"Are you sure you are ready to leave?" I asked as I gazed at Libidi.

We were standing with our backs towards the hall with the portals, staring out across the city. Although many had died, the survivors that had made it here moved throughout the city, making it look livelier than it probably had in eons.

"I am sure," Libidi said emotionlessly.

I inspected her, noting that her armor had been repaired, and she was wearing an extra set of daggers that dangled from new leather belts. I imagined they were probably her brother's. Besides this, she had a small backpack and a gift from Rathica. I had the same one, stuffed with food and other supplies. Mine also had some wood, seeds, and nuts.

After a few more moments, I knew she wasn't any more interested in talking than she had been when she picked me up this morning. I nodded and turned to the portal room, deciding to leave her alone for a while.

"Alright. Let's get out of here," I said as I moved into the room and whistled.

Compared to two days ago, it had changed immensely. Most of the portals were gone, not even rubble remaining. A staircase stood before us, splitting halfway, and angling left and right. On each of the ten-foot-high daises stood a stone archway with long green vines covering the sides. Although not active now, Rathica had said that the left would eventually lead to Steadfast and the right to her first temple in Orlion. Halfway towards the stairs was one lone portal, and that was the one we had used before.

"Rathica will close the portal an hour after we go through, so we need to make sure we either return here or find a way out before that," I said as I moved forward. I was carrying my ax, gleaming black and its edge as sharp as when I'd made it, and as I gazed at the swirling portal of mist, I held in front of me as I jumped through.

I landed on my feet, my ax at the ready as I looked around. Except for some stone rubble, the room was empty, and Casiron still blocked the entrance. I saw no movement behind it, and I took a step to the side. A moment later, Libidi stepped through the portal in a low crouch, a dagger in each hand.

"Everything seems the same," I whispered. "I'll do some repairs to Casiron before drawing him back in. Scout the entrance for any of those dwarfs."

Libidi didn't reply but moved forward without making a sound. Her body flowed forward as if there were fewer bones in it than there should be, and she slithered through one of the spaces that were between Casiron’s blackish-green, gleaming body and the stone doorframe. I followed after her and began examining the wooden statue I'd made.

Although it was made from one of the strongest woods I knew and had become even tougher with both Harden Wood and Casiron's presence, long slash marks marred it. One of the legs had a deep gash, almost separating the lower half.

Shit, how am I going to do this, I thought as I pressed the halves together. It's not like there was superglue here. As I examined the wounds, I wished for a moment it was just flesh that I could stitch together, and then I blinked. Why couldn't I just stitch it? I put my backpack down and grabbed a small piece of the same wood and my knife. As my mind spun with ideas, I cast Soften Wood.

A few moments later, I had two pieces of wood that were like thumb-sized u-shaped nails. I used my upper hands to push the leg back in place, aligning the loose ends before casting Soften Wood on the body.

A minute later, I stepped back and looked at the leg. There was a thin line where it had been sliced apart, now held tightly together by a line of u-shaped nails.

A dragon with a scar, I thought, and I grinned.

I mended the rest of the larger slices the same way before hardening the wood again. When I couldn't find anything left that might impede Casiron's usage, I nodded to myself.

Casiron, you can return to the body.

A small wave of joy came, followed by a ping from my status window. Then the body glowed slightly, and it began moving. I stepped back as Casiron rose and stretched like a cat before backing up out of the doorway and into the small area beyond.

It is so much more comfortable in a body of my own, Casiron sent me. Not that I don't appreciate being in your mindscape, but that ancient Deity is a troublesome figure.

I know, I said as I followed him outside.

It was quiet and dark in the city, and Libidi stood in the large gate towards the street. I noticed still shapes lying everywhere and heard the buzzing of insects. My mood sank, and the good mood about fixing Casiron waned as I sighed sadly.

There is nothing to be done, Casiron said as he stepped beside me and looked at the charred dead.

I agreed and looked around before staring up at him. How is the leg?

Fine. I can run, but I would have preferred a more aesthetically pleasing fix, Casiron replied.

There's nothing I can do about that right now. I think it's probably safest if we climb on and you run out of here as fast as possible.

Casiron didn't reply but lowered himself to the ground. I turned to Libidi and gestured for her to climb on. A few moments later, I sat behind her as Casiron stepped through the gate. A look left and right showed only deserted streets.

Where do those things go after they are done defending this city, I thought as I nudged Casiron.

The massive Dracoserp trotted forward, quickly picking up speed. As he did, I realized I'd forgotten to add a saddle to him. It was still uncomfortable to ride.

The dark and dusty buildings flitted past us, sometimes separated by small alleys, and we passed some unmoving bodies. Then we reached the area where Gresin and I had been guarding the rear, and the few still shapes changed into a trail of dozens of them. Some were headless, others legless, but they all looked like broken toys, discarded by an angry child.

Casiron didn't slow down until we got near the main gate out of the city. There he stopped as a shuffling and clanking sound came from a metallic dwarf, constantly walking in circles. Its left foot was sliced through just above the ankle, and it stepped on the stump with a dull crack that caused it to sag and rotate sideways, almost falling each time.

Casiron sped up before I could give an order and lowered his head as he ran frontally into the dwarf. He snatched it up, barely slowing, the dwarf in his maw.

Don't destroy it completely, I shouted in my mind.

Why?

I want to inspect it, I replied.

A wave of distaste came from Casiron, but he just continued to run, the metallic dwarf flailing in his maw.

What do you hope to find? Casiron asked as he ran through the gate and passed the dwarven statues.

If they are constructs, I said as I pondered a bit.

I'd not yet been able to figure out what those dwarfs were exactly, nor had any time to calmly check them out. Rathica had told me they used to be dwarfs but had been changed by the blowback of the war, infected by an odd magical virus.

With Casiron's speed, it took only a bit of time to reach the staircase in the wall that would lead back up to the hills, and when we reached it, he stopped. The cracking and hissing of the struggling metallic dwarf sounded loud in the otherwise deadly quiet darkness.

I slid off Casiron's back, and Libidi followed after me. She hadn't said a word since we had left. Then again, she had been quiet for as long as I knew her. In hindsight, it had mostly been Dibidi who had been the one talking with me. Thinking of the quiet Isirow, I felt sadness at his loss. Although I'd only known him for a short time, many things had happened during it, and shared trials can bring you together.

Casiron dropped the still struggling dwarf and pressed his front foot down on it before it could get up, crushing it into the ground.

"Why did he bring this?" Libidi asked as she moved towards the dwarf. A slight flicker of interest burned in her ice-blue but otherwise emotionless eyes.

"I asked him to," I said as I kneeled beside the dwarf.

I'd inspected some of them before, but those had been dead, or deactivated, what happened after I decapitated one. This one gazed at me with blue lightning in its eyes. I detected no emotions in the crackling balls in the center. Instead, it felt like staring down into two weak light bulbs with tesla coils around them.

I grabbed one of its arms and felt the power in it as it struggled to prevent me from pulling the metallic limb back. Like the others, this one had the same dull grey metallic body. Rust covered its hair, beard, and parts of its arms, and on closer inspection, I realized that all of it came only from the hairs. All other parts were either rust-free or covered in flakes that had dropped from the beard and matted hair.

After thinking for a moment, I used the tip of my ax to try and push away what seemed like the edge of its metal tunic. A soft clank of metal on metal rang out, and the tip of the ax sliced a small wedge in the metal. Below was more metal, but this gleamed brightly and had a barely noticeable blue sheen.

"They are alive," Libidi said as she crouched beside me. She moved the tip of her dagger close to one of the eyes, and it pulled its head back.

"Why do you say that?" I asked, staring at the dead eyes and the unmoving face.

"I feel… pain and hunger," she said.

"You can feel it?" I asked in surprise. "How?"

For a split moment, the carefully crafted veil of emotionlessness lifted, and deep pain and sadness covered Libidi's face. Her eyes narrowed, and her lip drew in a snarl of mental anguish. Then it disappeared, her face returning to its almost placid look, her eyes frosty. Then, without answering, she rose and moved towards the stairs, disappearing up.

She is in immense pain, Casiron said. I can't fully see what she thinks, but the aura around her is one of such deep sorrow it is almost palpable to me.

I sighed softly as I quickly scanned the rest of the metallic dwarf.

Can you sense anything from him? I asked Casiron.

No. Not even what Libidi spoke of. They feel lifeless and dead to me.

After a few moments of consideration, I lifted my ax and swung it down, decapitating the dwarf. The spark left its eyes with a final bright flash. After another moment, I swung again, separating one of its fingers. As I picked it up, I noticed how heavy and dense it was. The chopped end was clean, but I saw something that reminded me of a bone, but coppery threads instead of arteries. Tendons, a darker copper, were pulling back into the hand, slowly rolling up. Everything was dry, with not even the slightest sheen to indicate wetness. I pulled off my backpack with deliberate movements and put the finger in between the wood.

A wave of revulsion and confusion came from Casiron, and I sniffed.

I am going to see if I can find someone who can examine it and perhaps find a way to… reverse it?

The revulsion weakened, but Casiron said nothing. I could still feel he was slightly confused, but I ignored it and replaced my backpack. I moved up the stairs.

"Let's get out of here," I said as I noticed Libidi sitting a few stairs up, staring at the wall in front of her.

A long while later, and beyond the staircase, I saw a soft glow in the distance. The closer we got, the brighter it became, and soon we saw the sunshine through the narrow entrance.

"Let's be careful. There might be Ogurin there again," I whispered as I slid down from Casiron's back again.

Side by side, Libidi and I snuck towards the entrance until we could look outside. The sun shone between two of the hills in the distance, momentarily basking the wedge-shaped canyon we sat in with light. From the speed it moved, I could already see it would hide behind the hills soon, which would cast everything back into darkness. There was no movement anywhere, and the gravelly dark landscape with the occasional yellow and brown grass reminded me of a deserted wasteland.

"Let's wait for the sun to move behind the hills," I whispered.

Libidi just nodded, and silently we sat there. A few minutes later, the sun brightened for a moment before moving behind the distant hill, and then shadowy darkness covered the canyon like a blanket. My eyes quickly got used to it, and I snuck outside and along the side of the wall. As I passed the square windows and doors, I looked inside to ensure no new occupants had taken up residence, but everything remained deserted. Casiron followed us out, and we made our way up the rocky slope until we were near the spot where Libidi and I had sat only days before.

I looked around, then back at the entrance. The previous time we stood here, Dibidi had still been alive, scouting the sides, as had many of the people that now lay rotting deep below the ground.

As I shoved the lingering sadness away, I pulled up my status-window map. It was more filled in than ever, with most of the area south and east of me visible in great detail. It went from Sart in the south, on the other side of the Howling forest, all the way to the west coast. Small, silvery nametags decorated certain areas where cities or places of interest were.

Rathica had read through the minds of the survivors, matching what she recalled with their memories. Although possibly not entirely accurate, looking at the roads, rivers, and towns I could visit, it made me happy. Besides, it was a far cry from what I used to have.

Tenziran, one of the cities further east, was circled red. It was nestled between a rugged hill so tall and jagged that some called it a mountain and a section of partially submerged ravines called Lestinin's Drowning. It sat on a small, barely one-mile strip of land called the Gougian Connect.

The mountainous hills went from there all the way north-east until they reached the sea, creating a natural and almost impenetrable barrier on that side, while Lestinin's Drowning stretched south-east until it reached the sea and the Howling Forest, effectively closing off most of the Kingdom of Fastris' rich lands. Only by sea or through the Gougian Connect could any army hope to enter them.

I zoomed in slightly, the ravine growing and details becoming more distinct, and I sighed in admiration. Although I'd never been a fan of strategy games, I had played my share, and I knew I'd not want to leave it intact if I moved an army into Fastris. It was positioned perfectly strategically. Any army that attempted to move through the Lestinin's Drowning ravines would be sitting ducks for the large army stationed at Tenziran. If they tried to move along the coast, at many sections needing to traverse the water, they would be constantly harassed by the demons in it. Both were death traps, leaving sacking Tenziran as the least of the poisons; a highly defended city with a large garrison.

According to Rathica, it was the most likely place to find a camp of The Queen’s Nailhounds, as she was sure they would either destroy it or leave behind a large enough force that the city couldn't send reinforcement.

Casiron moved beside me, and I saw his eyes focus on the map as confused wonder came from him.

Can you see this? I asked in surprise as I pointed at the map.

I can. It is like a small section of your mindscape is covered in a map and projected before you. I have not seen a skill like this before.

I frowned at that, wondering how a simple map could cause such a strong reaction.

Don't be so surprised. Dracoserps have perfect memories and can share locations. We have no use for these imperfect skills.

I barked a laugh at the haughtiness in Casiron's words, then closed the map. I'd noted our first location, a small town at the start of one of the main roads deeper into the kingdom.

"Let's get going. It's half a day's travel to the nearest town, and we will likely not find anything there but slaughter," I said as I looked at Libidi.

She just stared at me for a moment before climbing back atop Casiron. I sighed and joined her before nudging Casiron.

For the rest of the morning and most of the day, Casiron carried us across the hills, easily jumping crevices and crossing terrain I'd have taken days to get across. Libidi was mostly quiet, leaving me to my thoughts. They mostly dealt with my conversations with Rathica about what to expect from the Naihounds, and Eliandra.

When we finally reached the edge of the hills, Casiron alerted me.

Est! Look, Casiron said.

I blinked, a fantasy about traveling through mysterious lands beside Eliandra fading rapidly. We stood atop a hill, and a sprawling field of yellow and green grass lay before us. Far in the distance, I saw a thin dark line that I knew was the edge of the Howling Forest. We would only get further from it now, and I'd likely not even see it in a few hours or days. Below us was a winding grey road that led towards a heavily fortified town, cutting through then going on beyond.

"We have some hours of daylight left," I said. "Let's move through and see if we can find any survivors."

"And then what?" Libidi asked as she looked at me. "Do we go back to bring them to safety?" The spite in her voice caused me to look at her in wonder.

"No," I finally said. "We will send them back to Lurinon. Candlewick will go there every few weeks and bring any survivors back to Boglodon."

Libidi looked at me, and the heat left her eyes. Then she looked to the town below. "Fine," she said in a flat tone.

I need to help her somehow, I thought, wondering where I should even start. Talk to her? How if she didn't seem interested?

Perhaps you can do that thing she and her brother enjoyed? Grow your mindscape? Casiron replied to my unintended question.

I gritted my teeth as I thought of the horrible pain that would bring. I'd not done so since we found the first of the survivors and had subconsciously buried the idea. Still, Casiron was right. Perhaps it would bring her some form of relief.

Remind me again tonight, I said.

Casiron didn't reply, but I felt a slight hilarity from him as he started running down the hill towards the town.