Late into the night, Eldros moved through the outpost like a shadow, nimble and silent.
Now and then, he clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle a cough. At first, it was manageable. But the longer he suppressed it, the more his lungs burned, and the paler his face became.
Thankfully, the mountain wasn't large, and soon he reached the familiar wing.
He paused outside, steadying his breath, then slipped quietly into his own house.
As soon as the door shut behind him, he doubled over and coughed up a mouthful of black blood. It splattered the floor with a harsh hiss.
Color returned to his cheeks, but his breathing was ragged. Dropping into a cross-legged posture, he began meditating with the help of the silver rune in his chest to push the poison out.
The reason he'd been bold enough to enter the poison mist in the first place was because of the healing power of the mysterious sigil. It must also be what was amplifying his strength, making him far more dangerous than the average two-star.
Time passed before he opened his eyes.
...what a vicious poison...
Eldros had taken the gamble, charging headlong through the poison cloud. He'd placed his faith in the rune in his chest.
The gamble had paid off.
The poison was being broken down. His lungs still itched, and every breath brought a tickle in his throat, but healing was underway.
Foragers are more complex than they seem... he mused.
Had Fenric been able to fight back, the outcome might've been different. Eldros ran through the encounters again in his mind, dissecting every decision.
Then he turned his attention to the sack from Soren. Lots of silver coins. Bottles and jars labeled with strange symbols—poisons, no doubt.
Eldros didn't dare unseal them.
He inspected everything carefully. Finally, he examined the purple potion that Soren had nearly used in his final moments.
He studied it before putting it back. There was nothing he could do with it for now, but he could feel its power. It was something dangerous. Or precious. When everything was sorted, he returned to meditation.
By evening the next day, he opened his eyes just as Jarek's voice echoed from outside.
"Eldros. Come out here."
Eldros stood and stepped out. A table had been set up with food and drink.
"Sit," she said. "We're expecting guests. My team are coming."
Eldros eyed the spread. His stomach growled audibly.
Jarek chuckled. "Patience. We'll eat when they arrive."
Footsteps soon thundered at the gate. A massive figure entered the courtyard, taller and broader than even the bulky man Eldros had killed.
He carried a warhammer on his back.
"I'm back!" the man said cheerfully, setting down his gear with two loud thumps and plopping into a chair that creaked under his weight.
He didn't spare Eldros a glance.
Eldros studied the hammer. Just from the sound alone, he could tell it weighed more than he did—and the man carried it like a twig.
His assessment about him was still right.
More footsteps followed. Two more arrived, a tall, lean man with a scar across his face, and a woman in tight leather who carried herself with relaxed confidence.
"Old woman," the woman said with a laugh. "You still have him with you, eh!"
Eldros said nothing. Silently, he shifted one leg, positioning himself to grab his dagger if needed. He might trust Jarek a little, but the rest of her team?
"These are your teammates," Jarek said calmly, gesturing to each in turn. "Stepper, third star Initiate of the Arcana. A natural-born brute.
"Kat, third star. She uses enchantments."
"And Scar, peak fourth star. Cold eyes, sharper arrows."
Then she looked at Eldros. "Then Eldros, you know him. Second star of Initiate of the Arcana."
All three appraised him. They've seen him before but now, they're looking at him with the eyes of a teammate.
Scar's gaze was sharp as a knife. Kat smiled slightly. Stepper shrugged and returned to eyeing the food.
"Let's eat," said Jarek, digging in. "Since the Marchants are here, we need to go find something to sell. What's more, they have the better cleasing potions this time, if we make a good haul. We'll get them."
The mood shifted. Even Scar's eyes lit up.
Eldros frowned. He hadn't heard of those before.
"They're much better than cleansing potions," Jarek added. "We need to harvest teringe seed, it's the best selling around here and the merchants are always looking for it since it's extraction is used in making cleasing potions.
"They are rare but we have a hidden place where we can harvest some."
Scar spoke first. "Old lady, he's a total newbie. We'll have to babysit him,
"He needs the experience. Let him decide. It's going to be dangerous." Jarek warned.
"I can do it," Eldros said flatly.
He wasn't desperate for better medicine. But he was realistic. He would need to venture deeper eventually. Better to do it under strong guidance instead of alone.
"Good," said Jarek. "Get rest. We leave soon."
Eldros nodded, scarfed down some food, then returned to his room.
☆☆▪︎☆☆
The next day, morning came crisp and cold. Under a clear sky, Eldros followed Jarek and the others through the outpost, looking at the sky through the hollow of the mountain.
Stepper's hulking frame and Kat's confident stride drew attention, especially from the newcomers in the caravan zone.
Eldros had heard about them, Kat explained.
"They've brought a researcher from some bigshot Sanctum. He also helps heal people. Free treatment, too."
"Lucky bastards," Stepper muttered.
Eldros felt a twinge of envy. The idea of someone who could simply fix an injury or illness… what he could have done with that on Earth.
But something else soon drew everyone's attention.
A group of brutal-looking foragers blocked the path ahead, their leader a scarred man with jagged teeth. His voice carried across the courtyard.
"Still no sign of Soren and Fenric? Find them! I don't care if you have to tear this place apart—drag them back or don't come back at all!"
Squad Skullhowl.
Eldros's eyes flickered, but he kept his expression neutral. Did they know? He doubted it, but his guard went up instantly.
The Skullhowl leader's gaze swept over Jarek's squad. "You lot, seen either of them?"
Jarek's voice was calm, almost bored. "No."
The two squads stood in a silent standoff. Kat's hand drifted to her weapon. Scar's gaze narrowed. Stepper's fingers flexed against his warhammer.
The Skullhowl captain's lip curled. "If you do see them, tell them I'm looking. And if you're hiding them…" His grin widened, sharp and ugly, it landed on Eldros. "…you'd better pray you're not."
Jarek didn't rise to the bait. "Move."
For a moment, it seemed Skullhowl might push further but then their leader jerked his head, and the group stepped aside.
Only when they were out of earshot did Jarek say, "Let's go."
But inside, Eldros trembled. Those bastards must know that the dissappence of the two must be linked to the the Jarek team, or especially Eldros since they were made to bait them!
But surely...a two star newbie couldn't kill a two veteran Magus? One two star and one three star.