The next morning we woke up earlier and started our journey. Elena became a little comfortable around me after we talked last night, we chatted as we walked, Elena told me about her family and friends and other things about Levylon. Time passed by and we cleared the plains and entered the long mountain ranges. The mountains were tall covered with lot of trees and plants. Night came once again and we decided to rest for the day.

We took turns sleeping again. In the middle of the night Elena woke me up. She looked terrified and told me that she heard a few screams coming from a distance. I listened and could hear them clearly. I told her to stay put, gave her the red gem for protection and quickly proceeded towards the direction of the screams. It led me towards a well hidden cave, if not for my keen senses I wouldn't have been able to find the cave. I cautiously proceeded into the cave, once inside I slowly moved towards the light and the screams grew louder. I positioned myself carefully and observed the scenes before me. There were three silhouettes of men standing near a glowing circle. In the middle of the circle there were fresh corpses of two kids. In the corner of the cave there were twelve children of various age bound by rope. Some were crying and some were screaming for their parent’s. Of the three men, only one was holding a knife and the other two were holding a book reciting something from it.

I formulated a plan to take out these men. I went near the entrance of the cave, gathered a few big rocks lying nearby and threw them towards my original position with force. Sound of rock colliding rung out and after a few seconds, the man holding the knife came out looking for the cause of the sound. I slept on my belly so as to blend in the darkness and as soon as he came within a few steps towards me, I extended the knife and swiped at his leg. His legs gave out and he fell before me. I grabbed his hand in which he held his knife and stabbed him in the stomach with my knife, he gave out a loud scream and with a few struggle it was over.

I grabbed his knife and bolted inside the cave, wielding a knife in each hand. Just as I expected the men holding the book came running outside. As soon as I saw them, I threw both the knives with full force towards them. One knife impaled a man below the neck and he was killed instantly while the other knife was lodged in the arm of other man. He recited something and flames started erupting from thin air towards me. I jumped out of its range but could not doge it completely. My left arm was engulfed in flames and it was burned. I felt a sharp pain in my left arm; I ignored the pain and sprang on the man who was in the middle of reciting something again. Before he could finish reciting it, I was upon him and strangled him with my right hand. He struggled and tried to push me away but I had superior strength and hence he could not shake me off. After a few moments of struggle his limbs gave out and he lay there motionless. I stood up looking at my arm. The damage was really awful. I could smell the burnt flesh, the smell made me throw up.

I gathered the books and the knives and made my way towards Elena. I considered going towards the kids but I was in bad condition, so I thought it is best to get Elena to approach them. I made back safely and saw Elena standing in the same spot. On seeing me with a limp shoulder she came running towards me. She was shocked when she saw the burnt flesh, proceeded to give fist aid and bound my arm completely with bandages. I felt pain subside as numbness took over my left arm. I told her about the kids and led her towards the cave.

Once inside the cave Elena was visibly shaken on seeing the corpses of the two kids, she unbounded the sobbing and screaming kids and upon seeing her untying them they calmed down a little but were still afraid of us. Elena assured them that we meant no harm and proceeded to ask them what happened here. The group of kids were playing in the river outside their village when the three men attacked them. The killed the five adults who were with the kids and led them to this cave. It’s been two days since they came to this cave and today the men drew up a circle in the middle of the cave and killed two of the kids while reciting some prayer. I looked up the bizarre circle which stopped glowing by now. It was drawn with human blood.

Elena introduced me and herself to the kids and told them not to worry and that we would help them get to their village. She then treated their minor injuries and we left the cave and came towards our original resting place. The kids were starving as they had not eaten since they were captured. Elena started making broth for them in the middle of the night. Although we were short on supplies, I did not voice my compliant as the lives of the kids took priority. I sat there in the corner looking at the kids wolfing down the food served to them. After eating the food Elena told them to take rest and that we would leave for their village first thing in the morning. I took out the recently acquired the two books and look at them, they were both identical. Some weird symbols and words were written in them. I understood the words but not the symbols. It was some kind of demonic book. One of the kids came towards me; I saw that it was the oldest girl of the group. On seeing her I pocked the two books for later inspection. She sat a few spaces away besides me.

“Thank you for saving us back there. My name is Grace and I am the granddaughter of the chief of our village” Grace said looking at me.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Grace. I am sorry that I didn't make it sooner. Those two kids could have been saved if I had come a little earlier” I said to her. She seems to be around fourteen years old but mature enough to talk sincerely, maybe it’s because she was the chief’s granddaughter. Being burned with responsibilities sure makes one grow up fast.

She looked at my arm and said “I am sad that those two had to lose their lives, but others are safe now. I am glad that we were saved. Does it hurt much?”

“It was pure hell when the flesh was burning, but after Elena patched me up the pain has subsided considerably. You don’t need to be concerned about me. You have to look out for yourself and your friends till we reach your village.” I said trying to change to topic. I am sure that my wound will heal within a day or two and didn't know what to tell this kid if she asked how it healed so quickly.

“You should go rest with your friends now, we are leaving early in the morning” I told her. She stood up and went to sleep.

After a few minutes most of the kids were asleep from exhaustion and the rest were trying to sleep. Elena came towards me and sat beside me. She told me to take rest, I protested but she wouldn’t listen and insisted that I take a nap. I realised that the kids were being disturbed by our argument, hence agreed to her reluctantly.