Camp II

Lucian crouched down at the top of the slope that led to the river, next to the bridge's entrance. He looked down at the river's rapids, the sound they made when the water hit against the rocks that lay in the river was so loud that it drowned everything out. 

"Hm...." He said as his gaze focused on the water

He was still upset about the conversation he just had with Brodin, not believing that the old traversed would so willingly be subservient to the Darklight Sect. Deep down, he was going to play along with them and find an opportunity to leave them. But he was thinking about his options; he was not familiar with this world. And as far as he could tell, Lunaris was being kind enough not to use force on him. 

He didn't know what Brodin had done to have an entire kingdom be on the lookout for him, but he genuinely seemed surprised that he was still wanted. Something happened and if the old man was dumb enough to step foot in the country again, it meant that an agreement had been made with the King. And if the King changed his mind, it meant that he couldn't be trusted. 

Brodin had mentioned that the King would be willing to use Lucian as leverage to bargain with The Order or The Imperium. That told Lucian that the Bull Kingdom is not a faction he wants to be left alone. As for the Demons hunting him; it's out of the question, he is not interested in being enslaved by demons. He didn't know much about the Imperium, but Brodin said that they occasionally scout out for powerful Traversed to recruit them. 

And they're not interested in the conflict with the demons, so that must mean that Lucian's best bet in finding a way back home could be the Imperium. 

"Well shit...." Lucian said as he rubbed his hair, "Ain't this something....?" 

He looked over to the bridge and saw several sorcerers standing in front of the massive crystal, a large blueish and clear barrier erected. They've been at it for nearly two hours, carefully examining the ether of the stone, trying to find a way to disable it. 

Lucian figured it must've been a high level spell, considering that many sorcerers are stumped in their progress, stuck in the same position for a long time. 

He looked up to see that night approached, the sun was close to setting. He had already eaten supper, a lamb stew that the cook had prepared almost an hour ago. He wasn't so sure if he should go and sleep, nothing but distrust in his mind when it came to these people. 

He didn't recognize many of the sorcerers, the ones that had captured him and brought him to Lunaris wore armor, but these people didn't. They gave Lucian occasional foul glances, but he understood; he was a Cursed One. But still, they didn't dare antagonize him for the same reason. 

He straightened up, "Well, I guess I'll go and take a nap..." He said

Suddenly, he felt a gust of wind as he turned and saw Lunaris landing on the ground, right next to him with a thud. 

He took a step back, a bit surprised, "Whoa.." 

Lunaris straightened up, flicking her hair back as she looked at Lucian, "Nothing for miles ahead, we're in the clear." She said, "I wager my riders have returned." 

Lucian nodded, "Yes." He said, "They're waiting for you, I think." 

"Good." She said as her wings fluttered, "I'm glad to see you didn't run off." 

Lucian shrugged, "I don't see a point." He said, "I don't know anything of this place." 

"Smart." Lunaris crossed her arms, "You're beginning to see things clearly. Follow me." 

Lunaris walked past him and toward the bridge. 

Lucian nodded, "Okay..." He said as he followed her

She reached the bridge and looked at the sorcerers, "Progress?" 

"My Lady." One of them said, "We're extracting the ether and trying to convert it into an anti-spell, but it's far more complex than we've imagined. This isn't ordinary Alteration Sorcery, it must be the work of a Grace....or a Calamity. It will take more time to figure something out." 

Lunaris sighed, "Oh boy." She said, "Just what we needed. We're sitting ducks out here and the caravan that is on its way needs to cross the bridge. It needs to get to Moongate." 

"We'll work harder on it, maam." He said

Lunaris nodded, "Work on it through the night with shifts, have the others take turns." She said, "In the meantime, we'll make ourselves comfortable." 

"Roger." He said

Lunaris turned around and looked at Lucian, "It's not easy being a leader, especially when the lives of all these men and women are my responsibility." She said with a serious face, "And it adds more to my stress when I have to deal with an unruly Cursed One like you. So do me a huge favor, Lucian, play nice. For now, at least. When we get to Moongate, you can rebel all you want; I'll handle you then." 

Lucian was about to speak when he felt an intense shudder all throughout his body, causing him to flinch. 

He clutched his neck as he looked up, clearly shaken up about it. 

Lunaris raised her eyebrow, "What's wrong?" 

Lucian didn't respond right away, he was wondering why his body was reacting weirdly to something. He wasn't picking anything up on his senses; he didn't hear a weird noise, didn't smell the sulfuric odor the Onis gave off, he didn't see anything out of the ordinary either, and he didn't feel or tasted anything off. 

The only explanation he could have is that he had a sixth sense, granted to him by the Calamity, and it was reacting to something. But then he thought to himself if sensing Ether would be considered a Sixth Sense. If it was the case, then he didn't sense any other Ether aside from the camp, so that must mean that he had a Seventh Sense. 

And it would occasionally be set off. 

"Lucian?" Lunaris spoke up, "You okay?" 

Lucian looked up into the air, "Something's near." He said, "I don't know what, but it's close." 

Lunaris looked around, a confused look, "Are you sure? I'm not picking anything up on my senses....." She said, "And I am confident that my Ether Sensory is better than yours...unless it's something your Calamity is reacting to.....can you hone in on it?" 

"No." Lucian said as he lowered his arm, "It's not....it's weird.....it's just this feeling I'm getting....I know it's something, I've been getting it ever since we stopped." 

Lunaris frowned, "That is concerning." She said, "Well, we need to che-" 

"Lady Lunaris!" A man approached, "You're back!" 

It was one of the riders that Lunaris had sent to scout through the woods. 

Lunaris nodded, "Yes." She said, "Anything to report?" 

"Empty, aside from the wildlife." The man said, "But we received a message, My Lady. From your subordinate, Michael." 

He handed her a glowing piece of paper. 

"Michael?" Lunaris said with a bit of surprise, "What?" 

She read the paper: 

"My Lady, trouble arises in the Bull Kingdom. I've been tracking demonic activity to Hornvein and I'm afraid I'll need backup. My cover is almost blown, I require assistance at once." 

Lunaris sighed, "That fool...." She said as the paper began to dissolve into the air, "He's gotten himself in trouble once again...." 

"Hornvein is nearly a hundred miles from here." The man said, "We can send some riders to aid him." 

"No. Stay here and work on the crystal." She said, "Michael went undercover, if a bunch of sorcerers from the Sect appear, he will be compromised." 

She looked at Lucian who was merely standing there, a bit perplexed at what was going on. 

"But if someone that many won't know would go there...." Lunaris said

Lucian raised his eyebrow, "Eh?" 

She looked at the man, "Call Brodin." She said, "You'll escort him and Lucian to Hornvein and when they begin their mission, return back to me." 

The Man nodded, "Of course." He said before walking away

"Whoa whoa." Lucian said, "What are you talking about?" 

"Hornvein is in the opposite direction." Lunaris nodded at the direction of the road they had come from, "On the crossroads twenty miles back, you'll make a right and the road will lead you to the Town." 

"Okay, but why are you sending us??" Lucian asked

"Prove yourselves to me." Lunaris said, "To Lord Azarius. He may be a strict man, but he's reasonable. He'll see value in you if you help out. Fetch Michael for me, he's a capable Sorcerer, but he oversteps a lot and is quite unruly. You'd get along, he's much like you." 

"You want me to babysit some guy for you?" Lucian asked with a scowl

"You haven't even gotten to him so don't talk about babysitting. And you'll be in my shoes when you do. I have to babysit you." She said

"Don't put cuffs on me again." Lucian warned

"That's what Brodin is for." Lunaris said with a smile, "He'll follow my orders, so long as I hold my end of the deal, which I am doing as we speak. I had sent for the safe moving of his family." 

Lucian sighed, "Fuck..." He muttered, "Fine....." 

"Good boy." Lunaris gave him a wink, "Oh, and by the way, Michael can be too much sometimes, so have patience with him." 

Lucian was about to say something else when he felt that shudder once again, this time the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. 

He then heard the loud flapping of wings as a crack of thunder resounded through the air. 

Before he and Lunaris could react, a bolt of lightning struck the middle of the road, several meters away from them, causing a shockwave. 

"WYVERN!!!!" One of the men bellowed as Lucian and Lunaris had covered their faces to shield from the debris

Lucian looked up to see a massive shadow in the air, golden lightning crackling from it as he saw the glint of gold scales. He couldn't see the creature fully, as it was in the sky that was already darkening, but he could make out the massive wingspan, the large tail, the thick claws on its legs, and two bright golden horns that jutted out from the head. 

"W-Whoa....." He said in awe as a loud roar was heard

"Oh no...." Lunaris said, 

"A Royal Wyvern."