"Are you sure about this, brother. We don't want to bring trouble back to our makeshift camp." Kion said as Kai led the way deeper into the woods.
"Chickening out, already? I thought you were fierce, Kion."
Meanwhile, Kion gave him an exhausted look.
"Oh, relax," Kai prodded, "we won't be gone for long. Plus we both know that this is the best way to advance after Shaman's visit."
"He met you too?"
"Right after he met you." Kai explained. "Although it seems the effects of the detox potion were heavier on you. You slept like a tired horse."
"A man needs his sleep."
Kion explained, and the duo laughed.
For a moment, there was silence between them as they made their way deeper, finding something to kill for food or sport.
"I'll have you know that I'm trying my best to trust you with our pink-haired guest." Kion broke the silence.
"Yes it seems you're doing your best." Kion said sarcastically.
"I'm serious. It's just unbelievable that someone who wanted to kill us one moment is agreeing to help us the next. And don't forget that you refused to tell me anything concerning the terms of your deal.
Like what did you offer her? Money, a place among royalty, status? What could possibly make the killer mercenary mage side with us?"
Kion thought for a moment. He had wanted to keep his knowledge of Lila's father between himself and her, but he owed Kai some kind of explanation at least. He could suddenly see why his brother had been so doubtful of him all this while.
He would doubt himself too.
"You know how she hid her identity with a code name known as Mouse?"
"Yes. And I do know you somehow figured out her real name, another thing you refused to tell me how, but go on." Kai continued.
"I had done a lot of research before we hit the road with our carriages. I know who her father is. Lord Fergio Di'capri. An esteemed sailor and the last lord minister of Port Tabara."
"Oh so she has status already. So what was she doing hiding away in the woods with a bunch of nobodies?" Kai inquired.
"They're not nobodies," Kion corrected. "They're soulless."
"Same thing." Kai added. Kion chose to ignore.
"She did not actually want to be found, or known by anyone. Her hidden identity is her greatest asset. So, I chose to trade that for her assistance in getting to her hometown as well as securing a place to stay.
We all know Port Tabara hasn't been the same since the Greitor outbreak. So we need someone on the inside looking out for us, at least. Someone who knows the lay of the land."
"She probably has not been there in years." Kai debated. "Who's to say that she knows the land better than the local townsfolk?"
"Townsfolk that would've either already fled the town by sea, or are too petrified about the outbreak to even give us some sort of hospitality or advice. She's our best gamble, trust me."
Kai stared at him pointedly for a while.
"Now did it kill you to just tell me that?" Kai said.
"All I wanted was some sort of explanation. It seemed you were hiding something, and I don't like people hiding things from me."
"I felt it was best to keep it to myself. To bear the cross alone in case there was some mishap along the way."
"Don't worry," Kai reassured. "We're in this together. As much as I hate your guts, this is still a joint mission. It's our cross to bear together."
Kion didn't know how to feel about Kai's reassuring words. All he knew was that it did not make him quite as reassured as he'd thought.
"And for the record," Kai said, "I've got your back, brother."
"Thanks." Kion squeezed out the word of appreciation. From the corner of his vision, he noticed Kai peek at the contents of a folded scroll before shoving it back down his coat pocket. A hawk squawked up above.
"What's that?" He asked out of curiousity.
"Oh it's nothing. Just one of my talent scrolls."
"Alright." Kion responded, not willing to prod any further.
The princes continued on foot for what seemed to be miles before making a pit stop.
"Let's rest and hydrate here." Kai said as he approached a tree, its naked branches spread out like the silk threads of a spider web.
Kai rested his back against its sturdy bark and took a huge swig of his flagon, letting the water pour into his mouth in a cascading stream.
He must have been really thirsty.
Kion watched him for a while: the way he drank ravenously, the rivulets of water that escaped his mouth and dripped onto his clothes, the way he trees branches extended outward almost like…
A trap.
"Watch out!" Kion yelled as the tree's branches suddenly began to move, coiling and twisting to form an elaborate net to trap Kai. Kion threw his long sword with pinpoint precision, targeting the area of the tree trunk just above Kai's head.
The tree let out a squeal as his longsword embedded itself deep in its bark. The branches momentarily stopped in their movement, giving Kai enough time to roll out of harm's way.
"Fuck! That's not a tree." The older half brother said as he joined Kion from a distance.
"What was your first clue?" Kion asked rhetorically.
"You'll need your sword. It's angered now." Kai said as both brothers watched the tree morph its form: its branches twisting and stretching to form tendrils with razor-sharp ends, its roots rising from the ground, taking the form of two brutish, ogre-like legs, and two jagged holes forming in its trunk as what seemed to be eyes.
Kion's sword remained lodged in its bark, just in between its two eyes.
In its fully awakened form, the monster stood to be more than ten feet tall. Kion could feel the wicked aura of poisoned mana emanating from its core, as were the case with all classed monsters.
"Can you tell it's class?" Kai yelled
"Not exactly. But I'm sure it's going to be quite high due to the waves of mana I'm receiving."
"Exactly. That soul core will be very useful. But first we need to know what it is."
"I know what it is." Kion affirmed.
"You do? Well spit it out already."
Maybe this was the time that Shaman's overly theoretical tutoring would finally become useful, as Kion had read about it in one of the wizard's scrolls.
It was a beast not like most. A plant-based beast, quite strong when embedded within the forest, and a sturdy bark that was mostly impenetrable to attacks when awakened.
Kion couldn't exactly remember all of its abilities, but he trusted himself to make do with the few weakness he'd heard of, and hope that the abilities he didn't know of wouldn't surprise him too much.
He was also sure if it's name. At least that was something.
"It's an egovore." He yelled the answer back at Kai