The confrontation continues to heat up, with Kate sneering at Dahlia. Perus walks up from behind, hoping to ease the tension, and says, "Things seem to be getting tense. We weren't technically responsible for what happened. There was an intruder. Let's sit down, and I'll explain what hap—"
Kate interrupts sharply, "No one asked you to explain, pretty boy! We're talking to the entitled brat here!"
Connor places a steadying hand on Kate's shoulder. "Calm down, Kate. You're overreacting again."
He turns to Perus and nods. "Let's go. We'd like to hear what you have to say." He gestures toward a nearby tent, and Perus, with a wary glance back at Kate and Dahlia, heads in that direction. Connor and the others follow, while Kate remains rooted, still glaring at Dahlia, who meets her gaze with a detached expression, seemingly unfazed.
As they walk, soldiers part to let them through. Once inside the tent, Perus begins to explain what happened, though he adjusts the story slightly, claiming the bandit was an elderly man. He avoids eye contact, aware that he's stretching the truth.
Kate scoffs, "So it was your fault after all."
Perus lets out a sigh. "No, it was the bandit's."
Kate's voice rises. "If you hadn't been in the ruins, none of this would have happened! The sergeant told you to stay away, and you refused to listen."
Perus shifts uncomfortably. "True, we shouldn't have been there. But how were we supposed to know bandits would attack?"
Kate narrows her eyes. "Are you telling me two high-level magic users couldn't handle an old bandit? You ignored him and went into that chamber anyway."
Perus opens his mouth to respond, but Dahlia cuts him off, her voice icy and unyielding. "Enough! And what if we did? I came here to investigate the ruins, not to chase after bandits. We have business to attend to, and we're leaving. Now."
Dahlia turns to go, but Kate swiftly steps in front of her, blocking the exit. "You're not going anywhere."
Hex glances around, noting the growing hostility among the soldiers, who seem equally fed up with Dahlia's defiance. The air in the tent feels thick with tension, each person on edge, waiting for someone else to make the first move. Hex senses a fight could erupt at any moment. He strides over to Dahlia and Kate, placing a steadying hand on Kate's shoulder.
"I think we all need to calm down," he says, his tone even.
Kate immediately swats his hand away. "Get your hand off me, guard! This doesn't concern you."
Hex keeps his voice low, unruffled. "But it does. I was sent here to protect her, after all."
Kate glares at him, clearly daring him to continue, but Hex sighs. He leans in slightly, lowering his voice, and says, "Do you really want to get on the bad side of the Ashaults? How do you think they'd respond if you attacked their daughter?"
Kate falters, her hand lowering just slightly as she weighs his words. Hex steps forward, placing himself between her and Dahlia. "Besides, I won't let you harm her. Let us do what we came here to do, and then we'll leave."
They stare each other down for a tense moment. Kate's gaze is hot with anger, but she finally steps aside, her face set in a scowl. "Fine. Finish and get out."
Outside the tent, Hex lets out a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing. "That was close." He turns to Dahlia with a sharp look. "Are you trying to start a fight?"
Dahlia shrugs, her expression as nonchalant as ever. "She was being annoying, and I couldn't stand it anymore."
Perus mutters, "You were the one who pissed them off in the first place."
Dahlia whips around, her eyes flashing. "No, I didn't. You pissed them off with that explanation."
Perus sighs, exasperated. "I was trying to patch things up."
Dahlia rolls her eyes. "Well, you made things worse. You should have just let me handle it."
They exchange weary glances as they reach the carriage. Dahlia takes out a few satchels and hands them over. Perus and Hex start toward the ruins, but they're stopped by Dahlia's voice.
"And where are you two going?"
Perus blinks. "Uh…to the ruins, obviously."
Dahlia crosses her arms. "That would be very useful if we were actually headed there. But we're going into the forest."
Perus and Hex glance at each other before Hex asks, "Is there a particular reason why?"
Dahlia gestures toward the landscape. "Look at the topography. These ruins look like they sunk into a hole, but there's minimal damage. They claim this is the full extent of the ruins, but I'd like to make sure we're not missing anything."
Perus hesitates, then nods slowly. "That actually…sounds reasonable."
They set off into the forest, moving cautiously through the dense trees and underbrush. The air grows heavier, cooler, with the scent of moss and wet earth thick around them. The sunlight filters in weakly through the canopy above, casting flickering shadows that seem to shift and move as they walk. Every crackle of leaves or snap of a twig makes Perus glance over his shoulder, unease clear on his face.
Unbeknownst to Hex, they're not alone. Hidden in the thick foliage, a large, humanoid lizard cloaked in black watches them, blending seamlessly with the shadows. Its scales shift colors as it moves, disappearing and reappearing in brief flickers between the trees. For now, it remains unseen, observing them in silence.
Hex continues forward, his instincts not yet triggered. He's focused on the path ahead, unaware of the figure stalking them. But the forest feels heavy, the silence unnerving, as though the trees themselves are watching.
Dahlia turns, her expression hardening, and gestures for them to continue moving forward—but with caution.
As they walk, Hex finds himself drifting into memories—back to the night that changed him. The night he first turned, that visceral, terrifying moment when his body twisted and tore, morphing into something monstrous. He recalls the surge of power, raw and untamed, flooding his veins, the pain blurring into euphoria as his humanity slipped away.