Bond of the mind - part one - chapter 3

Kirn looked back at everyone who had gone to the front line. Even in the approaching fog, his broad smile was clearly visible.

"I wish you all the best of luck, and whatever happens, think of those who stand behind us."

Then he turned his back on the others and stepped forward into the fog. The others followed him. May looked back at the walls one last time. She could just make out Senna's face. She raised her hand to wave goodbye. Then she turned and set off with the others. The enemy was not yet within range. After a moment, Kirn pulled a torch from under his shield and lit it. The outline of the light was visible even to those on the walls. At this signal, everyone began shooting their bows ahead of the visible light. There were cries and screams. Then the light went out, and they knew they had to stop shooting. If they continued, they risked injuring other hunters in the fog. 

They had to wait for their enemies to emerge from the fog, so they remained on alert and waited. 

All those who had rushed forward were already fighting. May focused all her senses to compensate for what her eyes could not see. The fog was that thick. The first ones they encountered were, of course, trolls, but even they were having trouble in these conditions. All that could be heard was the clanging of weapons colliding and the screams of those who were wounded. May knew she couldn't back down even a . If their group failed, the lives of innocent people would be in danger. She fought near Kirn. She could tell by the glow of his gilded armor shining through the fog. Moving so swiftly in such heavy armor required considerable strength and, above all, a lot of experience. The cries of two people could be heard in the fog. It was clear what that meant. At least two of the hunters had undoubtedly fallen at the hands of the enemy. After a moment of fighting, the trolls turned and fled. It was clear that Kirn was ready to pursue them. He held his shield in front of him and leaned back, just as a person does when preparing to run. He took a deep breath and then suddenly took off. It was so fast that it was even harder to follow him with the eyes in these conditions. At the speed at which he was moving, it looked as if fire was coming out of his shield in front of him. The trolls he knocked down with his shield burst into flames. Behind him were two other hunters, both wielding spears. They must have been from his own group. May also rushed forward. But after a moment, a giant hammer emerged from the fog. It struck her in the right side with such force and speed that she felt several ribs break. The blow threw her a few meters to the left. She landed on the bodies of the trolls. She lost her breath on impact, so she gasped for air and tried to breathe. Her body was still responding. She heard heavy footsteps coming in her direction. Meanwhile, she heard three more human screams. They gradually faded away. May lifted her head just in time to roll to the right. The hammer crushed the bodies lying on the ground. Now she could see the clear outline of what was standing in front of her. It was a bear grogot. One of the strongest species. 

She would have been much less afraid of a real bear in this situation. This grogot looked really scary. But it wasn't just its bear part—grogots were one of the worst enemies precisely because they were only partly animal. Thanks to their human half, they were intelligent enough to use other means than just listening to their animal instincts. It had the head and chest of a bear, but its arms were only half animal. Its palms were human, but its arms were stronger, just like a bear's. From the waist down, it resembled a human more. May struggled to her feet, but she knew there was no time to dwell on the pain. Another blow could cause even worse injuries.

Grogot was already running towards her. It'll be another blow from the right, she thought. Her instincts were right. She waited until Grogot was almost upon her. When his huge hammer was close to her body, she quickly crouched down. She felt the wind from the blow rush through her hair. But that wasn't the end of it. With her left hand, she grabbed the handle halfway up the hammer and let herself be pulled in the direction it was pointing. Then, when it stopped, she quickly swung herself up and was now standing on the handle of the hammer that Grogot was still clutching. Before he could react, May slashed his neck with her sword. Then she quickly jumped back with a somersault. She was covered in blood again. When she landed on her feet, she felt pain in her chest. Grogot was still standing, and the fight was not over. It was only a matter of time before he fell to the ground, but at that moment, even with his injuries, he still had enough strength to lunge at her again. 

This time, May didn't wait. She threw herself at Grogot. He looked terribly enraged and at the same time surprised that she had moved towards him. Now she was sufficiently prepared for his type of attack. When the grogot swung at her again, she jumped up to the head of the hammer. She quickly pushed off from it toward her enemy and, with a half somersault, found herself head down right behind his neck in an instant. There, she dealt him the final blow as she landed, sending his head to the ground. She landed on her back in an unfinished somersault. 

It was over. She smiled slightly. There was usually no reason to smile or rejoice on the battlefield, but she smiled out of a sense of satisfaction. She was still there, still alive.

However, she knew that the battle was far from over. Due to their rank and strength, only a limited number of monsters that the members of the Ten could control had been deployed, but there were still plenty of them left. 

May got to her feet and continued forward through the fog. She could hear the screams and roars of other hunters.

But she had lost count of how many were left. 

She reached an open space surrounded by fog on all sides and above. Kirn was standing on the edge closest to her. The two men who had been running with him were no longer there. May noticed that Kirn was injured. Blood was running down the side of his face, but he still had a smile on his face. Three heyens stood opposite him. They must have been direct subordinates of the Ninth. They gave off a really strange aura. Looking at them, May felt a chill run down her spine. They just stood there. All of them had their swords stuck in the ground, their hands clenched around the hilts, staring directly at Kirn.

Meanwhile, the defenders on the ramparts also had their hands full. So far, they had managed to stop all the trolls that had reached the walls and started climbing up. However, everyone was also considerably exhausted. Those assigned to support diligently maintained a barrier around the city to prevent anyone from getting behind the walls unnoticed, but maintaining the barrier around such a large city was difficult and required everyone's full concentration. The disadvantage of the barrier was that it was an easy target. Fortunately, there were a few hunters like Tragir who stayed behind to ensure safety. Some mole and chameleon grogotis managed to get through the barrier unnoticed and attempted to attack the reinforcements from within. The mole grogotis tried to undermine them, but thanks to Tragir's strength and his hammer, it was like playing "whack-a-mole," if they had known the game. However, the chameleon grogotis were worse. They were able to blend in with their surroundings so well that they were essentially invisible. Unfortunately for them, their shadows were visible, which allowed the defenders to deal with them. It was necessary to be careful and remain constantly alert. Fortunately for the support members, they had not yet suffered any losses.
Meanwhile, Senna kept looking ahead, hoping to see May return. So far, only a few had returned, and some were seriously injured and needed immediate attention. Mirthana sat among the wounded as usual, treating them in the same way she had treated the previous women in the forest. Unfortunately, even her healing could not replace missing limbs. 

"Don't tell me you're scared?" Kirn shouted with an even bigger smile. At this, all three heyens raised their weapons. They ran towards Kirn, who was already running towards them. They collided in the middle of the clearing. They moved so fast that May could barely keep up with them. She felt the urge to run to Kirn's aid, but she felt his quick glance, which clearly indicated that she would only be a hindrance to him in his current state. So she just stood there silently, ready to fight, watching the situation. It didn't look like either side had the upper hand. Kirn managed to fend off the attacks of all three at once. It was very difficult for the heyens to hurt him through his armor, while Kirn's sword and shield had already inflicted several cuts and other wounds on them. He was now able to fend off two of the heyens at the same time in such a way that they both staggered back a few steps. The third, who had lunged at Kirn, tried to surprise him. This was exactly what Kirn had been waiting for. First, he knocked the sword out of his hands with his shield, then quickly swung his own sword. May saw the head fly off into the mist. The limp body then burst into dark flames and collapsed to the ground. 

The ninth heyen began to slowly descend the hill. Senna immediately noticed this from the ramparts. Now the situation was serious. "Hold them off here!" she shouted to Tragir and Mirthana with Spark, and ran into the fog herself. Kirn now faced the remaining two heyens. They both prepared to attack at the same time. However, something happened that even Kirn could not have predicted. Four bull grogotis with huge axes in their hands ran out from behind him and into the open space. May tried to run towards Kirn, but something was holding her to the ground. It was the hands of the mole grogotis. She couldn't move, no matter how hard she tried. She tried to chop their hands off, but she couldn't. The bull grogotis attacked Kirn at the same time. Despite their numerical superiority, he managed to stop all four attacks at once. However, he was unable to deal with the heyens, who were suddenly upon him and drove their swords into his chest through the space between his armor and his arms. At that moment, they jumped away from him. All four grogots burst into a red fire that now spread from Kirn. It was the last breath of the dragon knight. Just before his death, he resembled a real dragon. The grogotis burned to death. Kirn, however, remained standing as if nothing had happened to him. Unfortunately for him, it was all over. Only his iron will kept his body upright. Blood flowed from his wounds and from his mouth. 

The two remaining heyeni let out a victorious cry. They both looked at May, whose legs were still trapped. They slowly made their way towards her. Now her emotions were running wild. Sadness, anger, hatred, and other emotions completely consumed her mind. Black tears began to roll down her cheeks again. Her eyes darkened, her hair was pure white again and longer than usual, and her entire body was surrounded by dark flames, just like before in the cave. The heyens were unsure of what was happening. May's legs were free, no hands were holding them. All that was left of them were piles of ash on the ground. Now the other grogotis who were still there rushed towards her. Upon contact with the flames, they immediately burst into flames. Those who did not manage to cut off their burning limbs turned into more piles of ash. May was now conscious, but she was not quite herself. The only thought in her head was "kill." The thought filled her entire mind and was the only thing she could hear. While the grogotis were trying to recover, May moved towards them and in an instant killed all those who remained. Then she looked at the two heyens standing in front of her. They didn't even move. They had nowhere to go. May got behind them in the blink of an eye. 

One of them managed to react and jump out of the way in time. The other, however, was torn in two. Only the last one remained. It wasn't common for heyens, but it was as if he was afraid. May embraced him with a smile on her lips. 

"You don't have to be afraid anymore," she said, and the heyen began to burn. After a moment, it turned into a pile of ashes like the others. This time, the darkness surrounding May did not dissipate. She just stood there motionless.

Senna approached the center of the battlefield. She could sense that May was close. She ran cautiously the whole time with an arrow ready in her bow. Suddenly, she saw a small outline of a body in front of her, with two golden eyes shining. She immediately fired the arrow and pulled another one from her quiver. But instead of hitting its target, the arrow stopped in midair. 

"We can't play today," said Yin, stepping out of the mist so that she could see her. "Unfortunately, I can't let you continue on your way until he allows it," she added, smiling at Senna. 

"I'm sorry, little girl, but I don't have time for you today. Now get out of my way," Senna snapped, now angry. She hated it when someone stood in her way. She had to go find May right away. 

She didn't wait for a response and fired another arrow at Yin. As soon as she released it, she threw down her bow and ran towards her. From behind, she pulled out her two short swords for close combat.

Yin was fast. She didn't try to catch the arrow, but moved straight behind Senna. That was the mistake Senna had been waiting for. She had no intention of fighting her from the start and continued at a fast pace. 

This angered Yin. She moved in front of Senna to block her path. But Senna was slowly getting used to her movements. She turned right just in front of her and wanted to continue. But then she fell to the ground. Yin was sitting on her. 

"You've improved, but it's not enough today," she grinned at Sennu. Sennu realized that Yin would not let her continue and that she would not find May like this. She slowly lost hope. Tears began to roll down her cheeks. Yin now looked at her with a serious expression. 

"Just hang in there. I promise he'll come back to you," she said, now without her usual smile.

May was still standing there. The Ninth heyen began to emerge from the fog and stepped into the clearing. 

"You think this is enough for me, girl?" he said to May in his raspy voice. She didn't answer, but as soon as she heard the heyen finish his sentence, she was already standing behind him. But he was no longer there. May swung her sword sideways and then felt a strong kick in her back. She flew a few meters forward. Despite the dark fire, the blow hurt terribly. His sword was covered with the same dark fire as her body. Her own blood ran down her lips. Even though it wasn't her, her consciousness felt the pain. She began to struggle to get back up. But before she could, she was struck in the other side and kicked again. She flew several meters away once more. This time, however, she stopped. Or rather, she stopped because of someone. The unknown man stood over her, looking into her face.

The pain was unbearable, but it did not mask the anger that was growing inside her. She tried to swing her sword at the man while lying down. But the stranger kicked it out of her hands. Then he leaned over her and stared at her without saying a word. He smiled gently and stroked her still white hair, which was now covered in mud. He flicked her forehead with his finger, and at that moment, May lost consciousness. The fire disappeared, and her eyes and hair were back to normal. He took her in his arms. At that moment, Yin was beside him. She took her and then snapped her fingers. All this happened right behind Senna, who was still lying on the ground. However, it happened so quickly that she didn't even realize she could get up yet. The little girl just took her by the hand, with May over her shoulder, and snapped her fingers again. 

Suddenly, the barrier in the city broke, and Yin appeared with both of them in the middle of the mages and healers. 

Mirthana, Spark, and Tragir ran towards them. The little girl let go of Sennin's hand and then laid May on the ground. 

"The fire will stop her bleeding, but she needs help quickly because when she wakes up, she'll feel all the pain at once," said the little girl.

"Thank you," said Senna, hesitantly but gratefully. Yin just smiled and then disappeared again with a snap of her fingers.

However, the battle was not over yet. Even from the city, the massive explosions and flashes of dark flames could be seen. It was a duel between the unknown and the Ninth. No matter how many times the Ninth tried to hit him, he always missed his target. Moreover, the huge explosions that the Ninth caused did not burn him at all. He just kept dodging him with that mysterious hidden smile. The Ninth was furious and running out of patience.

"Fight me like a man and don't run away from me!" he shouted angrily in his raspy voice as he continued to try to hit the unknown. He really didn't have the nerves for this.

He knew that if this continued, he would not have enough strength to resist the light when dawn broke. He continued his attack over and over again. He summoned the last living- nd beings under his control to help him at least hold his target in place, but every time they tried to approach him, they disintegrated into pieces as if they had been chopped up in an instant.

The ninth one had just lost his patience. He picked up the spear lying on the ground and began to charge it with dark power. Then he turned toward the city and prepared to throw it. But just as he swung, the spear flew away. And it wasn't just the spear. His hand, which was clutching the spear, flew away with it. However, thanks to the power of the dark fire, he managed to pull his severed hand back and reattach it to its place. That's how powerful the higher heyens were. Severed limbs were probably as painful to them as a slight cut to a human. The fog gradually began to dissipate. This was a clear sign that the Ninth was running out of strength. He had already exhausted too much dark energy and even he had his limits. Only he remained.

"I don't have time to play with you today," he said and turned to leave. If he lingered any longer, dawn would soon catch up with him. That would be the end for him. Dark flames burned around him, consuming everything in his vicinity. He headed back up the hill to his horse. Every time he looked back, he saw that the man who had been so troublesome to him was still standing there, just as before. He made his way to the top and climbed back into the saddle of his dark horse. 

He glared at the man and at the town that stretched out before him. Even the people in the town could see him now. His flames flared up even more, and he let out a hateful scream. 

"Next time, you'll be nothing but ashes!" he shouted in his raspy voice so that they could hear him clearly in the city. Everyone from the ramparts and the gate looked in his direction. He realized with satisfaction that he could feel fear emanating from the city. 

He was already preparing to leave when he suddenly felt a pain he had never experienced before. He had to grab his head with his hands. The pain was unbearable. 

"Unfortunately for you, there won't be a next time," said the annoying stranger, who was now standing just a few meters behind him. "You have done enough evil in this world. It is time for you to leave this world," he continued in a calm voice. Anger swirled inside the Ninth. How dare this poor wretch speak to him in such a tone? Didn't he know who he was? That's what was running through his head. Now the flames around him were burning so fiercely that they were only about a meter away from the man. But he just smiled. It was as if he wasn't afraid of the Ninth at all. The Ninth, full of rage, charged at him on his horse, but suddenly his whole body fell apart and slid off the horse to the ground. The flames rejoined his body parts, but this time something was missing. The body stood motionless, missing its head. The unknown man held it firmly in his hands. 

"How dare you, you filthy human!" he yelled at him, but the man would not let him go. 

In the distance, the sun was rising on the horizon and birds could be heard singing. The stranger snapped his fingers and now sat atop the gate leading into the city. Senna and the others from the group had already had the honor, so they weren't too surprised, but the others were downright shocked. The shock was even greater when they noticed what he was holding in his hands and what they were looking at. He turned his head toward them. The lines marking his number were now clearly visible on his forehead. It was indeed the Ninth. His head was still yelling insults at everyone there and screaming at the top of his lungs. The first rays of the sun were already touching the hill where his body stood. His body burst into flames and soon all that remained was a pile of ashes, just like his dark horse. Only his head remained. The sun's rays slowly approached the city. The insults and curses grew louder, but now there was also nervousness and fear in his voice. 

The stranger threw the head into the air, and as soon as it met the sun's rays, it immediately began to burn.

"You'll pay for this..." were the last words that came out of the screaming head. Then the stranger jumped down and suddenly knelt beside May, who was still unconscious and not waking up.

Before the others could react and pull him away from her, he ran his hand through her hair, flicked his finger against her forehead again, and with a snap of his fingers, he was gone just as quickly as he had appeared. 

May began to wake up. As soon as she opened her eyes, Spark rushed to her, followed by Senna. She was still dazed from everything and didn't know what was going on. 

"Is it over? Is it finished?" she asked. Senna just smiled and nodded, hugging her. 

"What happened to the Ninth? Didn't he attack the city?" May continued.

Senna pointed to where a pile of ashes from his head had been just a moment ago. Now, however, Tragir was sweeping it up with a broom he had taken from who knows where.

It was the first time everyone, including Mirthana, had laughed together. But the laughter didn't last long. They still had to take care of the fallen. All the hunters went out onto the battlefield and searched for the bodies of those who had fallen. Kirna wasn't hard to find. He was still standing there. The sunlight reflected off his armor in such a way that he looked as if he were glowing. He had a contented expression on his face, even though he was long gone. Those who were not looking for fallen hunters gathered the bodies of their enemies and carried them to a pile. Then they set it on fire. It burned with a dark flame, and in the end, not even ashes remained of the bodies. Later that morning, a mass burial was held for all the fallen, and everyone, whether they knew them or not, could come and pay their respects to the fallen hunters who had sacrificed themselves to defend the city. Almost everyone came, except for the mayor, of course, who had not shown up during the defense. A truly grand funeral was held for the fallen. They deserved it. 

May's group stayed there until the end. After the ceremony, the hunters returned to the guild, where a funeral feast was waiting for them - for the fallen and for those who had bravely defended the town and their guild. Today, none of them had to pay for food and drink. It was a token of gratitude and appreciation from their guild. 

They spent a long time just eating, drinking, and discussing everything that had happened. Sometimes other hunters who had been inside during the battle joined them to hear from the others what had happened outside. Above all, everyone wanted to hear May describe Kirn's last moments. Her story brought smiles to their faces, but also tears. Of course, it wasn't easy for May to talk about it, but she knew that people should know and remember his last moments.

Later that evening, Mirthana got up from the table. She needed to stretch, so she walked over to the board where the tasks were posted. The new ones and the ongoing ones. She looked at them all for a long time, reading through them. Then May joined her.

"Looking for your next task?" May asked her. She wondered if it wasn't too much for Mirthana. Especially since she had barely made it to the city with them.

"I can sense your concern, but don't worry. I've actually seen a lot of terrible things myself. Besides, I'm a healer first and foremost, so it's my duty to stay with the wounded and take care of them as best I can," said Mirthana. This immediately reassured May. It seemed that she might have been worrying too much about her mental state. Besides, she didn't even know what she might have gone through. She smiled at her.

"Have you found anything interesting yet? Where would you like to look?" May asked again. 

Senna joined them, rested her head on May's shoulder, and said, "I see a hunter awakening in someone here." A huge smile appeared on her face. 

Mirthana took one of the tasks off the board and looked at it closely. Then she handed it to May and Senna.

"A monster hiding in the sea near a fishing village," May read. Then she read the whole message. She had never been to the sea before, so she was quite excited. Spark and Tragir joined them. 

"What do you think? Shall we go and take a look at the sea?" May asked everyone. 

"You're kind of overlooking the fact that it starts with the word 'monster,' but otherwise it definitely sounds interesting. I'm in," said Senna, nodding in agreement. 

"I'd rather have some fish than what they always serve here," replied Tragir. Spark just wagged her tail the whole time. It was clear that she would go wherever May went. 

"In that case, it's decided. We'll leave in the morning," May concluded with a smile. Mirthana smiled back at her. Then everyone went to their rooms to rest before setting off. After all, it wasn't the closest place to the fishing village. There were towns closer to the village, but apparently no one had been able to solve the task there, or no one was interested in doing so, since it had made it all the way to the board in Osten. So tomorrow, a long journey awaited them, far to the north, to the Azure Sea.

May rested with them that evening. It was actually still too early for her to return. She still had plenty of time in this world. 

Early in the morning, everyone was ready and prepared to set off. They needed to set off before dawn so they could hitch a ride with a merchant caravan and not have to travel the whole way on foot. The merchants were always happy to take hunters on their wagons, and they paid them less than they would have paid other people. This was because the hunters made the journey safer for them, and they didn't have to worry so much about being attacked along the way. 

The group joined the merchants who were heading north to the city of Arn. It was a beautiful and prosperous city. It had walls and stone houses. There was also a harbor from where ships continued along the Sei River to the Azure Sea. At least that's what one of the merchants who was transporting them on his wagon told them. May, Spark, Senna, and Mirthana had never been there before. However, Tragir nodded in agreement as he listened, as if he had been there before. 

"The merchant is right. I also sailed down the river to Arnu from our region," said Tragir, and then continued, "Just wait until we go back home. I'll show you how things are done there."

Senna raised her eyebrows at his statement. She doubted that any place could be more beautiful than the home of the elves, but she kept her thoughts to herself. Dwarves were known to be a very proud race, capable of arguing endlessly about how much better their home was.

Their journey with the convoy went smoothly. Here and there, merchants stopped in a village along the way to load more goods or pick up people who were also heading to Arn. They were either going there to work or to sell their goods.

In the late afternoon, the walls and towers of the city of Arn could already be seen in the distance. Even from the outside, the city looked beautiful and grand. It was as if the people here had always lived in peace and contentment. Although Arn was part of the Kingdom of Ronos, where they were currently located, it had its own government, which gave it a certain degree of independence. The city was governed by three members of the three richest and most respected families in the city. Thanks to them, the city enjoyed neutrality instead of subjugation to the kingdom's government. People from other countries could therefore enter the city freely and stay there. However, if they wanted to leave the city and continue their journey elsewhere, they had to obtain all the necessary documents for staying in the kingdom. 

At the gate to the city, the whole group jumped down from the wagon and said goodbye to the merchant who had brought them there. The wagon then continued on its way. However, the group had to arrange their entry into the city separately with the guards. Thanks to the fact that they had previously obtained confirmation from the guild for entry into Arnu for the expedition, there was no problem with entry and the guards let them in immediately. After all, there were hunters' guilds in almost every city, so hunters were respected and accepted pretty much everywhere. The group headed through the paved passageway toward the center of the city. There were too many people for May. If she had ever thought there were a lot of people in Osten, this was more than ten times that number. Given the city's neutrality, it made sense. Merchants and other people of various professions from different cities and kingdoms came there - some wanted to trade their goods, others came for work or just looking for a place to stay before continuing on their way. That was why the city had a much larger and more experienced guard force, so that they could take turns and watch over the city and its streets day and night. 

With the exception of Tragir, the whole group marveled at the beauty of this city. Everything looked well-maintained and clean. There was no doubt that the trio who led the city took care to keep it in the best possible condition and ensure its continued prosperity. Even the hunters' guild building they had just arrived at left them speechless. It was a huge building. Instead of doors, there was a large open entrance with a clearly visible spacious hall inside. Sounds of merriment and lively conversation drifted out, so it was clear that everyone inside was having a good time. The group entered. At first, they were struck by the beautiful, shiny tables, which looked as if someone had just wiped them all down. Then their eyes fell on the large number of hunting groups that filled the entire space. Many of the hunters were even wearing better clothes than they were. There was also a stage where musicians stood and played only for the local patrons. The group was truly speechless.

They sat down at one of the empty tables, and after a while a woman who was obviously employed there appeared. 

"Welcome to the hunters' guild of Arn. May I ask where you are from and what brings you here?" she said.

"We are from Osten and we are headed to the fishing village by the Azure Sea," replied Senna. She was usually the spokesperson for the group when it came to various matters. She was naturally good at it and, unlike the others, had no problem with it. 

"All right. We have already received word that the task has been accepted and that someone will be coming to us," the woman continued, then added, "What kind of rooms would you like if you plan to stay overnight? And what can I bring you at the moment? Something to drink, or would you like something to eat?"

"We haven't decided yet, we'll let you know soon. For now, we'd like three glasses of water with an extra bowl, and something stronger for the dwarf," said Senna, glancing at the dwarf, who was already smiling slyly.

She knew he wasn't going to just sit there with them drinking water. Sometimes she had the impression that dwarves didn't actually drink clean water, because she had never seen a dwarf with a glass of clean water. As she thought about it and looked at Tragir's sly expression, she unconsciously rolled her eyes in such a way that May and Mirthana couldn't help but smile. 

"So how are we going to do it?" Senna asked the group. 

"Well, I'd have a wolf," came Tragir's strange reply, "I'd rather fill up now than eat bread or whatever in the morning." He wasn't the only one in the group who drank alcohol, but he was definitely the biggest eater among them. 

"I think it wouldn't hurt to eat something. After all, we've been on the road since morning and we don't have much left," said May, and Mirthana nodded in agreement. Spark licked her lips when May looked at her. Then she added, "I also think it would be better and safer for us to spend the night here. We'll set off in the morning."

Senna knew very well what she meant by safer. It was easier to keep an eye on May while she was away. Besides, they had no idea how long it would take them to reach the fishing village, so it really did seem more sensible to rest in the city first. 

"It's decided, we'll spend the night here. After dinner, we'll write a list of things Tragir and Mirthana need to get in town. Spark and I will stay in the room with May, and then we'll leave together in the morning as soon as May returns from her world. Agreed?" Senna summarized. Everyone nodded in agreement. There was no reason not to. All the members were already briefly familiar with May's situation, so they understood, and besides, they were happy to stay. The city of Arn was also bustling with nightlife, so there was plenty to do in the evening. 

Right after dinner, Mirthana and Tragir headed out to town to get the things they needed for their next expedition. Senna guessed that Tragir, at least, would not be returning anytime soon. 

May was already lying in bed, and Spark was right next to her, as usual. 

"Finally, we're alone again for a while," Senna said and lay down next to May. Now she looked closely into her eyes.

"Is everything okay on the other side? Sometimes, when I think about it, I feel so sorry that I can't go with you and you have to be there alone," she continued with a disappointed look on her face. 

"I'd rather you were there too. We'd definitely still be together," May replied with a smile.

"I often think about what it would be like to still be in this world. Sometimes I even feel like I don't want to go back, because everything I care about is here," she added. 

Senna could only guess and fantasize about what it might be like. May had often told her about her world before. Sometimes it was hard for her to believe it all. The world on the other side must be very different from hers.

"We'll see each other again soon. I'll be waiting." That was all Senna could manage to say. Then she took May's hand, smiled, and closed her eyes. 

"Yes... I'll be back soon," said May, and then she closed her eyes too. She could still feel the warmth of Senna's hand for a moment before she fell asleep.

She heard the same melody she heard every morning. It was a signal that she had woken up in her room. Spark was lying there exactly as she had been on the other side. May lay in her bed for a moment. She knew she didn't have to go anywhere today. After all, it was Saturday. So all she had to do today was look after her siblings and, of course, do her chores. After a while, she finally got out of bed. The first thing she had to do was, of course, pet and hug Spark. Only then did she change out of her pajamas into the clothes she wore at home outside of school. They were her usual black shorts and red T-shirt.

Then she went downstairs with Spark. First, she took her out into the garden and then headed to the kitchen. There was no sign of her parents or siblings yet. However, she didn't expect her parents to get up early. After yesterday's party and a fair amount of alcohol, it was clear that they would sleep in a little. It was always the same, so there was no reason to expect anything different. First, May made herself a cup of coffee and then started thinking about what to do next. She decided to make breakfast for everyone, , so she started making pancakes. It was one of her favorite foods, even for her. Plus, it was easy and there was nothing to mess up. Even she, who definitely didn't consider herself the best cook, could manage that. In fact, all she knew how to do was things she had picked up from her mother or grandmother. 

When she was done, she went to the washing machine, took out the laundry, and hung it up in the garden. Then it was time for her morning walk with Spark. They went to their favorite spot and didn't return until lunchtime. By then, her parents and siblings were already up. Her mom had already cooked dinner, and her siblings were running around outside with their friends. Today, for once, they didn't have any chores for her to do. So after lunch, she had time to relax for a while on a bench in the garden with Spark. When late afternoon came, they went out to the woods again and didn't return until evening. 

After dinner, May cleared the dishes and then went about her bedtime routine. 

Today had passed really quickly. It was also because she had been thinking about the other side the whole time and couldn't wait to finally lie down in bed and go to sleep. 

Around nine o'clock in the evening, May was back in her pajamas, ready to go to bed. As always, she hugged Spark and wished her good night. Then, just to be sure, she locked her bedroom door and headed for bed. 

She thought about various things for a while before she finally felt sleepy enough. Then she just snuggled under the covers and fell asleep.

When she woke up on the other side, Senna was still asleep. She was breathing quietly in her sleep, and May thought she looked very content. She was still holding her hand. May continued to watch her, letting her sleep undisturbed. A moment later, Senna began to wake up. She opened her eyes and noticed May watching her. She blushed a little and smiled. 

"Don't you know you shouldn't watch other people while they're sleeping?" Senna said. 

"I bet you do it all the time when I'm not here," May laughed. Senna didn't need to answer that. She just stuck her tongue out at May, and that said it all.

Spark was awake too, of course. She was a very light sleeper and always sensed when May returned. Mirthana was still asleep in the next bed, and there was no sign of Tragir yet, so he was undoubtedly still asleep as well. 

"We should get going soon. We still have a long way to go. But if we hurry, we'll get there by noon at the latest, according to the map," Senna said, getting out of bed. They both started getting dressed so they would be ready. 

"Are we leaving already?" asked Mirthana, still sleepy. 

"Yes. We're leaving in a minute, so get ready," Senna replied and immediately added, "I'm all set, so I'll go check on Tragira to see if he's awake." No sooner had she finished speaking than she rushed out of the room and closed the door behind her. Mirthana was still sleepy, but she slowly sat up on her bed, stretched, and then began to get ready.

A moment later, the door to their room opened and Senna entered. Behind her, Tragir slowly dragged himself along, having clearly gone to bed very late. 

"They have really good beer here. It was hard to get to bed," he muttered, yawning widely. 

"Did you manage to get everything we need?" May asked.

"Yes. We even rented a boat, so it should be waiting for us at the docks," Mirthana replied, then added, "Although that was mostly my doing. Tragir stayed with the first beer he saw," she laughed, and May and Senna joined her in laughter. They hadn't expected anything else. Tragir gave them a frown, which made them laugh even more. 

The group set off across the square towards the docks. A guard was waiting by the boat they had rented the night before, as they had left some things there that they didn't want to take with them. The man nodded when they showed him the rental agreement and headed straight back to the boathouse. Everyone who worked at the docks slept there, unless they had their own homes. Everyone got into the boat. Surprisingly, Spark had no problem with this.

"I guess I'll be sitting on the edge," Tragir said suddenly. Everyone looked at him questioningly, raising their eyebrows. 

"What? Booze and boats are my weakness," Tragir said, looking a little offended, which made everyone laugh again. 

Then they set off down the Sei River. It wasn't difficult for them. They knew they just had to sail north to reach the Azure Sea. The river first led them through a forest that stretched along both banks. After a while, they saw a high rock at the end of the forest with a huge round opening through which the river flowed. When they looked through the opening into the distance, they saw the sun's rays reflecting off the sea. They sailed through and finally reached their destination. They couldn't get enough of the view. As far as the eye could see, a wide expanse of water stretched out before them. However, they had to turn right and sail along the coast. In the distance, they could already see the first wooden huts and a pier with a few boats moored to it. Two boats were just returning from the open sea. They were sailing side by side, and the fishermen could be seen on board. One of them stood out from the rest. He was jumping from one boat to the other in just his shorts, organizing the other fishermen and helping them pull in the net they were dragging between the boats. Everyone on the newly arrived boats stared at this individual with their mouths open.

Finally, they reached the pier of the fishing village. At first glance, everything seemed unusually normal. May couldn't figure out what the monster she had been assigned to find was. In any case, she was satisfied with the idea that everything would undoubtedly be explained to them soon. As soon as they got out of the boat, Tragir finally breathed a sigh of relief. The terrifying voyage was behind him. Senna decided to ask the first person she saw on the pier about the task. He directed them to whom they should go. They walked past several fishermen's huts to the edge of the village, where they saw a hut that looked like a giant turtle. That's how it appeared at first glance, but when they got closer, they realized it was the actual shell of a giant turtle. They had never seen anything like it before. They couldn't even imagine where such a large turtle had come from, and they just hoped they would never see anything like it again.