Filip woke slowly.
His entire body felt stiff, joints protesting as he shifted slightly. The thin bedding beneath him pressed uncomfortably against his side—but even so, it was better than stone. Much better. He exhaled quietly and stayed still for a moment, letting his body catch up with his thoughts.
Then he opened his eyes.
The chamber was dim, illuminated only by a soft blue glow drifting nearby. Filip turned his head and saw Rio still asleep inside the burial coffin, curled slightly on his side, breathing deep and steady.
Filip smiled.
For all that had changed—for all that had been taken—some things remained the same.
Their bodies were different now. Smaller. Lighter. Strange in ways he still hadn't fully adjusted to. But as much as Filip missed his old height, he understood the trade. Their senses were sharper. The world felt clearer, louder, closer.
And… he had to admit it.
"We're kind of cooler now," he thought faintly.
He glanced down at himself, still not entirely used to the fact that he was barely over one and a half meters tall now. Back on Earth, he had been tall—185 centimeters. Here, he felt compact. Efficient. It had startled him at first, but he had learned his new body quickly.
Still… it was strange.
His smile returned as his eyes drifted back to Rio.
"At least I'm still taller than you," he thought, amused.
Carefully, Filip eased himself out of the coffin, moving slowly so he wouldn't wake his friend. He winced slightly as his muscles complained, then steadied himself and stood.
He dragged one of the old coffins closer and flipped it carefully, turning it into a makeshift bench. Sitting down with a quiet sigh, he began to gather everything they owned, laying it out in front of him.
Time to be realistic.
Two water flasks sat side by side. Each could hold about one and a half liters. One was completely empty. The other was roughly three-quarters full.
Filip frowned.
"That's not enough," he murmured.
They would need to find a stream. A spring. Anything. Soon.
Next came the food: two cans.
"At best… two days," he calculated silently. "One meal a day."
Not sustainable.
They would have to hunt. Or find something edible in the forest.
Last was the fuel bottle for the portable stove. It was still mostly full. That was good—but oil was precious. Too precious to waste. If they could find dry wood, they could save it for emergencies.
Filip leaned back slightly, rubbing his face with one bandaged hand. He was still tired. Still sore. Still carrying the weight of too many decisions.
But there was no time to rest.
He packed everything back into their backpacks with practiced care, then pulled out both books and opened them, letting his eyes skim familiar pages while he waited.
Behind him, soft movement.
Rio stirred.
He woke slowly, head aching, body sore in a dull, persistent way. The moment awareness returned, he noticed the absence beside him.
"Filip…?" he murmured.
Sitting up carefully, Rio scanned the dark chamber. His ears twitched instinctively, catching the faint sound of turning pages. His gaze followed the blue glow—and found Filip seated nearby, reading.
Rio yawned, stretching his arms. His ears fluttered briefly, then he looked fully awake.
Filip looked up at the sound and adjusted his ears slightly, smiling.
"Good morning, Rio," he said, laughing softly as he noticed the wild state of Rio's hair. "You look like you lost a fight with the wind."
Rio covered his mouth as he yawned again, his tail brushing lightly against the fabric of the coffin.
"…Good morning," he replied sleepily.
They sat together near their poorly made camp, Oathkeeper floating quietly between them.
Rio glanced around. "What time is it?" he asked. "I can't tell in here."
"Just after sunrise," Filip replied easily. "I woke up about an hour ago." He grinned. "You didn't sleep through the entire day this time."
Rio blinked, then gave a weak laugh.
Filip's expression shifted, turning serious.
"I checked our supplies," he said. "If we eat once a day, the food will last two days. But water's the real problem." He paused. "We only have about half a flask left."
Rio nodded slowly.
They both understood what that meant.
The forest waited.
"What if the wolf comes back?" Rio asked quietly, unable to stop himself.
Filip didn't answer right away. When he finally did, his voice was low.
"Then we hope we don't have to find out what happens."
Rio nodded in agreement.
"I've packed everything important," Filip continued. "We should leave soon. We don't want to be out when it gets dark."
Together, they climbed the spiral staircase, nerves tight but curiosity pulling them forward. The god's warning lingered in their minds—but so did the need to move.
When they reached the copper statue at the summit, sunlight washed over them.
The world outside was bright. Calm. Birds sang in the treetops, wings flashing between leaves. The wind brushed past their ears, carrying warmth and scent and life.
For a moment, everything felt… peaceful.
Then they both froze.
The place near the forest edge was empty.
The pile of bones was gone.