At first, my blade-to-blade battle with the ghoul went well. We were evenly matched, with the ghoul having become slightly rusty with no challengers while I had honed myself for months. When it came to magic, I was having more trouble, but the Harmony Blade kept me safe.

After some rough battles while trying to get on the other side, we were able to stop at a cabin by the lake at the foot of the mountains we had just come from.

Isabella listened to the ghoul's breathing. Its back was turned towards her and Mychal, but it would only be a matter of time until it would spot them. It only needed to turn back, walk a few steps forward and turn right.

Ria told me that being able to use augmented items to cast spells took long training and the basic skill at casting spells normally, but otherwise it was actually quite easy. It did require more concentration than normal casting, but the increased power was worth it if the augmented item was strong enough.

One time, when she had made an unusually gross mess of some persistent ghouls who had ambushed us, I asked her about it. She only chuckled nervously and said that she had no idea. She added that she hoped that she would not find out either. I hoped so too.

After he had finished everything he needed to with his mentor's estate, Bereth set forth away from the settlement. He knew that since he had taken her ring without her children's permission or knowledge, he ought to hide it.

It was hard to believe it had been eight years since then, and even harder was to believe that it was a Midsummer again and I was here.

Edicia was not sure whether the hunters she had seen were after her or the deer family she had seen along the way, but she was not taking any chances. She made sure her shoes were secured on her makeshift utility belt and sneaked around the hunters, praying for whatever powers out there not to let their dogs sniff her out.

Friat looked at the city around the castle from one of the castle balconies. The city was peaceful, yet each time she looked at it, she reminded herself that she had been fortunate to become an apprentice to one of the court sorcerers, Ezidretim.

She must have been there at some point in her life. She was sure of it. However, with nothing to indicate where that field could be, it did not help her recover a bit of her memories or information about who she was and where she was.