms did behind the scenes. Aside from the designated Danger Zones, one hardly ever saw any monsters on the continent. Here, not a single hour went by without a sighting. Most didn't dare to confront them, but some packs still chose to challenge his group, believing in their numerical advantage.
This was a place where the weak died, their flesh fueling the strong.
Fortunately, they didn't encounter any monsters they couldn't handle. In fact, the Chimeroi, who had all mastered the Blood Boil technique, eagerly anticipated each new fight. The cycle of violence and rewards had become quite addictive. Even Ash and Gravitas had developed a taste for the rapid gains.
However, the closer they got, the fewer monsters they encountered. It was likely that the frequent hunting parties of Snow's tribe were keeping the wildlife in check. The Chimeroi grumbled a bit, but Zeke was glad for the break. Being constantly on edge had started to take its toll.
Their group came to a halt, and Zeke surveyed the scene before them. At the foot of the mountain, the first signs of civilization emerged: scattered villages dotted the slope. The largest village lay at the base, with progressively smaller ones higher up. Zeke squinted his eyes, trying to make out the top, but the cloud-covered peak remained out of sight.
Zeke studied the landscape and judged the distance. He had gotten far better at navigating it, and his senses kept telling him that they would be able to reach the first village before the sun went down—at least if they hurried.
Just as he was about to give the order, the rustling of the underbrush drew his attention. The Chimeroi simultaneously noticed the disturbance. They immediately moved into position, the anticipation clear on their faces. It had been quite a while since their last fight, and they were evidently excited to let loose one final time before they reached the village.
However, what emerged wasn't a monster but a man. Or at least, Zeke thought so at first.
The man had long, dark hair and a muscular upper body, bare except for a leather belt holding a crude bone dagger. However, as he approached, Zeke noticed the man had no legs; instead, his upper body tapered into a long serpentine tail. Behind the man, two others emerged. They seemed to belong to the same race, as they similarly had a tail instead of legs.
"Who are you?" the first man hissed. His long, forked tongue tasted the air as he warily surveyed their group.
Zeke stepped forward, adopting a friendly expression. "Greetings, friends. We've come to visit the village and meet with the chief."
The man's eyes narrowed. "What's your relation to the Icefang tribe, human?"
Zeke was about to answer when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to find Snow looking up at him with an expression he had never seen before. Her eyes were wide, and she was subtly shaking her head, glancing frantically between him and the strangers.
Zeke's expression turned somber as he understood her meaning:
Those were not her people.