A few hours had passed since the night occurrences. Even though originally everyone had thought they miraculously won, when they turned around to see the pile of bodies Truelip left, shivers ran through their spines, first because of the number of enemies on the ground and moments later due to the realisation of what would have happen to them, had she not been then.

Surprisingly all the orcs that had attacked them, while some with serious injuries, none had died. There were some with missing limbs or open wounds, but nothing they couldn’t heal. After all, bringing them alive gave a bigger reward. Considering the amount of them they assumed it was everyone, plus even if it wasn’t they can’t risk going to their camp without keeping watch over their prisoners and they didn’t really feel like they’d manage to deal with anymore, even if they all went to the camp, aside from Truelip probably. Their rope was also almost entirely used up to bind them and they could barely carry even a quarter of their weapons so they resorted to removing all handles and carrying only the blades in the two backpacks. As many as they could afford to.

Considering that, they were to go back to the town as soon as they finished resting. Of course, they couldn’t do leave the prisoners without watch but this time Truelip decided to sleep. Considering how much she did, they weren’t really surprised, but really uneasy at the burden they know had. They spent the next 4 hours changing shifts. After they were all finally up and awake their blond savior was still heavy asleep so they didn’t disturb her to get her rest.

They prepared breakfast and everything and ate and then started preparing to move out. About half an hour before they were done Truelip also woke up. Everyone was too ashamed to talk to her after what they made her go through. After she ate and everyone packed everything they tied the captives to a line of rope and started their journey back. This time Truelip was at the front and leading everyone since she had said that she could take a straight path through the forest now that she knew where she was heading. Of course, the others didn’t feel safe hearing that, but at this point trusted her a lot more than themselves.

They spent the rest of their time quiet, no one uttering a word. While they had no clue where they were going they were walking in a straight line. At some point in their journey, they started seeing small rocky hills up ahead. While not impossible to climb, it was unfeasible with so much weight, but before they reached them they came across a pathway that went around them which they used. The problem being it went around in the opposite direction of where they came from so they were slightly worried but after they used the path to go around the mountain they continued through the forest again.

They didn’t really understand how she was taking them a shortcut if she claimed she now knows where they are headed. Of course, anyone could go in the general direction of their destination, but she was avoiding all obstacles ahead of time and using roads where applicable. Though they didn’t like turning around to see the orcs, when they did, said orcs looked just as surprised if not worried about their fate.

After a few hours of walking, they were in the thickest canopy they had ever seen. Sunlight barely went through. Luckily they had found a pathway after they had decided to take a slight turn at some point. Though the trees were so spaced out that none had to be cut for the canopy, leaving the roadway just as shady as the parts of the forest before it. After even more walking they eventually came to a cliff going downwards towards a river, with a bridge connecting both sides of the road.

That being the case, the road had to go slightly around seeing as the hill was too steep of an incline for carriages. As they were nearing the bridge after Truelip took a step too close she suddenly felt with her magic sense as if the area itself became denser and was tugging on her soul directly. If it could be described as a feeling it’d be as if your vision was going darker, but the darkness itself was the feeling. Of course, it didn’t actually affect her vision.

The moment she felt that she instantly stopped scarring everyone else behind her as they were forced to stop as to now bump into her. Of course, none of them knew why she suddenly stopped and Dak was the first who collected enough courage to for the first time talk to her during the journey back.

“I-is something wrong…?”

Without answering his question Truelip responded with an unusually strict voice “You guys wait here. I need to check something. Do not move from here under any circumstances. Understood?“

“W-what’s wrong…?” Stela spoke up trying to help with the confusion.

Truelip though ignored her and simply continued towards the bridge.

The rest gulped at the tense atmosphere that came out of nowhere.

As Truelip neared the bridge, which was quite sturdy and made of white stone, a girl suddenly came out from the stone ground of the bridge, as if an apparition. And her looks only seemed to support that. She had a soothing sky blue skin, pointy ears, deep sea blue hair and wearing only two things, the first being a long white cloth that was floating in some areas and went around her entire body, simultaneously covering it, but perfectly describing her curves as if it was inviting someone to remove it. And the second – her mischievous smile that looked like it was ready to eat you alive.

Her looks while seemingly normal, could not help you decide which gender she was as her face neither looked too feminine, but didn’t look masculine even in the slightest. Her long hair added to the feminine appearance of her face, but her chest was completely flat and in fact, showed no muscles either. It was like a chest of an armor. Slightly curved forward and no other features.

As Truelip stopped right in front of her, she decided to wait to see what this strange girl would do.

“Considering the mind control spell didn’t work and that you detected it instantly I would assume you are a sprite too, no?”

“Yes” her stern voice and gaze not letting any emotion show.

“I’m a greater water sprite! You can call me Disula!” she exclaimed enthusiastically as she gestured her hand towards her chest.”

“Yes, I’m an ice sprite. I’m Truelip. Why are you residing on this bridge?”

The formal speak finally got to the water girl as she lowered her face slightly as to swallow her saliva without it being audible, nor visible.

“I’m a water sprite so it only makes sense I’d pick a place that has lots of water, considering I can feed my power off of it to improve it.”

“I thought the larger territory a greater sprite control's, the more power. Wouldn’t a lake or sea have been more fitting for you?” The blond fire her question without after Disula finished speaking.

“True, but that would be too far away and too dangerous to search for…”

“You’re a greater water sprite so surely you know that all rivers lead to the sea.”

The blue girl stayed quiet for a moment with a troubled look before deciding on an answer. “While true, like I said I don’t know how far that is and it’s too dangerous. As for a lake that would be even more so without water to my side… though I guess that’s hard for you to understand seeing as you’re used to be without ice…”

Truelip also waited before replying, staring at the girl. “You’re just making up excuses because you’re scared without water near you.”

Seeing as the nail was hit on the head, she didn’t know how to respond and looked uncomfortable slightly bringing her elbows and knees closer to each other, only exposing her discontent. “So what brings you here? With so much food at that…” she says trying to change the subject.

“We were done with our quest and were just heading back to the city as we're taking a shortcut so we stumbled across you. So I assume you use the mind control on passing travelers to eat them?”

“Yes!” she said with enthusiasm and joy her mischievous smile and demeanor returning as they switch to a more pleasant topic.

“Wouldn’t merchants rarely be passing through here though?”

“Yes…” she replied this time slumping her shoulders. “Though sometimes really strong people show up in groups! They want to defeat monsters plaguing this road apparently or something. Aaaaaaah, the stronger they are the tastier they are afterwards.” She responds this time as she sighs with content.

“Wouldn’t they be bothersome to deal with though?”

“Yes…” the sprite says, as she lowered her head, donning a sad face, as she evidently reminisces about it.

“Then why not go to a city?”

“Huh…?”

“Well obviously you aren’t going to be eating there, but there are other easier ways to get food.”

“Really…? Like what?”

“Well, the big city this road leads to is on a giant cliff right next to the sea and is full of people. They’d pay you to do all sorts of things and with that food, you can buy even a bigger variety of food!” Truelip says giving of an earnest smile.

“Hmmm, that does sound nice… Is that where you’re heading?”

“Yes” the blond replies, although this time less enthusiastically.

“But it’ll probably be safer if I traveled through the river so I won’t be joining you.”

“That’s okay. I’ll see you there then.” She says while no longer smiling, still in a friendly manner.

“Oh and also, no eating of living people. Got it?” she continues this time with a slightly serious tone ending on an almost aggressive tone.

“Don’t worry! I know towns are full of all those strong people so I’d only be able to eat the weak, spoiled ones.” The blue sprite replies with this time an innocent smile as she floats up slightly in the air happily.

“Okay then! Do you often leave town then?”

“This was my first time. Though I just got ‘here’.”

“Oh, then how do you manage without ice…?”

“I don’t need it. Though I’m a bit different to you so I don’t know how to answer you really.”

“Ah, too bad… Are there other sprites there too?”

“Yes, some. Maybe they’d be better at explaining it to you.”

“That’s what I was thinking too… Anyway, I’ll be going now. See you later!” the Disula says as she flights up slightly again as if standing on her toes and waves to Truelip before she dives back into the bridge and while the other couldn’t see, Truelip sensed her going into the river and swimming into the direction of the current at astronomical speeds.

As that was finally dealt with the blond returned to the group.

“It’s safe to proceed now.”

“What was that…?” Dak asks his voice still trembling slightly from seeing that apparition.

“it was a greater water sprite.”

“Was it dangerous. What did you tell it…?” Stela asks, her curiosity getting the better of her.

“It was. It had a mind control field set up around the bridge so that anyone who enters she can safely lure to her nest and eat. Since I’m immune to it I simply went to her and convinced her to stop.”

Yet again everyone’s opinions raised of Truelip, though it did not seem like they were surprised of her at this point.

“Wouldn’t that be unusable on groups…? The first one that gets mind controlled would give it away that something's wrong when they attack and everyone would stray away from the bridge?”

“She said people were straining away as is, but I assume she mind controlled them one by one as they entered the field, but just made them walk forward as to pretend nothing happened. That’s not that hard of a command to execute.”

“I see…” Dak says as most looked down thinking over her words.

Vyria, on the other hand, asked another question. “Why weren’t you affected then?”

“I’m also a sprite so if I’m stronger than her, my body can naturally repel the spell since it knows exactly how it functions.”

Everyone froze as they heard her being a sprite. Of course, there are some races that have species that eat other humanoids, but they were rarely in towns and even then few were the cases where they couldn’t find food and tried attacking people in alleyways. Truelip didn’t seem at all like that type as she even hunted an entire doe and ate the least out of all of them, but seeing as how calmly and easily she convinced that sprite, their uneasiness of her only rose, considering their power difference.

“Let’s go on. We should get to the city by noon if we follow this road.”

They felt a bit of relief at those words and got their minds back on track as they continued on their journey. After walking some more they finally reached a forked in the road leading three different ways. Truelip didn’t hesitate to go the leftmost one and of course, everyone followed. Vyria after giving it a though realised it was the fork they had went through on their way yesterday. After some thinking of how long it’d take to get back, the others realised that as well. Only Stela realised it once she saw the familiar greenery and got an idea of where they are.