Erik woke up before sunrise, his pounding headache gotten worse ht, and now there was a stant stabbing pain in his chest. Any more, and he’d have trouble fog on anything.

  He felt like he had spent the previous day running himself to exhaustion, only to then drink himself into a stupor—judging by his current intense hangover-like state.

  With effort he gathered his things, while the little vulture observed him from its per the headboard of the bed. Erik had decided to leave it there. He had noticed the previous day, that his dition didn't appear to be affect by the form the vulture took. Whether it was dormant in the Blood Rune or summoned in its current form, his state tio steadily deteriorate.

  He wao avoid anyone seeing him so he po head directly for the Whisper. He unsummohe vulture before leaving his house, got his backpack full of all the provisions he had prepared and headed out. The darkest part of night had just passed and was slowly being chased away by the ing su was enough for him to make his way.

  Skulheim was surrounded by a vast forest on all sides, with its graveyard and Erik's house situated at its southern point. There was also the vast Draugkeld mountain a few hours east of the city. It was a Death Zone, a pce too dangerous to be inhabited by humans. All manner of beasts, Nilgrim and Draugr were said to prowl its caves and valleys. And that was where Erik was headed. Thankfully his destination was only in the foothills.

  Before long Erik was trudging through a small trail that led there, which wasn't hard to follow. M birds were beginning to spin their somber songs keeping him pany as he hurried as best as he could.

  This region of the forest was famous for its nightly dew. That was because the mountain had a heavy mist hanging over it nearly all year round. And during the cold nights fluorest water droplets accumuted on the leafs of the trees aation. It made for a stark trast against the bleak pnt life, which was also distinct for this part of the world.

  It tinged Erik's path in soft blue light.

  He almost never got a ce to see it in its full glory ae his situation he couldn't help, but think how beautiful it was—and how dangerous.

  Some of the water droplets were of different colors. The poisonous pnts ged them to indicate for others to stay away or in some cases to entice...

  As he was walking he saw a motionless lizard that had camoufged itself orunk of a tree. It was a beetle, which bathed itself in purple dew inside a cup-shaped leaf of a bush beh the tree. After a few moment the beetle had grow to twice its size and turned a lumi purple color, it then spread its wings and took flight.

  But before it got far the lizard moved with lighting speed and ate the i. It too ged color, which gave it away and a bird swooped in from a branch catg in its talons. The bird tore the lizard apart and ate on the spot.

  It then flew away from the gory se, where for most part there was only lumi purple blood left and some remains.

  Slowly, the pnt's roots emerged, and ed the blood and whatever was left.

  It was a small remio Erik that out in wild—life was ruthless, there were only predators and prey here.

  Erik tinued his trek through the forest, getting closer to his destinatioep at a time. He figured that it should take him much loo get there. His slightly shaking legs—whether from exhaustion or nerves—nearly made him trip a few times at the final stretch.

  To distract himself from what was to e and his somber thoughts he summoned his Gift. The little thing chirped and cawed along with the other birds, but more than anythiiced that it stantly sed the surroundings.

  He observed it thoughtfully for a bit.

  "Perhaps I should give you a name instead of calling you bird or vulture all the time," he said.

  It gave a short caw in response.

  Hmm, what would be good name for you...

  "Nightwing?"

  It remained quiet.

  Maybe not... He struggled to e up with anything good.

  "How about Powerbeak?"

  He got a scree respo did not like that.

  "Alright, alright! Not this one."

  He then thought back to its powers and where they bonded, and it came to him.

  "... Gravesight," Erik said thoughtfully.

  This time he got a normal croak and could feel a vague sense of approval.

  "Gravesight," he said it agaiing a feel for it.

  "I like it."

  Just then the vulture flew down in front of his fad squawked.

  "What is it?" Erik said, while looking around in arm.

  The little bird turs head to the front and stared fixedly at something. After a few heartbeats he barely mao see it too.

  Out there in the dista the foot of the mountain was a smoke trail from peared to be campfire. It was exactly where the path was headed and where the Whisper was supposed to be.

  Before he proceeded Erik dismissed Gravesight who dissolved into mist.

  He cautiously moved forward, careful not to make too muoise while using the trees for cover. After some time he was close enough to see what was happening.

  There were some people camped at the edge of a clearing, a storow away from a peculiar tree that stood in the middle of it.

  But Erik didn't spare them any further thought as his sight ulled towards the tree.

  It was barely over a dozeall, however it felt like it stood higher than any of the others around it. It had a... gravity to it.

  As he observed it, the m light danced around it making its leafs and the single fruit it bore almost shine.

  It felt sacred.

  Then a quiet voice whispered to him, intangible yet familiar. Like a loving parent inviting him to e bae. He had the urge to walk out and embrace the tree.

  "Whoever is out there show yourself immediately," a gruff voiapped Erik out it. Blinking a few times in fusiourned his attention back to the group of warriors.

  There were half a dozen of them in white furs and bearing a blue crest with a snow fox. They were from the same noble he had been running into. But Erik did not see the noble s or the younger guards that were apanying him he library.

  "Shit!" he hissed.

  He ched his teeth. Curse my bad luck!

  What do I do now! he frantically though.

  His headache and chest pain were already making things difficult. At this rate by the end of the day he wouldn't be able to do anything, maybe eveime was running out.

  Erik was stuck trying to decide if he stay hidden and see how this pys out or e out. But when two of the soldiers moved in his dire he put up his hands up and came forward slowly.

  "Good m, warriors." He tried to greet them as friendly as possible. "If you don't mind, I am just here to ehe Whisper."

  "You 't. Our lord is in the process of quering it." Said the same person who shouted earlier.

  The man was middle aged with a scar running diagonally across his face. His helmet was the only ohat bore a twi of curved horns, marking him as the captain.

  “Oi, isn’t this the same kid that got in our way the other day?” said one of the guards nearing Erik.

  “Aye, that be him… does he want to beg the lord to join the or something?” voiced the oo him.

  “Don’t be absurd… only those with promise join! Not just some random street rat,” called another one from the campfire.

  “Maybe we should teach him a lesson…” said the first, a hideous smirk on his face.

  "Enough! Don't disgrace the with some petty squab—"

  In that instant a violent roar shook the surroundings, drowning the voices of the warriors. For a split moment everyone froze.

  "NILGRIM! BATTLE FORMATION NOW! We ot allow it he Whisper!" shouted the captain.

  Somewhere up the mountain, the sound of trees breaking echoed down. The guards, all of them Rune Bearers, sprang into a. As ohey moved up the slope to meet it in battle.

  Erik was rooted in pce as images of his parents battling one such monster fshed through his mind. There was no way he could fae—and live. He o get away from here as fast as possible. He o run!

  On instinct he summoned Gravesight, who flew towards the Whisper and circled it ones. It looked back at Erik and cawed, as if approving and eng him.

  Then his tormenting pain intensified bringing him down to his knees and out his frozen state. His ears ringing and breathing hard he closed his eyes and tried t it under trol. After a moment he somewhat regained his crity, but the pain was not subsiding. He g the Whisper, it was only a dozen yards away—his only hope.

  Gritting his teeth he dashed for it.

  The shouting of the men and roars of the monster were getting closer. By its desperate howls it sounded as if the warriors were winning, but Erik couldn't afford to wait and see what would happen. If he was caught up in the fight he would die and if the guards won and came back, they wouldn't let him ehe Whisper.

  And he didn't have time to find another so he would die anyway—this was his only ce.

  He dashed for the tree and pced his hand on it just as Gravesight disappeared bato its rune. For a moment nothing happened, rising a slight pani him, but then an invitiion blossomed in him as if he was looking at someoh spread arms waiting for his permission to give him a hug. He gave in and embraced sensation iurn.

  Then the world around him disappeared.