Everyone pulled weapons except for me. I'd felt her presence as we approached the home.

"Mother!" Kabi's voice came out in a rush, and he darted forward, wrapping her in a giant hug with all four arms.

"You shouldn't be here. They're monitoring the barrow," she whispered, looking up at her son. Her eyes landed on her husband, and she gasped. "But they…"

"Branded me," he whispered, and moved in for a hug.

She stood shorter than both Havi and Kabi, only coming up to their chins, but still taller than me. Her eyes flickered over me and Lenna, but she didn't comment. A dark wrap covered her body, but patches of dried blood dotted the sides.

"They haven't bothered me since I think they're hoping others will come back once they see I'm here."

"Makes sense," I replied, glancing around the common area, yet my chest tingled at the comment. It was the truth, but something felt off.

Coals burned in the center of the room, along with furs placed around the outside to sit or lay on.

"I'm Manee," she said, bowing at Lenna and I. "Welcome to my home."

She quickly hurried toward the fire and added some lumps of something. It flared brighter, making it easier to see around the room, including the two short swords near the fire.

"Are you planning on staying long?" she asked, glancing at Kabi and Havi.

"Honey, sit down…" whispered Havi. He lightly grabbed her wrist and sat down with her on a stack of furs. "We need to talk."

Kabi tilted his head toward an archway and we both headed in that direction. This room had beds in it, several of them.

"We can't stay here long," he mumbled, motioning to the bed, "but we can rest for a couple of hours before continuing."

"Is your mother okay?" I asked, sitting down on one of them. It felt comfortable. I wanted food and a quick nap, but only if it was safe.

"My mother's mind broke after the attack on our barrow, when my little sisters died. It's unbelievable she's even here now…" He shook his head, glancing back at the opening. "I'm shocked she didn't kill us on accident."

"Kill us?" asked Lenna, glancing at me.

"She was the strongest warrior in our tribe, maybe still is, but won't take up the blades unless needed." He ran a hand over his face before sighing again. "Hopefully, my father…"

I held up a hand and pointed back at the door.

His mother appeared.

[Manee, Blade Dancer, Level 152, Predator, Unknown.]

Her gaze went immediately to me, and it felt like a different person stood in the doorway.

"I will guard the entrance. Get some rest." Her gaze burned into my soul before she bowed her head at me. "You will be safe here."

Then she vanished from the opening. Her presence continued to the door of the home and out, until I couldn't feel it anymore. Havi stayed in the other room, near the fire.

Kabi's mouth gaped, but he nodded at us.

I had no response. I pulled out the energy stone and fed it slowly, pulling from my core. At first it didn't want to go, then slowly it sped up as I charged the crystal. As soon as my stomach growled, I cut off the flow, tossing the crystal back into my inventory. Then I ate more meat from the kill, until I felt full again.

Now, I could nap.

Kabi stared at the ceiling but wasn't asleep, though Lenna's breathing had slowed. At least one of us would rest.

I laid down on the comfortable bed and closed my eyes, trying to let myself relax enough. It felt like only seconds later Lenna shook my shoulder.

"It's time to go," she whispered before moving next to Kabi, but he sat up before she reached him.

"Already?" he asked, slightly confused.

"Yes, we need to move now." Her voice brokered no argument.

All three of us were at the door and heading into the main space when Havi sat up.

"I thought you'd at least sleep another hour," he said.

"We need to head to the camp as soon as possible," explained Lenna. Her eyes shimmered for a split second with a flash of silver.

Havi leaped to his feet and took the lead.

"We'll pass by Manee." Nothing moved in the dark tunnels as Havi led us in a different direction. Manee's presence touched the edges of my senses and we continued on.

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Eventually, we found her sitting in front of a rock with swords sitting around her. She glanced up at our approach.

"Nothing has moved in this direction," she whispered.

"They will come," replied Lenna, drawing everyone's attention. "You should come with us."

Kabi flinched, and Havi shook his head. Yet, Lenna's eyes stayed on Manee.

"I am not safe," whispered Manee. "Dark moments flicker inside my head, and I react before I see."

The rune on my chest made it clear she completely believed that. I almost put a hand on Lenna's shoulder for her to back off, but she continued.

"We will need you."

"Then I will follow." Manee bowed her head, grabbing each of the swords. My senses sparked as a connection formed between Manee and Leanna.

Lenna tapped Manee on the shoulder, staring up into her eyes as she straightened. "You are needed in this fight."

Manee nodded and turned to face the stone. It flickered, then vanished as she strode through it.

Kabi's eyes had tears in them as I followed him out, but he said nothing. Lenna went after us, then lastly Havi.

"What did the stars say?" I whispered to Lenna.

"Nothing good."

Daylight made the blues and greens pop as we stepped outside under a massive mushroom with green spots. I blinked twice at the sight of such vivid colors.

I missed the weight of my spear on my side, and needed to craft another crystal blade. Before I could more than think the thought, Manee took off into the forest, dancing ahead, barely touching the ground. It took everything in me to keep pace, yet somehow, we did. Even though Lenna and I had much lower levels.

Something skirted along the edges of my senses, but we lost it as we rushed through the trees. My heart pounded and sweat dripped along my back, but it felt amazing. Pushing my body to move fast didn't feel hard at all.

After some time, Manee slowed down until she paused right before a clearing. A spring trickled down some rocks before turning into a pool. Nothing in the surrounding area stuck around after feeling Manee's level.

"We can pause here for water and food," whispered Manee.

I refilled my canteen and my water jug before passing it around. Everyone drank deeply, and I ate several hunks of meat to fill my stomach up. A notification popped up.

[You have earned a stat point in Quickness.]

A single point wasn't much, but it still showed the work. I sat on a boulder and snagged out the crystal in my inventory before yanking on it to shape it. Within seconds, I had a blade made completely out of the stuff.

[You have created a Burning Knife, capable of producing a plasma burn.]

Tapping my fingers on my thigh, I went back to the rest of the crystals I had and pulled out the forest to work with. I wove it along the grip and through the center of the blade to provide additional support and protection.

The presence inside the crystals were happy to work together.

[You have created a Reinforced Burning Knife, capable of producing a plasma burn with extra damage.]

I felt Manee staring at me, but didn't stop. This time, I introduced air to the combination. The air fluttered around the fire, making it burn hotter while it taunted the forest. Yet, I pressed on all three auras to work together, to become something better. Something fun.

They paused, listening, and all three of the presences tuned since I didn't mix them, just wove them around one another. All three suddenly yanked energy out of me, pulling on my insides. The edges of the crystal cut into my hand, and the coppery smell of my blood added to the mix.

[You have created The Whispering Inferno, a light and agile blade with enhanced precise strikes, increasing the damage caused by the blade. The plasma burn consumes energy from the target while embedded, reducing the energy required. Soulbound to Alex, the First.]

[You have leveled your profession.]

[You have leveled your profession.]

I slumped forward for a moment, my mouth dry and my hand hurting. After a couple of seconds, I sipped some water and swallowed a bite of meat, then quickly ate the rest of the hunk.

"I've heard rumors of your kind, whispered from long ago," said Manee with a curious gaze. "Yet, nothing about how they can craft. Crafting is antithetical to them, in the stories. Same with working with others."

I chuckled and joked. "I'm special."

"You are." She nodded seriously, before turning to Lenna. "You both are. You will help remove these Forgers from our home."

"That's the goal," I whispered, letting myself recover. "The others are attacking at Dusk. How far away are we from the camp?"

Manee nodded. "We have plenty of ground to cover to continue north, plus a place to rest until it is time."

"They can trace me," said Havi.

"Only if they are looking," I said. "Let me see your leg."

He pulled up the pant leg after he came closer. I touched it with a finger and felt a presence, just like inside the crystals. That dark magic that connected the collars and the rings together also touched this rune.

"This is them using your magic to do the same thing the collars do, except it only tracks."

"Yes, it doesn't burn like the collars."

I nodded and closed my eyes, tracing the dark path. It headed north and to the west. The connection didn't feel like a ring, though. It felt like another rune. I yanked back before I touched the source.

"I think the other side is attached directly to a single Forger. If you get rid of them, then you'll be free."

"That is great news." Manees' eyes gleamed, and she smiled as Havi shared a look with her.

"I think they are at the camp, but I can't be sure. As we get closer, I can give you a better location."

Both nodded, and Kabi glanced worriedly between the two of them.

"Something's up ahead, though," I said with a frown. "It feels familiar."

"It's one of those big bird things that showed up," said Manee. "They move fast, but it has a nearby nest with eggs, so it won't go far."

This reminded me of an old movie where dinosaurs escaped from a park. Now they laid eggs on this world; if they survived, it'd change the ecosystem.

"My goal is to pass by it without a fight…" Her words trailed off as something screamed in the forest, echoing through all the trees. "We must move."

Again, Manee took the lead, this time slower and quieter.

Off to the left, the top of a Quetzalcoatlus came into view. The slight fin on the top of its small head and giant beak stretching out identified it clearly. The beak pinned a Harvester to the side of a tree.

[Quetzalcoatlus, Hunter, Level 122, Predator, Unknown.]

It ripped the Harvester in half, almost like a crab, and ate half of it whole. Then it picked the rest of it up and wobbled away from us in the forest.

"Move," whispered Lenna, drawing my attention.

I stood there just watching as Manee and Havi continued. Quickly, I caught up to them, but couldn't remove that picture from my mind. The flier eating that Harvester like it was nothing. Maybe it could hunt the Forgers?

Manee suddenly stopped and pointed her sword forward.

"Incoming."

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