The journey to the foot of the southern mountain ended a day earlier than expected. And during their travel to the southern mountain, the three had gone closer. Kalla more especially had become friendlier towards the young men.
"But we wanted one," Darius argued as they dismounted the horse.
"No! Not around me, you can't. One is enough!" Kalla retorted.
"But why not?"
"Because I'm a bird too. So if you eat a bird then that would be like eating my cousin."
"A-ah No you're not. You're a nature spirit."
"No, I'm a bird."
"No, you're not. Brennan tell her, she's not a bird." Darius suddenly said, knowing her weakness.
"H-hey d-don't drag him into this!" Kalla shouted.
While Brennan chuckled, "Then we should find a stream, some fish might be nice." He guessed.
"Fish?" Darius cringed, not being a fan of the particular kind of food.
"No!" Kalla frowned.
"Nevermind, the innkeeper did pack us food. There should be enough until we reach the peak. Besides once we are in the mountain supplies will be more readily available." Darius finally gave up.
"How long exactly though?" Brennan asked, looking over Kalla.
"I-I… um… it's just early noon. If we get moving, we can reach it tomorrow by midday at best."
"The forest will be dangerous at night, that's for sure. We should just climb what we can until dusk, then stop before the sun sinks completely." Darius suggested.
"I agree, but more importantly… will the horses be alright with anyone caring for them?" Brennan asked.
"Don't worry, we can just let them free. I will tell them to stay in the area and wait for us." Kalla said in a cheery voice.
"You can talk to horses too?" Darius asked almost bewildered.
"Of course I can, nature has a general form of communication, we can all talk to one another." She explained.
"No wonder she refuses to eat meat," Darius whispered while scratching his right temple.
'She can talk to all animals, maybe I should be more considerate around her.' He thought.
"Well aren't you convenient," Darius said petting her head.
Instinctively, Kalla closed her eyes, a small smile gracing her lips as Darius stroked her head.
"A-ah! Stop! I'm not a cat!" She complained, a hand removing Darius's hand from her head.
"J-just leave the horses h-here, no need to tie them. I-I will be waiting over there!" She said pointing at the edge of the forest, before running off as quickly as she can.
Climbing a mountain is not as easy as it looks, the oblique land made each step difficult.
Luckily, Kalla was a great help in terms of navigation. She would just ask the bird where the right way is, so they are always on the right track.
By the time the sun was starting to sink, the trio barely made it halfway.
"We should stop here today, it's too dangerous to continue. We can't say for sure what kind of monster we will encounter." Darius said.
"It's best to rest for the night, rather than blindly moving forward." He added.
"Alright, I'll start a fire," Brennan suggested.
"W-wait… no." Kalla stopped him.
"It's more dangerous to use fire, it can spread in the mountain. Also, the monsters in the mountains are wilder and more hostile. If they see a fire, they might attack." She warned.
The young men exchanged looks, Darius only shrugged.
"I-If you say so then." Brennan agreed.
"Well, let's have supper first before the light completely goes out." He added.
That night, Darius slept first. Because Brennan insisted that he should get more rest, being the close-range fighter.
Arguing about Darius always consuming more energy and fighting fiercely, while he takes his aims from afar.
Too tired to argue, he did agree.
Leading him to a dream, he didn't want to see.
It started as a normal dream.
He was walking in a garden of some sort, the only difference is that. This one has nothing by rows upon rows of red roses. The color of dark green and crimson red comes together in a depressing manner.
He wasn't entirely sure why, maybe it was due to the massive thorns in the flower bushes or maybe it was because of the dark sky. But the place is just haunting, terrifying even.
Suddenly, the calm surrounding was disturbed by rumbling.
In the distance, Darius could see seven pillars made out of pure light.
Then he heard to most terrifying roar he had ever heard, not even the growl of a grizzly bear or the roar of a lion could compare to this one.
Then fire flashed before his eyes and when he came to, everything was engulfed in flames.
The grass, the trees, the roses – all of them started burning into ashes.
Smoke filled the air before rising into the sky.
The once already dark clouds, getting dark as the smoke grows thicker.
"There is no preventing this Darius, just lay down your sword and give up… or better yet. Switch side and serve us." An oddly familiar voice rang inside his head.
He felt a presence behind him, but when he turned to look at the person. He saw nothing but smoke, flames, and ashes.
"All must fall and burn to the ground, in order to create a perfect and brand new world where only those with power can live in."
Those were the last thing he heard before the dream was swept away. Like a mist in the cold autumn air.
When the dream shifted, Darius found himself looking at his younger version.
Blood smeared in his left cheek, a dagger in hand. He was breathing heavily, his hands were trembling, while his purple eyes looks empty and soulless.
Beside his feet was is a corpse of a nature spirit – a dryad.
Without thinking twice he carried the corpse, all the way from the forest and into the dreadfully familiar castle.
He struggled as he dragged the cadaver in the spiraling stairs of the high tower.
"I…" he said breathlessly.
"I… brought what you asked for, mistress." He said gulping thickly as if swallowing his exhaustion.
"Wonderful," Ravana turned to look at him. The effects of the last nature spirit were wearing off.
Now her once perfectly smooth skin was wrinkled and almost grayish.
As she approached Darius, she patted his bloodied cheek twice. Her long spider-like finger sent shivers down his spine.
There is no way he can stand before her without feeling a tremendous amount of fear.
"Look alive will you, I don't like it when your eyes are like those of a rotting fish." She noted.
"Now leave, I will take it from here." She ordered.
Without wasting a second Darius nodded and left the high tower, walking as quickly as he can.
He didn't want to hear it: the crunching of the bones, the splattering on the blood, the ripping of the flesh.
It was all too much.
Just thinking about how Ravana devours the bodies terrifies him.
It makes him sick in the stomach.
"Gah!" he woke up with cold sweat trickling down his neck and face.
He looked around as he stabilized his breathing.
"You okay?" Brennan asked.
"J-just a bad dream," Darius responded.
"You should go to sleep, I'll guard." He added, not wanting to sleep any further due to the fear of having the same dream.
"It's only been a few hours."
"I can't sleep after that kind of dream, go get your rest."
"Do you want to…"
"No Brennan, I'm fine. Just to go sleep." Darius said in a stern voice.
"A-alright then."
Once Darius was finally alone, he did nothing but stare into the darkness.
'Well you look rather terrible,' Ravana pointed out.
"Who wouldn't after that?"
'After what?'
"You didn't see the dream?" Darius knitted his brows.
'I did but I don't understand what the puss is all about. It happened a very long time ago, you should start moving past that.'
Darius felt the irritation growing inside him, she said those words as if what she put him through was nothing.
He sighed and decided not to listen to Ravana anymore.
'Darius, are you still holding grudge against me? You killed me, remember?'
'Can't you consider that as being even?'
"Even? You're still lingering here and making me do you favors."
'Oh have you forgotten that we share a goal, my benefit on this quest is as good as yours.'
'We are in this together.' She added.
"Together?" Darius said bitterly.
"How is that together when you're just freeloading in my body."
'I have been providing information and help more than you care to admit.'
"That's some help, you vanish all the time."
'Well I can't always stick around, I have to restore energy. Which is easier to use than to restore in this situation. I have to conserve it as much as I can.'
Darius only clicked his tongue.
'Well, as much as I love seeing you upset. We need to talk about something more important.' Ravana said in a more serious tone.
'The sacrifice is almost complete, you've already killed six creatures with the sword. That includes the witch from Austral. So far I don't think you've killed a strong creature. This won't do, you have to make sure to kill something that can give useful power.'
"The witch was pretty good, the stealth ability will be useful."
'In some situation maybe, but you need some more, something stronger. Your enemy is way powerful than you think Darius.'
'If you truly want to save your-'
"I understand, just…" Darius sighed he just woke up from a terrible nightmare and not Ravana is pressing on him.
"Let me finish this one first."
'That's good to hear, playing hero is one thing but you have to remember what's truly important to you.'
"I'm not playing hero, damn it." Darius leaned back against the nearby tree, hooded eyes staring at the branches and leaves of the tree.
Somehow, he found it so calming.
'If my heart stops at this very moment, I don't think I will mind at all.' He thought to himself as his worries and problems grow bigger in each moment.