The flickering lights grow brighter, accompanied by the faint crunch of footsteps on the forest floor.
The sound swells, a rhythmic beat that grows louder with every passing moment. From the shadows of the trees, figures begin to emerge—a line of people, their armor glinting in the firelight from their personal light sources.
First come the hunters, their gear well-worn but ready, weapons at their sides and their gazes surveying everything around.
Behind them are acolytes in flowing robes, their hands clutching staves and tomes, their eyes scanning the cam.
Knights follow, their heavy armor clanking softly as they march, their swords and shields at the ready. Flanking the group are Namuras, their hulking forms carrying crates of supplies with ease, the sheer power of their presence adding to the overwhelming sight.
The encampment is bathed in the glow of torches and lanterns, the sheer number of people creating a hum of energy that feels almost surreal.
At the head of the group, Ark strides forward, his hammer slung over his shoulder and his expression of relief as he sees the pair alive.
"They are alive!" he calls back to the group, his voice carrying over the noise.
A man riding a Namura beside Ark sees the encampment. He looks behind himself towards a few others. "Setup here, clear as needed. We rest until sunrise. Treat the wounded."
The soldiers at the back of the group begin shouting orders, their voices carrying over the camp.
"Camp out! We wait for sunrise!" one calls, while others start dividing the small army into smaller groups, efficiently organizing the mass of hunters, acolytes and knights. As the crowd disperses, Eska catches sight of a familiar uniform moving through the throng.
Dark clothes, a long thin blade at her side and unmistakable red hair—Lenna.
The army dismounts and begins setting up camp. Among the movement, a man steps forward, flanked by Lenna and Ark, his curly mustache and confident stride unmistakable.
Eska instinctively slides closer to Valen as she watches the trio approach, her senses alert to the flurry of activity around the encampment. Valen, however, stands and moves to meet them.
He extends a hand to the man leading the group.
"It's good to see you, Cole. You got here just in time," Valen says.
Cole grasps his hand firmly, a confident smile curling his lips. "You called for an exterminator? Too bad—you got us instead!" he replies with a booming laugh, his curly mustache bouncing with the force of it.
"Yeah, yeah, glad you're all ok," Lenna mutters, her tone dry as she rolls her eyes at Cole's humor. Her gaze shifts toward Eska, her face twisting into a scowl. "Though I wish the other one wasn't here." She doesn't bother hiding her disdain, her words sharp as a blade.
Cole's expression softens as he notices Eska. "Ah! You must be Eska! You're quite famous among my hunters—it's a pleasure to finally meet you." He steps forward and offers his hand with an enthusiastic grin.
Eska, caught off guard, hesitantly extends her arm from under the blanket. The moment Cole notices her bare, bandaged arm, his eyes widen and he lets out a nervous chuckle.
"Goodness! I hope you're not undressed underneath!"
Her face flushes red as she stammers, "No! I–I'm…" She glances helplessly at Valen, as if expecting him to step in but she realizes she has little defense.
"I have bandages," she mumbles quietly, her embarrassment palpable.
"THAT will not do," Cole declares with a snap of his fingers. "Marcus! Marcus, come here!"
A man rushes over, practically vibrating with excitement. "Garments and gear for the lady. Now," Cole orders, his tone leaving no room for delay.
Marcus nods eagerly, bounding toward Eska. "We need to get you outfitted properly, ma'am. Follow me!" he says with boundless energy, already taking her hand to guide her up.
Eska hesitates, glancing nervously at Valen as Marcus pulls her along. "Uh, Valen?" she calls, unsure.
"You'll be fine," Valen assures her with a faint chuckle. "He's just getting you some clothes."
As Marcus leads Eska toward the Namuras, Cole's attention shifts to the center of the camp.
His eyes land on the dead Thaxil, their broken bodies illuminated by the firelight. Without a word, he strides toward them, his expression growing serious.
Valen, Lenna, and Ark follow closely behind, the levity from earlier evaporating.
Cole kneels beside one of the Thaxil corpses, inspecting it. His fingers trace the jagged wounds as he studies them intently.
Finally, he looks up at Valen with a grim look. "You've grown, Valen," he says. "There are few among us who can take down even a single Thaxil. You've done what most wouldn't have dared to attempt."
"It wasn't just me, Cole. Eska was there the entire time," Valen says.
"The heretic?" Lenna interjects, her tone dripping with disbelief. "You're telling me the heretic can fight a Thaxil? Don't make me laugh."
"Y—Yeah," Valen replies, the memory of Eska tearing through the Thaxil flashing through his mind.
His hesitation is brief, but the conviction in his voice grows stronger as he continues. "She's a skilled combatant, Lenna. Refused to even leave me here alone. She's the only reason I'm even alive right now."
Lenna rolls her eyes, crossing her arms as she gives him a pointed look. "You sound like you're getting attached. She's set to be executed in two years, Valen. We'd be doing everyone a favor if we just sped that up."
Valen's jaw tightens and his expression darkens with a sudden, fiery anger that catches everyone off guard.
He steps toward Lenna, his voice low but increasingly filled with authority.
"Eska has been assigned to prove her worth to Nakisk. You will not—" he takes another step closer, his gaze piercing "—make any decisions regarding her fate. Is that understood?"
Lenna blinks, momentarily stunned by his intensity, her confidence faltering. "Y—Yes, sir," she stammers, her voice uncharacteristically subdued as she takes a half-step back.
Valen doesn't break eye contact for a moment longer, ensuring his point is clear before turning back to Cole, his anger still simmering beneath the surface.
Cole claps Valen firmly on the back, his laugh ringing out with a surprising sense of pride.
"Seems the rumors are true!" he says with a grin, though he doesn't elaborate further. "Now, get yourself to the medical tent. You and your companion both need a proper checkup."
Valen nods, still processing the shift in tone and makes his way toward the tent.
Pushing aside the flap, he steps inside and immediately spots Eska sitting on one of the cots.
The interior of the tent is unusually bright, illuminated by several glowing lanterns that cast an almost surreal light. Eska's white sweater stands out even more against the brightness, its pristine color a sharp contrast to the exhaustion evident in her posture.
Though she sits casually, her eyes betray the weariness of the day, their usual spark dimmed but still present.
Eska looks up at him, her expression softening slightly as their eyes meet. "You alright?" she asks.
Valen steps further into the unusually bright tent, taking a seat on the cot across from her. "Yeah, just talking with the underlings," he says with a faint smirk. "Did they take care of you?"
Eska nods. "The nurse gave me some pain pills before he left. Apparently, everyone else is busy setting up outside."
"Good," Valen replies, his tone calm. "Then get some rest. Cole's guild is among the best when it comes to dealing with this kind of threat."
"The Hivebreakers, right?" she asks, her curiosity peeking through her exhaustion.
"The very same. They specialize in handling insect monsters, especially when it involves the hive. They're known for taking the fight inside to keep the threats from spilling out into the world."
Eska chuckles softly, shaking her head as the current situation unfolds.
Valen watches her with a small smile. But as the silence stretches, his expression turns more thoughtful. "I don't think anything like this has happened before," he says quietly. "I'm sure they're already coming up with ways to prevent it back in the city."
Eska shifts, pulling her legs onto the cot and laying down, facing him. "How many people are they expecting to lose?" she asks after a moment. "There's an entire army out there and just one or two Thaxil was enough to push us around. I can't imagine what an entire nest will do."
Valen sighs deeply, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "From what I've heard, each battle inside the hive costs hundreds of hunters. Only a handful ever come back."
Eska's eyes widen at his words. "I can't imagine the hive being easy to fight in."
"It's not," Valen replies grimly.
"The tunnels and chambers are massive but still uneven and treacherous. The Thaxil we fought earlier were just soldiers. Workers dig around to create flanking positions, nurses are even more ferocious than the soldiers and the queens…"
He pauses, his tone growing heavier. "Taking down a queen would take an entire army by itself."
Eska swallows hard, her brows furrowing. "None of that is making me feel better about our odds…"
Valen shifts slightly, meeting her worried gaze. "If anything happens, we have time to call for reinforcements from other cities. And we have hunters who specialize in fighting Titan Classes. It always feels helpless at first, but that's just the shock of discovery."
"That… that does make me feel a little better," she murmurs, her voice trailing off as her eyelids grow heavier.
Valen watches her for a moment, his voice softening. "These people know what they're doing. The camp will hold. Get some rest, Eska."
Eska gives him a faint, sleepy smile before her breathing evens out, her exhaustion finally overtaking her.
Valen leans back on his cot, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before turning toward the activity of the encampment outside.