When Kiyeri woke up, he didn’t even have time to realize when and where he was when he felt a strong nausea with his first deep breath. Realizing in an instant that he wouldn’t be able to hold back, he suddenly sat up and leaned to the side, immediately after which he began to vomit and to his own surprise, a metal bucket was already in front of him.

  “Kiye!”- an anxious voice came from above and someone’s hand began to rub his back.

  For some reason, Kiyeri was annoyed by this, he turned his shoulder several times trying to get rid of it, so the hand withdrew. After a few dry heaves and a small amount in the bucket, he finally felt relieved and sighed. Someone handed him a piece of cloth in front of his nose. Taking the cloth, Kiyeri wiped his lips and, breathing heavily, threw his body back onto the bed, spreading his arms to the sides as if defeated. "Can‘t remember the last time it was so bad..."

  Only then did he slowly start looking around. Next to him, Ashiya was sitting on the edge of the bed with a worried face taking cup from the table and handing it to the patient. The entire space around seemed unfamiliar. A small room with two tiny windows that let in very little sunlight, an old, cluttered wooden wardrobe with chipped corners, a metal-framed bed that creaked annoyingly with every movement, and an equally cluttered table. The wooden floorboards had obviously been walked on for many years.

  ?For how long was I out? “, Kiyeri asked taking a cup.

  ?More than three hours“.

  ?Three hours??“, Kiyeri almost spit out the water. ?No wonder it‘s so bad... Where are we? “

  ?We‘re at the outskirts of Bronze city, I found a cabin, a little farther from center“, Ashiya explained.

  Kiyeri’s heart froze, face white. Although this room looked cramped and poor, it was obviously lived in. Warmth came from the furnace at the back of the room, where firewood crackled. Sheets were old and yellowed, but clean. There seem to be pleasant sent of warm food floating in the air.

  After finishing his water from that cup, Kiyeri asked, tone strict ?And how did we get here? Does this cabin still have an owner? “

  Ashiya pressed his lips together in silence before answering in an even tone, ?Yes. The owner is making soup for Kiye, as we speak “.

  It was true, when Kiyeri listened closely again, he discovered sounds coming from behind that full wall furnace, His heart went back into its place and started to beat again rhythmically. After realizing, they were guests, he asked again, ?So, how did we get in here? “

  ?She let us in “, Ashiya answered, as he was lifting the blanket, to look at Kiyeri’s wounds, ?When Kiye stopped breathing, I poured all mana I had into Kiye’s body, then ran through fields carrying you. There are cabins in outskirts, far apart one another and there was a light in the window of this one, so I knocked, until it opened”.

  “Someone let you in themselves?”. Kiyeri could not understand what reckless person would do that – 2 bloody men running away from burning forest in secret, a threat indeed. He also doubted Ashiya had done everything peacefully, without force.

  In the meantime, woman emerged out from behind that furnace. Looking at her face, one would suggest she’s about eighty years old, but she moved like much younger would. Her long white hair, done in a braid seems to make her look even younger. She smiled lightly, while carrying two metal bowls of soup.

  “I did indeed let you in myself”, she said giving one bowl to Kiyeri and placing the second on the table, in front of Ashiya, “Careful, it’s hot. But I did not invite you for free. You, little children, will keep me company and do some work”.

  Kiyeri felt shocked, but after considering atmosphere was normal in this room, he calmed down. When he looked down at his bowl, he saw yellow rich soup with chicken and vegetables, incredibly fragrant.

  “Thank you” he said while drooling.

  Behind the furnace came lively “You’re welcome”.

  “Bread?”, Ashiya offered one slice, “I don’t know if someone is looking for us, but no one came here for now. The Town good 10 minutes away, we won’t be able to hear anything from there”.

  “How about the fire?”, Kiyeri asked.

  “It died as soon as I walked in. How was Beyond?”

  Kiyeri jumped, “Yes! I almost forgot. I found something interesting. You know how I told you, there is a white infinite space, with no width length height?”

  Ashiya nodded while eating, so Kiyeri continued, “In some distance I saw some white slab of rock, I guess, and on that rock, silver circle was engraved, same shape and size, like one on my chest. It was far and glowed strongly, so I could not make out more details, it may not be empty, like mine.”

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  “Kiyte couldn’t walk closer to it?”

  Kiyeri took full spoon of soup into his mouth, chewing and swallowing slowly, that gave him time to process some things, “I only saw it before the awakening, so just didn’t make it. I will have to go back for inspection”.

  Ashiya looked deep in thought, “If it looks the same as Kiye’s, its definatly worth investigating, but will it be so simple? Kiye may end up in whole another place everytime. It may not be worth it.”

  “Aaaahhhhh… Lies have short legs…” Kiyeri thought. But when he thought about it, dying now would be inconvenient, they should investigate the last Temple first, as it’s covering Metal, it should be holding some answers. So he decided to drop Beyond's plan for now. Sipping on the last bit of soup, he felt tension finally leaving his body, “Yea… Let’s visit the Temple first, then will see”.

  When they fled the capital almost a year ago, they chose the north, knowing that it was less protected by soldiers. Later, after talking about what had happened, they decided to search for answers together and they needed to start with the temples because if the Metal Sign had disappeared, there was a high probability that it had returned to its stone. The Metal Celestial stone was the southernmost in the entire kingdom, so they were as far from their goal as it could be. It was decided they would visit all Celestial stones, maybe find some clues, feel the synchronization of energy, or something, but failed to find anything. Now, after a year, there was no hurry, once the Sigil returned to the stone, it could not be appropriated by a person again for ten years, which is why there was a ceremony for passing it from one bearer to another, not losing military capabilities.

  These temples also had a secondary purpose. If the human body accumulated mana naturally during the day, then the mana accumulated near the stone would be replenished hundreds of times faster. Ordinary residents who did not feel the energy threads still visited temples for a reason. After sitting here for half an hour, wounds healed faster, illnesses passed more easily, and simple fatigue disappeared altogether.

  For bearers of the Sigil, ten minutes of meditation completely replenished huge reserves. In normal life, this amount could last for a year. Wounded, without food and water, such a warrior could survive for a month on mana alone, this fact was confirmed by the skin of Kiyeri himself when, after the fateful ceremony, he was kept and tortured in the dungeon. He remained in such conditions for almost three weeks until his first death.

  “About the Temple”, Ashiya broke the silence, “Remember that cloth on the arrow Kiye collected? It’s a letter from Ruki”, he passed down a little bloodied bundle of cloth to Kiyeri.

  “Why would she do that?” Kiyeri asked unrolling it and instantly recognising the fabric. Luxurious white silk, one corner embroidered with golden and blue threads. This was a kind of fabric, that was used to sew uniform tunics for royalty. Kiyeri never liked it. By putting these kinds of clothes on, it seems they declared, they will never get dirty, but in Kiyeri’s squad, everyone was equal – uniforms just like that, worn by Dali and Ruki were black and dirty the first day on the mission.

  Now, he held this piece of the past before his eyes, and written in it by coal was message:

  “I am forced to hunt you. Next midnight, Temple gates, I have information”.

  Kiyeri looked to Ashiya and they exchanged knowing glances. Ashiya opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again, squinting his eyes. Kiyeri knew what he was thinking. If Ashiya and Prince Dali couldn't pass each other without swearing, with Princess Ruki he didn't interact at all unless absolutely necessary. Although the girl always behaved properly, didn't break the rules, didn't like to use her title, and studied diligently, Ashiya simply never liked her, and now she was coming at them. On the other hand, Kiyeri admired her dedication to improving herself, and taught her everything he knew, and if it weren't for a few bad antisocial habits, she would have been the ideal princess.

  “We can’t just ignore this”, Kiyeri said.

  “Fine, but I will go alone”.

  Kiyeri thought. He did not have mana to heal quickly, it could be obtained at the temple, but how could he get there safely? Ruki would definitely be protected by guards. Ashiya's reserves were also empty, but he was healthy. If he could sit in the temple for at least two minutes, it would be beneficial, but he could be followed on his way back. Meeting Ruki at midnight already seemed unreasonable, but meeting her unprepared or injured would mean death.

  “Mmm, that’s for the best, but you need to restock mana first, can’t go defenseless”, Kiyeri turned to face furnace, “Grandma, do you have some old rags to spare? My friend here needs to dress before going to the city”.

  “No one is going anywhere. I already said I have work for you two”, the woman answered from the kitchen area.

  “We will do anything you ask, but later, ok? He needs to go out for a bit”

  That woman came back to the room, this time carrying a basin with steaming water, some bandages, and a basket. She put everything on the table and sat down in front of Ashiya smiling, “Child, do you really think some random old lady will let you in at night, just like that? Then listen to everything you talk and would not run to seek help?”

  Booth guest stared silently at her.

  The woman rubbed her forehead, “How na?ve can you be? Button down your shirt for me.”

  Ashiya looked confused, “I’m not injured…”

  “I can see that, I have eyes”, losing her patience, the old woman moved to undress Ashiya herself, “In my days when you tell a child to do something, he does. Who disciplined you? Asking questions, defying the older, what a disgrace”.

  After buttoning down Ashiyas shirt, with some help, the old woman pressed her palm on his Sigil, “I don’t have much, but you will have to manage. The Temple was guarded even before you came, but after what you did here, it may be locked. If you go alone, you may not come back at all”.

  Both of them were in shock, Ashiya jumped from place yelling, “No, wait, he’s hurt, give it to him!”

  The woman snatched him back, “Tch, sit down! As if I couldn’t see what you two were the moment I opened the door, you think I survived this long by being stupid? It won't help HIM, his wounds are infected with foreign mana and won't heal until clean. When it’s poured directly into the heart, mana is filtered and converted, but if you get it through wounds, it is the same as poison. Who taught you? Did you skip your classes in the academy??”

  “Madame, did you serve in the military? Or medic brigade?”, Kiyeri finally asked.

  The woman finished transfusing mana, dipped one bundle of cloth into water and turned to face Kiyeri, “I was a Bearer of Metal Sigil”.