The surroundings were dark when Veldin opened his eyes. His vision, accustomed to the dark, allowed him to at least determine that he was lying on his back on a surface of sand and water like the shore of the ocean. He felt the grip of a hand clasped over his wrist and looked to the side to see that it was Remerick lying unconscious on the sand beside him. That was right, Remerick had rushed to Veldin’s side when they were attacked by the fey ambush.

Veldin sat up and pulled his hand away. He shook Remerick by the shoulder upon seeing no visible wounds. “Remerick. Wake up.”

Remerick shifted and opened his eyes, squinting into the darkness. He looked suddenly panicked as he took in the sight of their surroundings—or whatever sort of pitch-black he was seeing instead. “Veldin?” he called out warily.

“I am right here,” Veldin said, and Remerick’s features relaxed. “Not that I have any idea as to where we are, however.” He conjured another mote of light to hover over the palm of his hand. That allowed Veldin more range of vision, and any at all for Remerick. Both could see that this flat plane of sand and water stretched on as far as the light allowed.

Remerick stood and offered a hand to Veldin, helping him up from the ground. “I’m guessing you don’t know where to start, then?”

“Given that we were previously nowhere near an ocean or lake, it’s safe to assume that the fey transported us somewhere, not that I would have any idea as to where. This very well may be some form of pocket dimension.”

Remerick traced lines in the sand with the tip of his boot as he listened. “Did they get the others?”

“If they did, we’ll have no way of knowing.”

“And if it’s a pocket dimension, how do we get out?”

“There must be an exit somewhere. It cannot exist completely disconnected from another world.”

“Then we should start walking.” Remerick drew the sword from his belt, holding it in his left hand. “I’ll lead the way, then.”

The sound of their footsteps in the shallow water was the only sound to disturb the darkness for a while as they walked. The scenery did not change. There remained only sand, water, and blackness beyond the light of Veldin's spell. No sign of threats either.

“You were trying to defend me,” Veldin said. He had spoken so suddenly that Remerick started slightly in surprise before looking back at him.

“Oh… I’m sorry. I know you already said I should back off a bit, but I just… I shouldn’t be doing this, should I?”

“Aiding me in combat?”

"Well, since..." Remerick scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. He seemed on edge.

"I hardly think I need to be uncomfortable that you would be of help in battle." Perhaps in other contexts, yes, but not here.

"Oh. That's good." Remerick smiled and seemed to relax just slightly. "I've been worried. I thought you may be hurt if I didn't step in there. You can't cast spells and run away from attacks all that easily at the same time, right?"

Yes, that was true. More complex incantations that could potentially end a combat much more quickly were, of course, riskier to cast when being attacked by oncoming foes. "You say you were not skilled with magic, but you understand a fair number of details, at least."

"I suppose I'd have to have picked up something between living with Master Eregus and with you for..." He trailed off, mumbling under his breath as if he needed to stop and count. "Thir... No, fourteen years? I may not be able to use the magic that makes my hand work, but I think I'd be truly hopeless if I didn't at least remember a few details about magic over fourteen years."

"Quite fair," Veldin said. He looked at the sword in Remerick's hand. "Perhaps I should have thought to ask this sooner, but is it fine for you to wield your weapon on your left side?"

"Hm?" Remerick looked down at the sword and nodded. "My hand isn't, um... It's not as precise as a real hand. But the grip is sound. When I was given the prosthetic, I had to switch to doing anything delicate with my right hand, which... Well, it took a while. But it means I need my right hand for any magic that I can actually figure out."

"You mix the two."

"I do, right. I needed to put Eregus' teachings to use somehow, right?" Remerick accompanied that statement with a soft chuckle. "I'd never live up to you with spells, so, I just make do with what I can."

"I see..." Veldin thought that over. Something about what Remerick had said stuck with him in a way he did not like. It took him a moment to realize it was not the content of his words, but the phrasing itself. "Are you proud of your skills, Remerick?"

Remerick's eyes widened for a moment at that question, and he looked away, off into the darkness. "I... I do what I can."

"You've certainly made it sound that way." Veldin had noticed that, of his allies that he'd accompanied thus far, there was a sense of confidence that Remerick lacked. Even Aliana, for as haphazard of a person she was, claimed she could do certain things with skill. But Remerick had been so meek about everything he'd said so far. It stood out, though Veldin could not place why, exactly.

Remerick's shoulders suddenly stiffened. "Wait," he said. "What was that?"

"What?"

Both men stopped in their tracks. Veldin looked out into the darkness.

He spotted something moving out there. Another being was here with them. The possibility existed in his mind for just a moment that it could be one of their allies, but Veldin quickly realized the size of the thing in the dark. It was far too large, and he saw multiple parts of the creature's body move in tandem. It stayed just on the edge of the darkness that Veldin's eyes could make out, avoiding the light that helped Remerick to see it as well.

Remerick gripped the sword in his hand tightly. He waited, both he and Veldin on guard where they stood. The thing in the darkness retreated, vanishing from sight. After some time passed with no sign of the thing, Veldin said, "It may try to strike when we let our guard down. We should keep moving, but be wary of it."

"Did you see its legs?" Remerick asked.

"The legs?"

"There were too many of them."

"Wonderful," Veldin muttered, irritated at this intrusion. If the thing were insectoid in nature, it was likely another fey. Either a natural denizen of this place, or one placed here by whatever commanded the realm. In either case, it was a potential threat.

Carefully, Veldin took a step forward. With a wary look between himself and Remerick, the two began to move again. Slower this time, their steps quieter, but not silent with the water and sand beneath them. Then, there was a sound. Something else moving through the water. Veldin tried to spot the thing, he realized the sound came from behind him. He turned quickly, but in those scant few moments, a shape had appeared, looming over him.

"Laron iss!" With Feyish words, a disc of blue energy intercepted a sharp limb that reached for Veldin, acting as a shield that stopped the attack in its tracks. Remerick stepped between Veldin and the creature, casting another spell that illuminated the blade of his sword with a silver flame. In that same movement, he thrust the sword at the creature, and it recoiled, retreating back once more, scurrying on its many legs.

The thing had appeared too much like a spider to not be one, yet clearly it was not. Many legs, far more than eight, had carried it about as it moved. The limbs extended from the sides and shoulders of a torso that was humanoid, and it sported a similarly humanoid head, only for its open mouth to reveal rows of needle-point fangs. Veldin, seeing the creature flee, cast a spell of his own. In his hand, he conjured a lance of white energy and threw it in the thing's direction. The creature vanished once more quickly into the shadows, and the lance of light dissipated before it could reach its target.

"Any idea what that was?" Remerick asked.

"I can't name a species, but it was carnivorous. I can't speak for its intelligence. It seems hesitant to face us directly, however."

"What happens if we kill it?"

"At the very least, we will have one less threat here. Perhaps it holds this dimension together, but I cannot say."

"A shame it didn't seem interested in conversation," Remerick said dryly. The both of them continued to survey the area. No sign of the spider-like being in the shadows. This would be a problem. Every now and then, though neither could see it, they could hear the sound of it shifting about in the water.

"We may have to kill it," Veldin said. "There’s too much open area to avoid a confrontation. I need it to stay still long enough."

"I may be able to do that."

For once, Remerick's tone sounded confident, perhaps too wrapped up in the threat at hand to worry over whatever concerns plagued him normally.

The two waited. Nothing. For some time, there was still simply silence and darkness. Veldin felt his muscles stiffening, but his focus remained on the perimeter of light, a part of his attention still held on maintaining the light spell he had cast. Then the sound returned. A skittering in the sand and darkness, difficult to make out on its own but more noticeable in this quiet realm with no wind or waves. Veldin tried to track it. Where was it coming from? Then he spotted something shifting in the darkness, moving rapidly from the perimeter of the light towards them. The moment he saw it, Veldin began to recite the words of a spell, focusing on the sand that occupied the ground. Despite that, though the sand began to shift and swirl under the shallow water to Veldin's demands with the magic, the creature moved too quickly to be caught by the trap.

Remerick rushed forward then, with the blazing fire conjured upon his sword, and he slashed at a limb of the spider-like being. It hissed, but silver blood had been drawn, splattering into the water below with the sound of droplets hitting the surface. The spider thing moved, trying to shift around Remerick or escape, but in the moment that Remerick had bought them, Veldin focused on the sand that his spell commanded. The sand rose up, much of it parting beneath the spider creature and trapping it into a sinkhole that engulfed several of its legs and some of the surrounding water. The spider hissed and thrashed, and Veldin felt the sensation of a struggle as he tried to keep the spell in place. The creature's movements threatened to break Veldin's concentration, it sought a means to be free.

Remerick followed up, striking at the creature once more. It defended itself with its many legs this time, more blood drawn but little harm done to the main body. Veldin's focus on the sand's spell was slipping.

"Veldin!" Remerick called out. "I'll hold it here!"

There was a part of Veldin that hesitated. If Remerick could not stop the creature, that would provide more opportunities for it to strike, potentially harming one of the two. But Veldin had little choice. He allowed the sand to loosen. He did not dare make effort to grip the mind of this creature, as it was something beyond even the forest flower and the corrupted wolf. They would need a different tactic for this.

Veldin began the incantation of a spell, one of far more complex composition than most of his repertoire. He reached out to the magic in the atmosphere, silently thankful that the magic in this plane obeyed him in the first place. The spider creature moved, attempting to flee from Remerick’s attacks, but he moved quickly. Quickly enough, in fact, that it was apparent he had cast a spell of his own allowing him to move far more quickly than he normally would be capable of. He circled around the monster, deflecting a few of its attempts to strike back in defense.

The monster turned suddenly. Instead of attempting to face Remerick any further, it fixed its attention on Veldin instead. It skittered towards him, hissing, and stretched out two of its many arachnid legs. But Veldin did not falter in his recital of the spell’s command, and a swirling light of magic formed around his hands as he sought to mold the magic to his will.

The spider monster failed to strike him. The moment it attempted, Remerick was there, his blade catching the limb that struck out. The other of the creature’s outstretched limbs tried to stab at Remerick directly now as it grew frustrated and tired of its failure to flee or hit any vulnerabilities. It caught Remerick on the arm, slicing down the back of his forearm through his coat and leaving a streak of blood. Remerick hissed in pain but stood his ground.

The swirling magic around the creature had completed its transformation then, formed into intricate circles and patterns in archaic Feyish language at the spider being’s feet, hovering only so slightly above the water and sand. With a single glance down to the ground to confirm the spell was in place, Remerick took a swift step back from the monster and raised a shield of energy as he had before. Veldin called out the words to complete the magic’s command, “Eios mael teir!”

With those words, the lines and patterns erupted into light, and a great explosion of flame erupted forth. The spider monster let out a screeching noise of agony as it was engulfed in the fire, the light obscuring its form from view. Veldin would not have been able to see it at any rate as he was forced to shield his eyes against the fire’s harsh glow.

The fire faded almost as quickly as it had been conjured with no fuel to sustain it, any remaining sparks falling into the water. The corpse of the creature, or the charred remains of it, were no pleasant sight to look upon as the arcane fire had made quick work of it. It took little examination to determine that the thing would no longer pose any form of threat.

Veldin looked at Remerick, and the blood dripping from his wound. “How severe does it seem?”

Remerick raised his arm, bending it at the elbow and wrist and wincing in pain as he did. “I can move it,” he said in a vague statement that did little to sound comforting. It was his right arm, so as long as he could move his hand to cast spells, it should not hinder his combat. The larger concern was the bleeding itself, however.

Veldin checked the pockets of his coat and the bag of supplies he carried. First aid and medicine were far from his expertise, something he realized he appreciated Misha for now that she was no longer present. “I’ll see what I can do,” he said, ultimately coming away with some simple bandages he’d kept for emergency purposes.

Remerick rolled up his torn sleeve and offered his arm out to Veldin.

“You knew I could cast spells of that nature?” Veldin asked while he wrapped the gauze over Remerick’s arm. The question was posed partly out of curiosity and partly because he felt something of an awkward atmosphere between himself and Remerick whenever silence fell between them for too long.

“You’re surprised that I knew?”

“Spells that dangerous are not readily taught in quieter areas. Given what you’ve said about our upbringing, it did not seem we lived in such a threatening area to warrant it.”

“Master Eregus never taught you that spell, no,” Remerick confirmed. “You learned it from a library in Indervel’s Arcana Academia.”

“I studied there?”

“Um…” Remerick’s eyes drifted, thinking. “I’m not sure the full story behind it, but you didn’t study there. Marcus—one of the other students I mentioned—he started an argument with you when we were younger. You’d been bragging and he claimed that you wouldn’t be able to learn more complex spells than what Master Eregus was teaching us. So, you two snuck off to the city at one point and… Somehow you came back with some tomes from their library.”

“So, the spell was self-taught, then,” Veldin said, admittedly taking some pride in that fact. And perhaps glossing over the implications of how he’d acquired those tomes.

“There’s never been a better way to motivate you than to say you can’t do something.” Remerick said that in a playful tone. “It’s come in handy a few times, though. Not every day we need something like that against drakes or the like, but still.”

Veldin nodded. The way Remerick had handled the combat had been telling. He had fought alongside Veldin before. “Remerick… May I ask what happened to your hand?”

Remerick said nothing for several seconds. He looked down at his hand now as Veldin pulled the gauze around it tight, his work done and as good as it would be until they could reunite with Misha.

“It was… It was something foolish we did as children. We wandered off somewhere we shouldn’t have, to a cave in the wilderness. You know how children are, we’d wanted to explore.”

“It happened that long ago?”

“I was… fifteen years old at the time, if I remember it right. You would have been thirteen years, then. Not old enough to make very good choices, though I don’t think I do so now anyway. Considering, I, um…” Remerick’s gaze shifted down to the ground. “Well, I expected our foray into the mountains a year ago would go well.”

Veldin nodded in silent understanding.

“I think I’m getting sidetracked though, I’m sorry. My point is, the cave wasn’t empty, as it turned out. Some bandits had been using it as a hideout, and they didn’t take very kindly to us finding them…”

“They did this to you?”

“They… tried to hurt you. I couldn’t let them.”

“You seem to make efforts to defend me quite often,” Veldin said, noting the trend. As little as he knew of these past events, this wasn’t sitting well with him. “Have I always been this much trouble for you?”

“Trouble?” Remerick shook his head and gave a warm smile. “You’re not trouble for me, Veldin. We’ve made some bad choices in the past, I suppose. I just… I wouldn’t like to do that anymore. I’d like to keep the both of us safe.” He then quickly added, “If you don’t mind me trying.”

“I will not deny you, Remerick,” Veldin said. He looked around the darkness of this seeming void. “However... perhaps, for now, we should continue to move and seek an exit.” In truth, he wished to consider some of this conversation on his own for some time. For the time being, however, it seemed the two would need to continue to see some way out of this place.