Tave stayed in his demon form. He had to, this form pushed everything to the edge: speed, stealth, awareness. It was the only way he could keep moving like this, like the ground itself wasn't enough to hold him down.
But what surprised him even more was Panpan.
Even now, she matched his pace.
No hesitation. No struggle. Just focus. Just running.
That's all either of them could do. Run.
Then her voice came, clear and calm even through the breathless pace.
"Tave, should we split up or stay together?"
He didn't need to ask how she knew about Tave's disguise. By now, there was no point hiding it. The Soul Fire. His Relic. The way he moved. The way he spoke. It was all him.
Tave glanced back, just for a second.
"We stay together," he said. "It'll be worse if you're alone in this forest. Fang's with us now. He'll help clear our path."
They crashed through the treeline, finally reaching the cover of the woods.
