“Don't let it be said I never did anything nice for you,” Akaras reprimanded, the light of the campfire flickering shadowy contours off his face as he held out the stick of fish to roast.

The sea breeze drove into the beach, the fire danced fiercely before slowly diminishing with the wind. A single crab shimmied across the shore as the sky and ocean were filled with stars and galaxies respectively. Endless horizon of water stretched the east, merging seamlessly with the edge of space.

“I don't understand,” Nadier stated, looking confused at the flames. “What is the point of this 'camping'? Why do we need the fire? We dark elves don't feel much cold and we can see in the dark.”

“It's a human thing,” his brother replied. “You sit around in a group and just have a conversation. I understand that it allows people to bond?”

“Was that last sentence a question or a statement?” Nadier sighed in difference. “And it's not much of a group when there's only two of us.”

“Aelan dae, Nads. You kill the pleasure out of everything. You need to be less cynical and more excepting of cultures and ideas. ”

Nadier sat quietly in contemplation of the situation before blurting out, “Karas, your fish is getting burnt.”

Akaras exclaimed, “What?” he pulled the fish back, the tail having completely caught fire. “Hot! Hot! Hot!” He waved the burning stick around, frantically attempting to put out the flames on his dinner.

Unknowingly, Nadier smiled.

***

The candle lamp that dangled from the ceiling of the room flickered like the flames from the beach long ago. The white painted brick walls blindingly reflected the light. The first point of detail he strangely noticed was a ventilation shaft in the corner of the room, a visible fan spinning within the grates. An insect crawled out for a brief respite before ducking back into the metal tunnel.

A familiar voice called out, “Nads, you awake?”

He pushed himself to sit and looked down over his feet. Across the room, Adelaide's green hair peeked out from above the footboard of her bed.

He replied, “I am now.”

Almost immediately, Adelle accused, “What have you gotten me into, Wanderer?”

He pushed himself further up, careful not to lean into his injured shoulder which had been bandaged by the doctor. His bare skin was revealed as his cumbersome coat and shirt hung over a chair to his right. His daggers and belt laid over everything else. His fingers traced a large scar across his stomach and another old wound on his left forearm. He noted how he was not as muscular as most fighters, being more lean than buffed, but mentally corrected himself that he was not a warrior, but an assassin.

With a glance to his weapons, he replied, “I wish I knew.”

“Hmph,” he heard the girl let out. “You're always killing the mood. 'Don't know' this, 'don't know' that. Is there anything you do know?”

He partly ignored her and scanned the room. A third bed was beside Adelle and he tilted his head to get a better view. When he saw the face of the girl, he let out a soft sigh. “Ambershey.”

Adelle sat fully up and the two crossed stares. “You know this girl?” she asked.

“Yeah. A little. The Watcher and I saved her from a bandit attack a few days back after we left the forest.”

“You're not the hero type.”

“I'm not the villain type either.”

The pair remained in silence, never breaking gaze. The soft spin of the steam-powered fan and the humming and creaks that occasionally broke the confines of the steam pipes were the only noise that staved off the muteness. After a long moment, the door to the ward opened. Miguel stepped in first, followed by Luce and The Watcher.

The Watcher immediately started, “Hilde is out calming down the mayor.” The two patients blinked blankly back at the unfamiliar name. The Watcher quickly backtracked, “Right, Hilde's this guy's apprentice.” He thumbed to Miguel.

Adelle asked, “And who exactly is 'this guy'?”

The Watcher replied, “Miguel Vuvuzela.”

“Valertes,” Miguel quickly correct.”

“Right, Miguel Valertes, Grandmaster Enhancer-pants of the Kingdom of Alley-oop or something.”

“Grandmaster Enhancer of the Kingdom of Aleynonlia,” Miguel punctuated. “Are you trying to get me to kill you?”

Adelle added, “He died once, apparently. Did not last very long.”

Miguel massaged the nape of his neck. “You people... I'm starting to miss the idiots on my side of the world.”

“There are idiots like us on Ciara?” Adelle replied with a cheeky grin.

Simultaneously, The Watcher and Miguel replied, “There are always idiots like us.” The room grew silent again, with everyone exchanging varying stares of confusion, annoyance, and bemusement.

It had been a while since Nadier saw a natural smile from her or the playful side of her personality. Something felt different about the female elf. She was more friendly, as she would usually be more cautious around humans. Even if Miguel was a hume, she did not often interact openly with the half-bloods.

Luce quickly cleared her throat and entered the fray. “All jokes aside, we need to decide on our next course of action as soon as possible. The Lord Light will make a move once he's found out his right hand has been severed. We have a day, two at most.”

“We?” Adelle asked.

“Yes. The Watcher told me of you and the predicament of your forest. I am intrigued by this Titan of yours, but we will need to head to Valent to discuss this further.” She crossed her arms, a seriousness drawn into her eyes. “I will send words to the other Titan Rangers, but given what's happening now, I will personally see you to Valent as well.”

Adelle shifted uneasily in her bed and Nadier knew the reason. She was still a wanted criminal, and did not particularly get along with the humans at Valent, given she had killed almost all the hunters that had stepped into the forest. But the prospect of finally being able to stop the trespassers coming into her home must have been too tempting to overlook.

“In any case,” Miguel continued, “I have a plan for our escape.”

Nadier asked, “You're coming too?”

“Yes.” He immediately followed with his explanation. “My stakes lies within the knowledge that how this event turns out will affect the world.” The Grandmaster Enhancer looked to The Watcher. “Especially you, time traveller.”

The Watcher placed his hands behind his head and leaned into them, grinning, “I'm important.”

The room let out a collective groan.

The dark elf directed the conversation back on track, “And what is this plan of yours.”

“We'll leave separately come the next twilight. Those of us who aren't injured will head up to the Valley of Titans and follow the ridge. Adelaide and Nadier will hide here in the clinic for the moment until they are somewhat healed, and they will leave by the main road later.” Miguel started rubbing his chin. “I doubt the mayor's happy about having us here, but Hilde should be able to buy her silence for a while. She's half the town's income, after all.”

The Watcher noted, “That's a good plan. I think we'll go with that. Split up and make it harder to be chased. And if the first group of us make some noise while we leave, they'll likely ignore Nads and Adelle.”

Adelle piped, “Since when did you start calling us Nads and Adelle?”

“Can't I? It's quite catchy. Like a pop group. Nads and Adelle~! Adelle and Nads~!” His body swayed as he sang. As the tolerance of the room dropped, he quickly stopped and wore an expression of gravity. “Fine. Serious time then. I have a request. Since we now have the foundations of a plan, can all those not injured leave the room? We'll continue the rest of the conversation later. I have some personal words I'd like to say to the patients.”

Luce and Miguel exchanged quick glances, before nodding and taking their exit from the ward. Luce in particular threw a quick glare towards Adelle while Miguel mumbled about everyone being a pain in his ass. Once the door closed behind them, The Watcher took his strides across the floor.

“So?” Adelle chimed. “What is it you want to talk about? If it's about our deal, we've got geared-nothing for you since Light shot both of us.”

But the dark elf caught on quickly. The eyes of the man who just a moment ago was playing the court jester had sank, the smile gone completely from his face. “We're not the ones he wants to talk to,” he explained to Adelle.

The human crossed the threshold of their beds and turned into the nook of Adelle's side. He faced the bed where the body of Kathleen lay. He stood quietly, his coat slowing down its sway. Softly, he said, “I'm sorry. I promised you all of time and couldn't deliver. I should have saved you somehow.”

Adelle let out a soft sound of surprise, “Watcher...”

The Watcher continued, “I should have known not to take on a companion. It's my fault. After a thousand years and I've still yet to learn my lesson. I should always travel alone.” He turned to the two elves. “But no time to mourn. People in our positions don't get that luxury.” Nadier could see the man's fist clenching tightly, shaking with emotions. “The deal between us, it's off.”

Adelle exclaimed, “What? Why?”

“Because I want to know everything. Who is this Lord Light? What are the Overseers and why are we hunted? How do magnets work? Everything!” His face lit up as he shook away his moodiness. With a spring, he danced light-footed across the room, taking the seat at Nadier's bedside. Twirling on a foot of the chair, he spun around until he could see both of them in one field of vision. “It's time we do things people like us do best.”

Nadier asked, “And what is that?”

The Watcher smiled. “Be meddling kids.”