Osias eagerly watched as Kiran respectfully implored the Heron to heal him.
For a brief moment, he was unsure of his brother's actions… Osias might've been mistaken but his brother looked like he was preparing for battle, as if he was seething in anger before abruptly pouncing on the Heron.
So he was slightly confused about his brother's decision to talk to the Path Beast, but he couldn't figure out another option.
So Osias lowered his head along with his brother and waited.
Seconds passed and slowly the hairs of his body raised in a blend of fear, worry, and anticipation.
A minute passed and nothing happened. The water was still, and so was the Heron's body. He couldn't see past its wings with his lowered head, but he decided against directly looking at the Heron's face.
And then… the water rippled gently. Hesitant, and anxiously curious, Osias slightly raised his gaze.
There, he found that the Heron didn't unravel its wings like earlier, but simply lifted its head and raised its eyelids.
'Powerful…'
Recalling the battle above ground, Osias was once again reminded of how weak and helpless he was. The Outer Valleys were no such place for an Ordinary like him. It was only because of Kiran's overbearing strength that he could survive. The moment he was disconnected from his lifeline he could only scurry off to extend his life for just a few fleeting moments.
'Strong… Strong enough to pull my weight. That alone is enough.'
Osias nodded, he didn't need any elaborate reason to obtain strength. Tightly spent time only brought him closer to understanding that in this entire world, he only had Kiran.
To fight and survive together, that was all he needed to focus on for now…
But just a moment later after being observed by the Heron, it finally did something. In its drowsy-like bearing, the Heron nodded gently at them and directed its head to the water, only for its eyes to close again. Tucking its neck, its face was hidden once more in slumber.
As if it told them to heal themselves.
Both Osias and Kiran returned a puzzled look to each other. This was far from an expected response. A sudden attack would have been more anticipated.
"Brother… what now?" Osias whispered under his breath.
Kiran scratched the back of his head and a small sigh escaped:
"I don't know."
The Heron dismissed them despite being aware of their presence. Should Kiran gain its attention once more? But that may only provoke the beast.
It was mentioned that the Heron simply healed Garm, after he…
"Osias, stay here. I'm going to try drinking the water."
"Hu- What!?"
"The Heron isn't healing us like Garm told so. But Garm also said he drank from the water before he was healed. So I will follow first."
"... Be careful then, brother"
Osias observed as Kiran inched closer to the edge of the lake. Careful not to provoke the Heron, he tried to move non-threateningly.
If they weren't in the presence of such a powerful and stalwart beast, Osias could have found the scene amusing because of Kiran's usual gaunt bearing attempting to make himself small.
Luckily the Heron continued to rest despite the approaching Kiran.
As Kiran brought himself aside the water's edge, he dipped a finger into the clear azure water.
Thinly coating his finger, he brought it to his mouth and tasted just a drop. Osias was practically trembling in keen anticipation.
For a long time he had suffered in silence as he had been thrown into these circumstances, and the first solution to a string of hardship was potentially in front of him. Even his elder brother as well… he desperately fought harrowing creatures in the desire to fulfill just one goal for Osias. The first stretch of their road was here.
And yet… Kiran showed no reaction as he consumed the drop. Just before Osias was to ask if a drop was enough, a slight raise in Kiran's face stopped him from doing so.
Retrieving his spear, Kiran abandoned the pretense of appearing non-threatening to the Heron and cut a small slit on the tip of his finger.
Then, he set his spear aside and dipped his bare hand into the gleaming water:
"I see… It's the water, Osias," Kiran said in a low voice.
"You don't consume the water — you simply immerse yourself in it."
In the next moment, a few bubbles floated above and within a few eerily quiet seconds, Kiran pulled up his hand — unharmed and healed. Inspecting the recovered cut Kiran continued:
"I felt no odd ploy with essence, but there was a slight burn. But it's part of the healing I assume...Although I don't know if there are any long-term effects, we have no other choice. Go ahead and bathe."
Osias nodded and followed his brother to the edge of the water. Considering their lack of options, he can only take the plunge and hope for the best.
"Here, I'll help."
Kiran began to help strip Osias down, preparing to submerge him in the water. After all, his legs along with the rest of his body were tortured and battered for weeks without relief.
Undressed, Osias's body was laid bare. It was thrashed and damaged, littered with sickly wounds. Most were still open under their worn bandages, radiating both pallid and dark colors in turn. Despite Kiran's cleaning of his wounds… Osias was a rotting mess.
Yet gliding away from his wounds, tattoos covered most of the surface of his legs, torso, arms, and even from his back stretched to his neck.
Skin that was unharmed and untouched by Garm's needle was scarce and few.
It once again reminded Kiran of how inapt a body it was for a child so young.
Carrying Osias into the water, Kiran gently set him in, starting with his legs.
Almost immediately the water poppled and bubbled.
'Is it because of the extent of his wounds?' Kiran wondered.
Further submerging him deeper, but not enough to cover his head, Osias was visibly healing beneath the clear luminescent surface of the water.
It truly seemed like a blissful sanctuary of rapture away from the rest of the world.
Osias felt scalding burns, but an equally powerful sense of reprieve as though he escaped death. This was true to an extent, both brothers were aware that he couldn't last any longer.
The body of an Ordinary… no matter how much the essence flows through, it has limits.
From the Ordinary to the First Ordeal, one works their essence manipulation regardless of how small or large their reservoir is. Endless practice is needed, you can always conserve and be more efficient with essence usage. This is the foundation that Path Finders must build upon.
Minutes pass, and Osias begins to have feeling return to his legs. The blistering wounds that tortured him began to close and heal.
And yet, Osias found the properties of cerulean water increasingly perplexing as time passed and the bubbling gradually slowed.
Unbeknownst to Osias, his brother was pondering the same thing behind his shrouded thoughts:
'Is this the Heron's Ordeal Ability? Or was it an extension of one?'
"Osias, how much more? Best we leave immediately."
"A little more brother, I'm close. I… I think I can move my legs now" Osias said.
He started with his toes, getting past the odd feeling of regaining his senses on a limb so deprived of sensation for more than a week.
Then he tried bending his knee.
It was a little dull and weak, but that was to be expected. Lifting himself above the water, Osias felt… rejuvenated.
With strength, speed, and resilience, Osias felt his return to health once more.
This entire time, Kiran has prepared for the worst. But seeing the joyous smiling boy in front of him, he can only be pleased by this development. His usually pruned lips curved slightly and showed his rarely-seen teeth.
"I see… that's good. Now come. We mustn't linger here."
Osias stood up, his feet still touching the earthy basin below the water. The cool, healing waters cascaded off his skin in rivulets that sparkled from the dappled gemstones. As he stepped onto the grassy shore, he returned to the still vigilant and ever-watchful Kiran who extended a hand.
Firmly grabbing onto Kiran, Osias realized he still felt… infirm. Although his health has returned, he cannot rush his recovery. After an extended period time of stagnation, he required a moment of acclimation.
"Feeling better?" Kiran asked, his voice a deep rumble.
"Much so, brother," Osias replied, a grin spreading across his face. He reached for his pile of clothes, still rugged, dirty, and bloodied. He began dressing, and soft laughter bubbled up as he struggled into his tattered garments.
Kiran raised an eyebrow:
"What's so funny?"
Osias chuckled, fastening his rag-like robes:
"I'm dirty again. All that effort to heal, and I'll look just as ragged as before."
Kiran shook his head, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth:
"I see. Do you want to wash them in the Heron's water?"
Osias just stood motionlessly in fright at his brother's poor joke. He quickly glanced back at the Heron and whispered to Kiran:
"The hell?"
Kiran only gave a small laugh in return, a show of condolences to Osias for humoring him.
Working off the sudden stress, Osias finished dressing. Squatting down and rolling his shoulders, it felt wonderful to have autonomy over his own body once more. The relief from the water's healing properties was profound, but the reality of their harsh journey remained.
…After all, there was still the mist they must navigate through. It would be foolish to disregard the mist as a meager venture, but celebrating this small triumph is a fulfilling start.
A start that may lead to Osias finally undergoing his First Ordeal.
He came aside to his brother, and they gave a slight bow in gratitude to the Heron.
Osias and Kiran slowly retreated to where they entered the vast expanse. Comfortable, and uneventful they reached the opening that led outside the expanse.
Perhaps Kiran saw that past Osias's bravado and noticed his nuanced clumsiness revealing itself in the short walk, but Kiran stopped and began to prepare a slight rest before they continued.
Seated, Osias rummaged through his barren belongings.
A well-made, yet aged First Ordeal short sword. It was small for adults, and practically a knife for someone of Kiran's stature, but it fit Osias.
Despite his inaction throughout their travels, its hilt, once finely crafted, was worn down, the intricate carvings and designs smoothed by years of use and his relentless grip. The leather wrapping was frayed, with patches that had been hastily rewrapped in places where the original material had completely worn away, revealing the cold steel underneath. It was a sign of Osias's rigorous training in the Band, although not as extensive as the others his age because of the time spent being tattooed by Garm...
And the blade… like many of the band's weapons, it was ruthlessly fashioned. A marvel of insidious craftsmanship, the blade spiraled. A unique serpentine design that twists from the hilt to the tip.
Tearing through flesh and bone with a vicious efficiency, it yearned for its foes to bleed.
Nicks and scratches marred its surface, each one a silent witness to the countless days it was used.
Next of course was the dark cloak he donned. It wasn't special, simply an Ordinary dark grey draping cloak fit to traverse the mountains.
But most important was its obscure pouch that lay aside Osias's ribcage.
There, it held something dear to him, the only object of endearment he had left.
A carefully protected porcelain vial sat within its cushioned surroundings. Although the vial was abnormally resilient, Osias couldn't help adding more care to the vial.
After all… It contained a blend of blood from his mother and father.
It was tradition for fallen members of a family to have their blood essence absorbed by their kin before discarding the body. But Osias who has already in a way taken in his parent along with the rest of the band's blood essence from the grand ritual, was given this precious vial by Kiran before they disembarked from the band.
So he'll have a much more special part of their parents alongside them in their travels.
Nodding to himself and closing the pouch he thought that it was a great time to ask Kiran something that had been burdening his head:
"Hey brother… Do you think you could defeat the Heron?"
Opening his eyes, Kiran remained motionless in thought as he sat against a wall of stone:
"Depends. I only have clues of its abilities, but even so, I wouldn't like to test them. Besides, had we fought you were sure to die."
"Would you die?"
"I'm hard to kill."
Osias shared a small laugh, that reply was just like Kiran. Throughout their journey, they have only fought for their lives a handful of times, each time Kiran. Of course, some things were beyond his capabilities, but they were scouted in advance or they ran.
Yet, not once have they entertained the idea of fighting a Third Ordeal Path Beast. Such beings were… strong as they were rare.
"Is the Heron a Third Ordeal Path Beast?"
"Indeed."
Kiran peered back, towards the center of the expanse still deep in thought:
'Though there's something… different about this one.'
The great Heron remained atop the water, motionless and still as it did the moment Kiran and Osias appeared before it.
Resting as if it sought to slumber through the end of the world.
Suddenly, like a spark that threatened to ignite a grand forest, Kiran shot up from his rest. A cynical and insidiously sickening thought followed him:
'Solitary and isolated. It allowed Osias to be healed from its waters…'
'It wants nothing to do with the outside, yet how - how does it sustain itself? Third Ordeal's are still on the cusps of mortals, they too need sustenance.'
Kiran's sudden movement startled Osias. Knowing that Kiran does not move without reason, and certainly at this level of urgency, Osias immediately understood that something was amiss even before Kiran said anything.
"Osias. Circle and stay by the walls of this expanse. I'm going to test something out right now. Ready?" Kiran said with a low glare.
"A-Alright." He stammered out.
The pair broke apart promptly, Osias clutched the hilt of his blade, reveling in his ability to move. Following the brief, yet clear instructions of his elder brother, he ran right to the rugged dark walls of the cavernous expanse.
Between left and right, Kiran didn't mention which side mattered so he arbitrarily chose left.
'This entire expanse makes a round circular shape if my eyes don't lie. What happened for Kiran to tell me to go against the edge? Is there something I need to find?'
Looking back to the tunnel they arrived in, he found Kiran preparing himself for battle. And with a deep breath, Kiran slowly lifted his foot and tipped towards the tunnel.
But he stopped just as his foot touched the ground.
And the air… something ruinous seeped into the air, something Osias recognized immediately.
'Murderous and violent intent.'
This feeling engulfed his surroundings and Osias knew that only a single being could give rise to such intense dread.
Turning his head to the center of the lake, he found the Heron…
The Heron's eyes snapped open, revealing a fierce, predatory gaze that belied its angelic appearance. The once serene and beautiful feathers seemed to shimmer with a sinister light, and its aura transformed into one of deadly malice.
Osias could feel the immense power radiating from the Heron, a power that promised swift and brutal retribution should he move. Fear grasped his heart, recalling his earlier conversation.
Returning his attention to his elder brother in the distance:
'So is this why he told me to get near the edge? To hide away?'
Once again, although he knows that there's almost nothing he can do, he is cast off to the side.
And just as Osias came to this realization…
The battle began.