Walking through the forest was a more breathtaking experience than Jake was prepared for and it proved to be a very good distraction at times, causing his thoughts to wander and curiosity to pique every so often. Far from the high elevation of the mountains, in the rolling hills and sea of green, the desert of life welcomed Jake with a mix of pleasant scents, diverse scenery, and also irritation. There were an equal number of reasons to enjoy his walk as there were reasons to light everything around him on fire.

Much like his initial experience when he first stepped into the forest, Jake’s feet caught on almost everything. When his feet weren’t being snagged in roots, loose dirt and mud, his legs were clawed at by small trees and thick shrubs. Once more, he was reminded that walking through and existing in the elements wasn’t going to be so simple. And that ten day walk to the river was likely going to take much longer than estimated. He considered jumping over and just flying to it with his wind magic but he wasn’t about to drain his mana so easily out of laziness.

Regardless, the distances he covered each day steadily increased as he found his rhythm. Jake learned and developed tricks to moving through the treelines in order to bump his efficiency. Jake balanced the use of magic and a sword in order to carve pathways through what would have been impassable walls of vegetation, opening clearings so he could maintain his course without having to detour too much. As a result, Jake picked up speed and opened his stride, covering more ground with less effort after his third day.

But while his efficiency and rhythm were fine, Jake found himself questioning himself quite a bit typically in the midafternoons. The benefit to the desert was its vast open space, allowing him to see for long stretches. He could see landmarks in the distance, orient himself using the sky and the sun. Though everything was sand and looked similar, Jake could clearly tell he was moving.

Here, where he was surrounded on all sides by green and brown, Jake found it difficult to estimate the distance he covered. Everything looked the same so if he let his focus slip, Jake knew he might miss a detail that could tell him he was progressing. Unable to see beyond two hundred meters in any direction, the only thing that told him he wasn’t walking in a circle was the sun. So long as he kept it to one side, he knew he wasn’t spinning around and accidentally chasing his own tail.

Traveling at night was even worse if not impossible at times. Though he could see well, the dense canopy of the trees often blocked the moonlight and the stars, covering the area below in a swath of pitch blackness. Orienting himself was incredibly difficult at times and more tiring than during the day. After being exhausted by his day time traveling, he found it almost a waste to continue grinding through the night. The exertion and pull on his mana reserves weren’t worth it.

Being forced to settle down for the night turned out to be a daily blessing. Jake found time to take off his boots, air out of his feet, and tend to himself and his gear. He made natural fire pits rather than using runes and let himself relax in the open air. He made alterations to his clothes, refining the fit of his acquired replacements to enhance his comfort. Weapon maintenance was done regularly to keep his blades clean and sharp. Lastly, he took time to study, cultivate, and refine his magic. His elvish was coming in quickly and his mana control was gradually building once more

Walking by day. Studying and resting at night. Jake spent his days swearing, sweating, and cutting. Then quietly stared into the flames of a crackling fire at night, calming the storms in his midn and heart as he finally came to terms with everything that had happened to him thus far. The loss of his friends. Yae. Chul. Tul, Xul. Darius.

Keeping busy and staying on his feet had given him plenty of time to distract himself from those emotions. Even though he’d shared his experiences with Elana and his Auntie while at home, it wasn’t the same as having to face it all by himself again. He could still hear their voices, see their smiles. In the shadows just at the edge of his vision, Jake could see them. Standing there, watching him. The ill thoughts in his mind crept in, asking him questions he knew he could never answer. Why hadn’t he tried harder? Why didn't he move a little quicker? Why hadn’t he leaned into his magic more?

Jake gnawed on that last question more than any other, time and time again. In every fight thus far, Jake’s prowess with magic had been the deciding factor. Yet he continued to try to toe the line between swordsmanship and magic. He knew that magic wouldn’t be the answer to every problem and giving up the sword would leave him vulnerable to those closer encounters. Encounters with individuals like Clyde. But, fighting the Twins was a prime example of where a skilled magician could ultimately overwhelm an enemy regardless of their sword skills. So long as he was quick and efficient, so long as he maintained a firm grip over his mana flow- Jake’s magic would continue to be the reason his luck held up.

Even so, it was his reliance and stubborn refusal to give up the sword that would continue to be the reason he fell short. He knew it was his number one fault. It was the biggest reason for his failures thus far, or so he believed. It hindered him and would prove to be the reason for future mistakes…

…unless he developed his sword skills to match his magic prowess.

By bettering his blade work, Jake could bridge the gap between an imbalance and stability in a fight. He would be able to keep pace with Clyde while handling Eric. He could juggle them both without missing a step or risk getting blindsided by a spell or a swing he failed to see. Such had been the goal from the beginning. That duality was the core reason he chose to follow the path of a Battle Mage. The cost of it was proving to be hardly worth the time and effort now. Especially with the cost of life on his shoulders and the blood on his hands.

Jake’s hands pressed together. A heavy sigh fell from his lips. He adjusted his seat on his pack so he could lean forward and stir the flames of the fire pit in front of him. He added more wood to fuel the flames and then settled in again, staring at the dancing heat. The scene of Elana dancing came to the front of his mind, followed by the smile of Yae’s face after their first kiss. The loneliness of the night found its way into his heart again and Jake found himself unable to sleep because of it.

The hooting of an owl caught his attention, breaking him from the downward spiral of his internal woes. He looked up to see the animal staring at him, its small yellow beads for eyes unblinking as it observed the human impeding into its territory. Jake offered it a thin, almost forced smile before huffing and rising to his feet.

“Tired or not, I might as well bed down,” he mumbled, taking the owl’s stare as a cue to stop wallowing. He fished out his sleeping bag, set up his area, and then added the last logs to the flame to keep it burning into the night. He stripped down into his nightwear, lay his blades down beside his sleeping bag, and then crawled inside its embrace. He lay there for a long while, staring between the fire, the minimal view of the sky, and the owl that remained close by. At some point, his eyes slid closed and he drifted to sleep.

In the morning, the remnants of the fire smoldered. The owl was gone, having left sometime during the night. The sun peeked over the horizon as it did without fail, and Jake began his daily routine, setting off for another handful of miles to put behind him.

“Hm?” At around midday, Jake noticed a familiar face in the trees. The owl from the evening, perched high in the branches, its horned ears jutting upwards as its beady yellow eyes stared down at him. Jake passed beneath the owl and extended his Sensory magic to reach the bird.

“Oh…?” A dead spot. For some reason, his magic failed to perceive the owl. As if it didn’t exist, or it was actively denying his magic. A moment later, the owl fluttered its wings and flew off, disappearing above the canopy.

Jake stopped to watch the bird fly off for as long as he could, then gnawed on the inside of his cheek. He scanned the area and expanded his magic further. No other owls or dead spots caught his attention. He tucked the incident into the back of his mind and continued his travel, following his compass and using the sun to guide him westward.

As the sun fell, the owl returned. Once more, Jake found it perched in the treetops. Watching. Observing. Jake ignored the bird and passed by it without triggering his magic, not wanting to disturb it again. When night crept in and Jake settled down to relax, the owl flew down from the canopy and settled into a far lower branch. There, it had a clear view of the area, and of Jake.

For a few hours, Jake left the bird alone. He minded himself and went through his routine. He took a bath to cleanse himself, massaged his feet and legs, ate his meal, and then cultivated for a short period. When it was around time for him to sleep, Jake settled down and sat comfortably atop his pack, staring into the fire he had built up a bit larger than usual. He had a feeling he might have company tonight. He’d also prepared a second seat, a log across from his pack.

The owl preened and nestled in on the branch, its eyes blinking and its head swirling a few times as it tracked Jake. When the man finally settled onto his ruck, the owl must have fulfilled its goal for the evening.

Hoo… Hoo…

Jake’s eyebrow raised and he looked up at the bird. The noise hadn’t been from it. The call came from deeper in the forest.

Ho. Hohohoo. The owl answered, its broad chest fluttering as it cooed into the night air.

Moments later, another owl appeared. Then, another. And another. Jake watched as nearly a dozen of the birds appeared from the dark forest, landing just at the edge of the light of his flame, relatively high in the trees to avoid being grabbed by a pesky predator on the ground. Though there were none to speak of, and Jake wasn’t exactly hungry for owl.

The sound of rustling bushes tickled Jake’s ears. Snapping of twigs, brushing of cloth against nature. The faint and soft falls of feet. Jake triggered his night vision, the rings of his irises glowing a faint blue as he peered out into the trees. He saw first her outline, one that was strikingly similar to a horned owl until she came closer. She wore a long robe that ended just above her ankles, with a hood that covered all but her lips and chin. Two sets of feathers were sewn into the hood, mimicking the horned shape of the owl’s ears. Her robe was a dark purple, with brown and orange near the hems. The inside wall of the robe looked almost feathered but Jake could tell it was simply the design. From what peeked out of the robe with each step she took, Jake noted she was wearing a dress of some kind. Black, thin, with the skirt reaching barely to the tops of her knees.

“Good evening, Traveler.” She called to him first as she reached the edge of his fire, her bare feet stepping through the last row of brush. Her lips curled into a gentle, inviting smile. A small owl on her shoulder shivered and curled into a ball, shaking as it stared at Jake.

“And you are?” Jake poked at his fire, stirring the coals and the base of the flames to ensure enough heat was radiating. Though, she didn’t look cold.

The girl smiled and extended a hand towards the log he’d set out. Wordlessly, Jake granted permission. The way she bowed her head and then smoothed the bottom of her dress told Jake she was no normal girl. From how she spoke, how she walked, to how she stood and sat. She was like a fragile princess.

“I am the Owl Priestess. You may call me Koro.” As she settled onto the log, she hid her milky white legs beneath her robe. She then sat up straight and folded her hands neatly in her lap. “And who might be you?”

“Jake.” Jake answered curtly. Not to stir trouble or antagonize her. No, he was simply on guard. This strange woman and her familiars were surrounding him. And none of them had a single ounce of mana in them, apparently. He could feel this mana being disturbed as well. Something was affecting his mana flow here. “I’d offer a drink, but I only drink water made from magic.”

The girl smiled at him and tilted her head. “It is not my desire to stay long enough for tea. I am simply here to meet the man who has spooked my dear children.” The priestess, Koro, reached up and gently scooped the baby owl into her hands. She lowered it into her lap and began to stroke its fur, hoping to calm the shivering baby.

Jake raised an eyebrow and then sat up, giving her his attention. She took that as the signal to continue. “I’m listening.”

She nodded very lightly. “A visitor like you is a rarity these days. Your mana is… different. Familiar in ways I cannot set my finger on, but very scary to those who are unfamiliar with the true essence of mana.” She shifted slightly and then leaned forward. “You are an Apostle, aren’t you?”

His eyes narrowed and Jake glanced around, looking at the owls before settling on the priestess again. “I am.”

“For whom?” Koro asked, her head tilting.

“Lady Ferynith, and Lady Rastua.” She hadn’t given him reason to believe she was an enemy thus far and after dealing with the Twins, concealing his Apostle title with certain individuals was likely not a smart choice. Especially here, when he didn’t quite know what he was in for just yet. She didn’t seem to be an enemy and her owls, though strange, weren’t aggressive. Inquisitive, sure, but that didn’t warrant violence. Not yet.

Koro hummed and then sat up straight, her head centering. “Lady Ferynith. Her power courses through you. The power of the Dragonkin. Indeed, that is the familiarity… And Lady Rastua?” Beneath the hood, a pair of soft yellow eyes glowed for a brief moment. “Ah, I understand…”

Jake felt uneasy beneath that gaze.

“Your mana source. It is not human. It is Arachkin… and your mana is Dragonkin.” She hummed lightly and then placed a finger to her chin. “You are interesting indeed, Apostle.”

“And so are you, Priestess.” Jake stirred the fire and then added a few pieces of wood to it. He used a bit of magic to increase the flames and then wind to feed them. “You’re an owl priestess? What is that?”

Koro brushed her fingers over the owl in her lap, her nails lightly fluffing its feathers. “I watch over this forest and my owls. We are the overseers of the land here and I act as a mediator for the creatures here.” Her lips stretched into another smile as her eyes shimmered. “I am also a Guardian who ensures the safety of the forest from trespassers, poachers, and intruders. Individuals who do not belong and are unwelcome.”

Beneath that gaze, Jake felt an icy chill roll down his spine. His mana flow continued to act up and he found it difficult to reach out to it. She must be disrupting his control somehow. That, or one of those owls was.

“And? Do you think me any of those?” Jake peered into those eyes, staring at her with a mediated gaze.

Her answer was almost immediate. “No. I believe you to be a traveler. A man with purpose who is unfamiliar with these lands. Hence your wandering so deep into them, causing quite the disturbance along the way.” She gently nudged the owl in her lap and coaxed them to flutter away, releasing them up to the canopy above.

“If you had come to bring harm to these woods, I feel that we would not be speaking right now.” The Priestess gave him a chilling glare, her eyes flickering as mana rolled through them. A brief threat that came and went with the breeze. “Your power aside, I see you are a normal man. May I ask for your destination?”

Sensing that there truly was no ill intention behind her presence, Jake let the tension in his shoulders slide and finally stopped grabbing for his mana. She was Chul, but for these trees. Their Guardian and mediator. A Priestess tasked with acting in the faith of the Gods to ensure peace and order in her region of influence. Jake was an anomaly that had unsettled her home. Her being here was to get a gauge of who he was and see if he needed to be dealt with, or guided.

“I’m passing through. Headed north to visit the Elves.” Jake answered truthfully, once more electing not to conceal his intentions.

The Priestess hummed and tilted her head. “The elves? What business does a man from the sands have with the Elves?”

Jake chuckled. He shouldn’t have been surprised by her observation skills. “A friend passed away. Killed by Maedra. I wanted to return his swords to his family.”

“You have my condolences.” Koro bowed her head briefly. “The Maedra? So. You come from the east. Then you must have been within the Ravine.”

“I was. It is where I met the Gods, Chul E’tana, and fought with the Oryx against the Maedra.” Jake summarized the events of his recent few months.

It was her turn to be surprised this time and she sat upright, her lips pressing together. “You are the Apostle who cleansed the Ravine?”

Jake nodded. “I am. They took much from me, so I took everything from them.”

A frown appeared on her face as her hands pressed together. “I see. The anger and rage within your mana makes sense now. I understand. And Chul?”

“Also gone.” Jake’s jaw clenched and he felt his throat close for a moment.

“...Then the Ravine is vacant.” Her tone shifted and the Priestess turned her head to the East. “I am certain He knows, and He will find use of it.”

The He she was referring to, Jake had a suspicion of who she was speaking of. “No, he won’t. I not only killed all of the Maedra in the Ravine but I also purified it. I used a cleansing spell that turned the mana into poison for the Maedra. They won’t be back any time soon.”

“Hm… Interesting.” The Priestess pressed a finger to her chin. “Then that will certainly cause the balance to shift. I foresee trouble in the future. If a way to suppress the Maedra has emerged, and is in the hands of an Apostle capable of utilizing it on such a scale…” Her voice trailed off. Her finger tapped her chin.

The sound of the fire crackling and the wood popping filled the air as the Priestess toiled. Jake remained quiet, letting her piece her thoughts together. Even the owls watched in patient silence, waiting for their Priestess to finish.

“...Say, Apostle…” Her finger lowered from her chin and she leaned towards him. “Do you have visions in your sleep?”

Jake’s brow raised. “I wouldn’t call them visions, but I do see a certain somebody every so often. Whenever he decides to try and piss me off.”

Koro nodded. “I see. Then my fears might be more than just worries.” The Priestess rose off the log and gently brushed the fabric clean of debris and soil. “A change in the balance is coming. I know not when, where, or how, but you must be ready, Apostle. Because it will be you that they come for.”

Jake scoffed and placed another piece of wood on the fire. “I hope they do. I have a favor to return.”

The Priestess stared at him for a moment, then walked around the fire to stand beside him. She smelled oddly sweet, almost alluring. “Contain your anger and rage, Apostle. Do not let it consume you. Not when He is the one who is fueled by it. It will open your heart to his advances and we will need every ally we can garner to keep him from the Citadel.”

A new word and location was shared with him. The Citadel. Jake made a note to figure out what that was. “You don’t have to worry about my rage. I’ll kill him before I ever think of joining his side.”

Koro frowned and turned away, her eyes raising to the canopy. “For all of us, I hope you speak the truth.” The Priestess began to walk away, her feet carrying her beyond the light of the fire. It seemed their conversation was over. “I will leave an Owl to guide you, Apostle. He will bring you to the river and lead you north to the river crossing. Be safe in your travels, and may the Goddesses watch over you.”

From the canopy, the horned owl Jake was already familiar with fluttered down to land on the log the Priestess had been using as a seat. It’s yellow eyes blinked twice as it made itself comfortable, roosting on the log.

“Thanks, Priestess.”

The Priestess gave one final look over her shoulder towards the visitor of her lands before disappearing into the night. With her, the owls in the trees vanished as well. They fluttered away, following their Priestess. As she left, Jake felt the control over his mana return to him. His flow settled and the odd tingling in his fingers dissipated. Comfort returned to his skin and Jake found himself able to calm his mind.

He pressed his lips together and stared at the flames, letting his mind fully process what had just happened. “Guess I should be prepared for more of those little visits, huh?” Jake looked up at the owl and smirked.

“Hoo.” The owl answered. Not a word, but with an acknowledging noise.

Jake shrugged and then went through the motions of settling in for the night. He unpacked his sleeping bag, smoothed out the ground, then built up the fire to last into the night. He then plucked the log with the owl and moved it a bit closer to the flames to ensure the animal would be comfortable as well. When he bedded down and snuggled into his sleeping bag, he caught a whiff of that sweet scent again. The smell of the Priestess clung to his nose.

Not letting it get to his head, Jake tucked into the sleeping bag and grumbled. He forced his eyes closed and steadied his breathing, calming his body to coax himself to finally go to sleep.