Chapter 25: Respite

Chapter 25: Respite

Chapter 25

Respite

Sylas stood perched over a terraces railing, overlooking the forest guiding toward the far north. Past the few rows of trees, however, there was little else to see due to one of the thickest fogs hed ever seen contaminating the sight. The fog stretched for miles on each end, making it impossible to peer further.

He quaintly sipped himself some tea and snacked on some hardened bread, taking in the fresh new day. It was a bit of a celebration, actuallyafter all, hed finally moved past the first week of his journey here. Onwards, he mused, was where he was meant to go.

His confidence wasn't nearly as sky-high, though; considering the changes that occurred in the loop after those two thingamabobs clashed, he was almost absolutely certain that they were gone. In what capacity he couldn't say, but at least he knew he could no longer interact with them. The changes in Baron, the fact that he couldn't find the masked figure in the courtyard it all indicated something he previously thought impossiblethat the loops weren't set in stone. They could be changed.

While it was still him changing them, that was beside the point. He didnt even know that his actions would result in such a drastic shift. It was a good lesson, however, to not grow complacent. He barely understood his circumstances on the surface level, let alone all the tiny details and fine prints orbiting its roots. He was in no place to make any long-term projections or conjectures just because he was the loops beneficiary. For all he knew, there could be others with the same powers as him.

Having convinced the Baron, a huge weight fell off of Sylas shoulders. Though the man wouldnt change immediately, at least he no longer looked like a huskonly half a husk. At worst. Valens and his meeting went without a hitch and though the two couldn't be considered friends just yet, Sylas would get them there, he was certain.

For the time being, he had nothing to do. Well, he didhe could finally start further improving his bodybut nothing he wanted to do. All he wished was to laze around for a few days and recharge his batteries. Hes deserved it, he ascertained in silence, letting the cool wind kiss his cheeks gently.

**

Ryne stared at the high walls of the Ethwar Castle and the gaping hole within them. There was an attack here, she notedrecently. Likely within the last week. The stench of death and decay still permeated the air. Judging by its strength, she was shocked that the castle still stood. There must have been hundreds, if not more, of ghouls marching toward the walls. And though Ethwar was considered one of the frontier castles, it was hardly populated by the grizzled veterans of combat.

Something was amiss, she was certain. Whatever it was, she had to get to the bottom of it. After all, she was sent here for the specific purpose of trying to save the castle. Only, she was late. She fretted seeing what her tardiness had caused but, luckily, it didnt look like it cascaded this go-around.

The hole? Oh, you mean in the wall? Yeah, I dont know. I heard rumors that some or the other Prince caused it to blow up and wipe out hundreds of Ghouls. By then, though, I was shaking in my boots well within the castle, so I couldnt say.

a a Prince, you said? Rynes eyes widenedtruly, things came unexpectedly in life. Are you certain?

Eh? No, not really. As I said, I just heard other men talking. As you can imagine, few are willing to interact with me ever since then.

cause of me being a little bitch and all.

No, I got that.

Anyway, it was nice chatting with you, once again, Ryne found herself shocked. This average man was ending the conversation with her? Impossible! Stay out of trouble, okay?

Sylas waved goodbye to the strange girl that just randomly walked up to him. It wasn't the fact that she was a girl or that she walked up to him that surprised himwell, the latter one was a bitbut that she looked no older than fifteen-sixteen if that. What a strange world, he mused, that the children that age would venture this far into nowhere. And for what? There was likely a story of pain and loss and tragedy. Perhaps, she lost her parents at an early age to the Ghouls and has spent every day since then hunting the bastards down. Perhaps.

Ryne stared at the fading figure of the strange guard, still speechless. She had met many-a-man in her life, most of whom had beyond devious motives, or at least thought her an easy target to take advantage of, but very few, if any, were so absolutely disinterested. In fact, she suspected that come tomorrow, the man will have forgotten ever meeting her.

Smiling gently and shaking her head, having learned another lessonthat there was all manner and sort of men and women in the world and that she shouldn't immediately judge them based solely on their appearance(a lesson she would ultimately forget through no fault of her own)she grew curious about this supposed Prince. She was beyond certain that there was no Prince hereafter all, she kept a tight track on their whereabouts at all times, and nowhere within the last five years did she hear that any one of them was coming here.

As such, she suspected that it wasnt a Princebut it was perhaps someone impersonating one. Whoever they may be, they still sounded like the ones responsible for defending the castle. From the looks of the hole, it seemed a low-quality talisman was used. Nonetheless, even low-quality talismans were hard to come by these days. In fact, even she only had a few dozen of them on her person.

Once again docking her eyes to the tallest spire, she withdrew into the Nether and began walking forward, phasing past all the eyes without being seen, noted, or called out. She was a ghost, just the kind that couldnt walk through the walls, only mens misguided eyes.