"Tastes like…sadness? That's not right."

  Kiyo handed Mia a cup full from the barrels on the back of the Caravan.

  She sipped only a bit and then proceeded to spit it back out. "How can water be so depressing?"

  With the morning sun waking up, the 'Second Chance' passengers readied the transport after camping along the windy river trail. They had to stop several times the day prior, primarily due to the Resonance Stones losing cohesion and stalling the Caravan.

  "And here I was, surprised you knew what water tastes like," Bryson snarked. He scooped a handful into his mouth, swished it, and spat out the remaining contents. "This is depressing. How can it be so… sad."

  "Right?" Mia replied, handing him another cup. "And here I thought it was my taste buds that went to shit."

  He yanked himself back and glanced toward the river flowing in reverse.

  "If those two agree, we have a problem," Kiyo said.

  Carl sealed up the barrels. "Well, besides that, how much freshwater do we have?"

  Pizer spilled a bit of his canteen into his mouth. "The personal waters are fine, well mine is at least. However, my canteen was full before the attack. The containers were the last to be filled after we determined that the water was potable, but when we put them in, they did not taste like that."

  Kevin checked his, followed by Kiyo and Bryson. All of them reported the same thing, which only left the mystery of the two water barrels. Carl asked Paz about it, but she said it may be the proximity to Kevin or the next Sword of Power. When asked for further explanation, she protested that she wasn't the lore expert and figured it out themselves in not-so-many vulgar words.

  "Kev," Carl said, "hey, your pendant is pulsing blue again, are you ok?"

  He did not notice the pendant or even what the color represented. It was too tight and itched on the back of his neck. Plus, every once in a while, more times than not, it pulled on the back of his neck hairs. It wasn't charming. He wanted it off. Every time he messed with it, it shocked him.

  "Why would I know how…Yes, I am fine," he answered. That wasn't what he wanted to say, yet that was what he felt once he became sarcastic.

  Carl shot a nervous glance at Kiyo, as they must have noticed the mid-switch of tone in Kevin's words.

  Bryson nodded to Pizer. "Help me get these back onto the caravan. We will keep them as they are still good until we reach the first river crossing."

  "I am not drinking that crap," Mia said, her face scrunching with disgust.

  "Then use your damn water container sparingly," Bryson said, crossing his arms with that familiar look of irritation.

  Mia waved him off as she strode to the front of the caravan. "I have my 'water'," she said, emphasizing the word that made Kevin wonder what she kept in her flask.

  "Will they ever stop arguing?" Carl whispered to Kiyo. "Honestly, it got old fast."

  A shrugged answer told Kevin this would be an annoying ride to Mordecai. He did not know what was worse: being babysat by his friend or listening to the bickering of two grown adults. He held his head low in dejection, but the feeling washed over him, and he didn't care anymore.

  Throughout the ride, flashbacks and visions of two different experiences competed for his attention. It wasn't delightful to sort out different memories, but one that he was so sure of repeatedly came into focus.

  Missing people, loss of life, and memories of those left behind. He even experienced grief over the ones that the insane Anbar, Gardros, murdered. And he did not even know them.

  "How far to the Rivergate?" Kiyo asked.

  "We should be there by noon," Pizer said. "Bar any problems, of course."

  "Of course."

  Though Carl said Pizer threw up a red flag by saying there shouldn't be any problems, the next couple of hours went uneventfully. Kevin stared out the window while hearing Carl and Kiyo talk about the Resonance Stones and their many uses. Pizer's snoring drowned out yet another argument by Bryson and Mia… seems like Bryson found out what the 'water' was that she carried on her hip.

  He stormed to the mid-cabin, "Insidious woman."

  When he spoke, the caravan came to a complete stop, lurching him forward. "Hey, why in the hell did we stop now?"

  "We are at the River Crossing, ass."

  "I had just left up there and did not see anything resembling a river."

  "Yet, here we are," Mia replied.

  Paz, who remained quiet the whole trip, awakened unexpectedly and hopped out of the caravan, followed by Pizer, who witnessed the Spore Beast's sudden departure.

  The reason for the stop became clear when they all saw what Mia had mentioned.

  According to Bryson, the central river split into several east and west paths due to the Red Mount. The larger uncrossable river to the east still flowed in its natural state, leading to the Cascadia Mountains, but here, on the western branch, the branch that leads to Mordecai and further west to Port City was dry.

  "This is impossible," Bryson said, returning to the Caravan and accessing the map. "You took the wrong route."

  Before Mia could snark back, Kevin stepped between them. "Bryson, there is no way that could have happened. The Western Station is on the other side of Rivergate. We are indeed at the crossing."

  The 'crossing' bridge stood empty and desolate. It stood proud to await travelers to and from the other side. Yet the beams holding it in place were rooted firmly into the ground. The fact that he could see the riverbed was fascinating in its own right. Tiny blue sparkles covered the bedrock like a massive, shattered, broken glass coat.

  "Do you see any fish?" Carl asked, peering down at the empty riverbed.

  "Fish?" Kevin echoed, leaning forward. "No, which is weird."

  Kiyo stepped up beside them. "What do you mean?"

  "Well, if the water just dried up naturally, there'd be dead fish everywhere," Kevin explained, gesturing at the pristine riverbed. "But there's nothing."

  "Oh, I see," she nodded, eyes scanning the glittering particles coating the rocks. "That suggests the water didn't evaporate; it went somewhere else."

  Paz scooped a handful of dirt into her palm. Sifting through the rocks, she pressed her fingers against the particles, causing them to dissolve into a tiny mist. "Resonance. Retrograded. But why is it visible and physical? It doesn't make sense."

  "That is what I said," Kevin said.

  "No, she made it sound cryptic," Carl said. "So what happened, Paz?"

  She stood up, wiped her hand on her cloak, and then walked back to the Caravan. "We keep moving. There is nothing for us here."

  Carl, not intending to let Paz get away with murder by words, was about to tell her off when she froze, looking across from the dried bed and into the treeline. A family of deer poked their heads out, possibly to drink from the water.

  "Hey," Mia said, leaning over the top of the bridge. "Are they crying tears?"

  Bryson moved beside her.

  The deer family had blue crystallized tears streaming down their faces, dripping to the ground. When the liquid hit the dirt, it instantly vaporized into a fine mist, as if the earth was burning it away.

  "By the Guard, this bullshit trip gets weirder and weirder," he said as the deer family moved on. "Pizer, did you pack a thing of mason jars? I think it was on the manifest."

  "Yeah, it's on the Caravan, but buried. Why?"

  "Captain, can you help Pizer retrieve those jars? I want to collect up this blue speckled dirt."

  "Right, because we can all use a jar of dirt," he replied.

  They all stared at Kevin, when Carl unexpectedly laughed. "Hah, good one."

  Carl moved beside him as Bryson carefully sealed a jar of the soil. "You seem to know what you're doing. Any ideas what this stuff might be?"

  Bryson glanced around, lowering his voice. "Not exactly, but Mordecai might have answers. It was a major research center once."

  "Research?" Carl asked. "Into what?"

  "Everything, agricultural improvements, weather manipulation, resonance applications." Bryson secured another sample. "The Advent Guard funded the place heavily before..." He hesitated.

  "Before what?"

  "Before it flooded." Bryson's expression darkened. "About thirty years ago, the entire city was suddenly underwater. Thousands died. No warning, no storms, just... water rushing in from nowhere."

  Kevin had drifted closer during their conversation. Something flickered in his eyes. He knew it sounded familiar, but why?

  "Mordecai sits in a valley," Bryson continued, oblivious to Kevin's reaction. "They built flood walls after, but most of the research facilities remain underwater. Supposedly, they studied water resonance when it happened, but official records are... incomplete."

  He tapped the jar. "These might be connected. The timing lines up with other... events."

  Carl caught the look Bryson shot toward Kevin, but Mia called from the caravan before he could press further.

  "If you boys are done playing with dirt, we should get moving before nightfall."

  The Caravan rumbled across the bridge toward their first destination. The approach had been smooth, but they hit unpaved, rocky terrain that wound through the hills once they cleared the span.

  Stuck in the back, Kevin discovered that riding in a caravan over this kind of ground was torture. Every bump and dip sent jolts through his body, making him question his life choices with each new bruise forming.

  "Ya know, is this what the Oregon Trail felt like?" Kevin asked after bumping his head on the back of the beam.

  Carl held on to the seat. He also felt the adverse effects of becoming an unwanted passenger of bumps and bruises. "Bryson, is this the only trail? Why does it feel like we are not on it anymore?"

  Bryson, however, was already moving to the front of the cabin where Mia and Kiyo endured the brunt of the bumpy ride. He pulled the canvas out of the way. "Did you fall off the path?"

  "Could you fall off the wagon?" Mia shot back, her knuckles white on the reins.

  "I would, but you've done that already," Bryson replied.

  "Bite me. I'm doing my best here," she snapped, jerking the reins to avoid another dip.

  Kiyo tried to interject when the caravan suddenly jolted violently, as if they'd hit a massive speed bump. Everyone grabbed for handholds.

  "Next time, avoid the large rocks!" Bryson yelled from behind them. "I don't know why, but I must remind you that you've got passengers and trade goods back here!"

  "You think you can do a better job, Mama's Boy?" Mia called over her shoulder. "Oh, right, you can't. Shut up and relax. Take a nap or something."

  "I would, but I can't with this piece of shit caravan that you clearly couldn't take care of," Bryson fired back, his voice dripping with disdain.

  The caravan rumbled in vibrations. Kevin felt his whole body reverberate, making even his teeth chatter. The arguing continued as the rumbling and vibrations increased.

  Master. They are sad. Hurry and save me!

  The bodiless voice echoed in his mind once again. A child, definitely, and this time she screamed instead of speaking. Kevin covered his ears to muffle the sound, but his mind wouldn't stay quiet.

  A soft red glow appeared in the back near the supplies. Paz floated within the glow, her expression one of peaceful bliss. Eyes closed, she seemed untouched by the chaos surrounding them, suspended in serene detachment from the caravan's violent shaking.

  Kevin's eyes drifted past Paz to the window, and his stomach dropped. There was nothing but empty air on the other side; they were traveling along the edge of a steep hillside.

  Would it kill someone to install some damn guardrails around here? Especially on this death trap of a rocky trail...

  He glanced behind the caravan, scanning the trail they'd just traversed.

  The road was smooth. Whatever was jolting them around wasn't coming from rocky terrain. Kevin smacked his head against the beam again as the caravan lurched violently. The whole vehicle shifted sideways this time, grinding precariously against the cliff edge.

  Kevin immediately became worried, but a second later it didn't bother him. He wanted to tell them to stop the vehicle, but at this point, what did it matter? It was nothing he could have done to fix it, let alone cause the problem.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "Kevin, what is it?" Carl asked. Kevin's face must have betrayed his thoughts, because Carl followed his gaze to the smooth road behind them.

  "Guys!" Carl yelled. "Stop the vehicle. Something is wrong with it!"

  MASTER! DO NOT STOP!

  Kevin tried to quell his mind. However, the argument between Bryson and Mia continued to drown out his friend's plea.

  Pizer, who did hear it, reacted and went up front to quell the noise. "Hey, stop it, you two, for crying out loud. Stop the caravan."

  Mia slammed hard on the controls. "They are not responding!"

  The Caravan rotated sideways, sending its bottom half spinning over the edge. With the vehicle's full weight on its rear half, the wheels spun out and the weight tilted them back, falling over the edge like a tipped scale to the rear.

  "Crap we are going over!" Bryson yelled.

  Mia continued to furiously mess with the controls to pull them back up, but with the front wheels spinning for dear life, digging into the dirt, it was only a matter of time before they gave way and tumbled.

  To Kevin's surprise, Paz, unaffected by their current situation, opened her eyes in anger. With her red aura surrounding her, she hopped up (which caused more rumbling), then jumped out the window onto the ground. "I swear to you, Rowen, you are insatiably stupid."

  "You could help you know," Carl said. He held onto the beam tightly.

  Paz fired off a beam of energy at Kevin's pendant. She yanked, and Kevin flew out the window, hitting the side of the mountain beside her. "This is not my problem. You all need to solve this issue. And remember, I do not care if you two 'traveled' together. He is the Sword Master. Nobody will remember any of your generic names."

  The Second Chance groaned again, this time its front wheels ground into the dirt, and the traction would not hold out much longer.

  "Paz, stop!" Kevin yelled out of anger, but then he turned emotionless, and his words softened. "Listen, I know you are in a hurry, but whether you like it or not, we will get there much faster if we work together. They will not survive. Give them a hint to continue."

  She grunted and shook her head. "Fine, listen up, dumb ears. The Resonance stones react to what's in your soul. I can only surmise it has been compounded by the dried-up blue crystals, which are probably a form of Resonance. The Sword Master and I will continue if you figure it out. Good job. If not, then, if you survive, hell, I don't know … good luck, I suppose? What do I care?"

  She pulled on the fire chain despite Carl's protests to stop.

  "Kevin!" Carl shouted, lunging forward as the caravan tipped unsteadily. His fingers grasped at air. "Paz, you can't just…"

  Kevin pulled against her, hoping to counter her pull. Despite her size, every tug was like telling a large truck to stop. "Damnit, stop!" The pendant pulsed red, but returned to its original color. He felt anger flare and then fade to helplessness, like water down a drain.

  Through the caravan's window, he could see Carl's panicked face, Mia's shock, and Bryson's calculating gaze. They were sliding further over the edge, and here he was, being dragged away by someone who didn't care if they lived or died.

  The realization hit him like a physical blow: they might not survive this. The people who had fought for him, protected him, risked everything to restore his soul – they could die here on this nameless trail, and Paz would continue her mission with him in tow, unmoved by their loss.

  No, she isn't listening cause she doesn't care, just like I did before the Anger Sword had its way.

  Something stirred in his fragmented soul – not quite anger, not quite fear, but a stubborn refusal to abandon the only people who hadn't abandoned him.

  "I said STOP!"

  The pendant pulsed red again, but it did not immediately turn colors this time. His voice echoed against the rocky cliffs, carrying a command that surprised even him. Paz turned around, pointed her staff at Kevin, and fired a bolt of wind that pushed him into the side of the mountain.

  "You think your friends matter more than the fate of all Rowen?" she snarled, eyes flashing. "Your sentimentality is what got us here in the first place!"

  Kevin reached for his baton and tried to activate the Resonance to turn it into his sword, but nothing happened. He did not want to, but he resorted to pulling the Power Sword of Fire from his palm and holding it ready. His hand trembled with the flames licking his skin, but he kept the blade pointed at her. Behind him, he heard the caravan groan again as it slipped further.

  Paz jammed the end of the staff against his shoulder. "You WILL calm down, or I will drag you to the Red Mount on your back. Do you know what your problem is? You think everyone here is there to help you out.

  Well, I've got bad news for you, Chosen One. Nobody out here really cares about you. You seem to want to center yourself on everyone, but the truth is that you have no drive, and your reliance on your friends is making you weak because you refuse to do it yourself. You are annoying. Maybe the faith will change your attitude once I hand you over to the Retsam."

  Her words cut deeper than they should have, finding purchase in the hollow spaces where his confidence should be. Was she right? Was he just a burden to them all? The sword fluctuated in his grip.

  "You…" Kevin replied, holding his chest where an ache spread outward. "You are wrong on that. I do not know what you have against Rowen, but they are good people. Now I am sorry that the Spore-Beasts are treated so horribly here, but that is neither mine nor their fault."

  She pulled on the fire chain again and dragged him on the dirt until he could stand and walk. Each step away from the caravan felt like betrayal, but the blue aura of his pendant made resistance impossible. He cast one last glance over his shoulder at the tipping vehicle, memorizing the sight in case it was the last time he saw any of them alive.

  "I am not having this conversation with you. Walk faster."

  Kevin heard a rumble from behind, no more than ten minutes down the road.

  Master! Wait for them!

  He turned his head, forcing the chain to tighten, and he was yanked forward in the momentum. "Stop!" he yelled again, returning to a nonchalant expression.

  She must have felt the vibrations as well when she did indeed stop and turn. The caravan appeared in the distance. When it came closer, he saw Mia driving, and Carl in the passenger seat, pointing.

  Mia slowed the wagon, however Carl did not wait for it to stop. He leapt out of the vehicle, and his eyes sparked as he raised his fist.

  "Let him go, or for God's sake, I will put you in the ground."

  The clouds emerged in the sky from a cloudless day, and lightning struck the chain, breaking the links and disappearing into mist.

  "Empty threats," Paz replied, with her staff glowing and a red aura encasing her being. "I dare you to use that power on me. I will fry you off this hillside."

  "Carl, no!" Mia shouted, stepping between them. "Stand down, both of you."

  Carl moved to the side to obtain a clear view of his opponent. "No, you left us to die, and tried to kidnap my friend. You have a lot of nerve."

  Kiyo moved in between them as well. "Carl, she only did what she thought was the right thing to do. We made it safely thanks to your quick thinking. Do not waste your time fighting battles that do not need to be fought."

  Carl glared at Paz as if he was not going to be swayed, when Bryson stepped next to Mia. "Hey, technically it was Mia's…" he paused, "well, mostly my fault. We did not know that the stones that operated the caravan reacted in such a way to our arguing. Let's not try to tempt fate with more emotional turmoil."

  It felt like forever, but Carl eventually backed down, and the sky returned to normal. "Pull that shit again, and next time I won't miss."

  Checking the pendant, Kevin batted him away. "I am fine."

  "No," his friend replied. "You are not fine."

  Yes, he was not fine. He could feel the worry across Carl's brow. This was not their world. Fire, elves, lightning, and large squids crawling out of wells. Everything around them is unimaginable, only a fairy tale from where they are. None of it was real, and them being here made it real.

  So real in the fact that both he and Carl did not know if dying here was even possible, yet for the past month of being here, they have come close to death several times.

  Once again, they were back on the road. But this time, Kevin could cut the tension between Carl and Paz. This time, Paz did not rest, but kept a wary eye on him, while Carl squeezed his hand several times, causing sparks to form in his palm.

  This went on for several miles as they traversed through the hilly terrain. Eventually, the path settled back next to the dried riverbed, and Bryson yelled for Mia to stop.

  She slowed down. "What is wrong now?" She hiccuped following that question, but no one noticed except Kiyo, who took the shotgun this time.

  "There is someone out there next to the rocks."

  Bryson has a keen eye, as it took the rest of them multiple attempts to see what he was staring at. He took out his baton and waded through the brush to reveal an unconscious man sprawled out with the front half of his body hanging over a large rock.

  Bryson poked at the body, turning it and propping the man against the boulder.

  "Is he alive?" Pizer asked, hopping out of the caravan.

  "Yeah, he's alive, just barely." Bryson tilted the man's head back and pressed a canteen to his cracked lips. "He's covered in that blue crystal stuff. Heat stroke got him."

  "Yo, is that even sanitary?" Kevin asked, watching with mild disgust.

  Carl smirked. "I don't think this place cares too much about cleanliness, dude."

  "How far are we?" Kiyo asked.

  Mia studied the map, her brow furrowing. "We're about five miles out," she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "If he is one of Rivergate's men, he traveled a reasonable distance without gear or protection. I am even surprised that the idiot is still alive."

  Bryson nodded to Pizer, and they lifted him. "Well, let's stop at the farm and ask around. There has to be a good reason for this."

  Though Mia said it was five miles to the farm, it felt like ten miles, and they didn't even make it to five before they had to stop yet again. This time, a barricaded road blocked the narrow road between two hillsides.

  Bryson peered out the window as Mia eased the caravan to a crawl. "Mia, can the Second Chance make it through that?"

  Mia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure, let's test that brilliant theory. And who exactly is gonna, oh I don't know, repair the Second Chance after we smash into that massive tractor blocking our way?"

  "Fine, is there another way around?"

  "There is a dry riverbed if we go back a click. Want to test our luck and maneuver on that instead?"

  "Are you being funny?" He asked.

  Mia replied. "No, but you ask stupid questions. We had to climb a hill. What are the chances that we take that riverbed and there is a large ledge that the Caravan cannot climb? Unless you can make it fly, why don't you instead make yourself useful and move this crap out of the way."

  Bryson sighed before hopping out.

  The barricade was hastily prepared. When Kevin approached, the blockage did not connect in some places, and half the wire lay on the ground. It would have been still dangerous to roll over with the wire in tangles, and moving that tractor back far enough for the large caravan to push through felt like a chore.

  Pizer raised his fist in the air. He pointed at the tractor and pulled out his twin daggers. Bryson took out his baton.

  "You have come a long way for nothing. Death walks this path now, and you would do best to turn the other way."

  A large, full-bearded man stepped out from behind the tractor with a large crossbow pointed at Pizer. He wore red overalls that may have seen the sun too many times.

  "Are you from Rivergate Station?" Bryson asked. "My name is Captain Bryson from Rowen Commons."

  "Yeah, I know who you are, Captain," the old man said. "It may have been some time, but your face tells no lies. And I see your wife is still with you. By the Creator, you two can survive anything these days."

  "Sir," he replied without even questioning the minor revelation. "Why is the road blocked off?"

  "Damn beast-kin, that's why," the old man replied. "They are maniacal and deadly. Well, it is getting dark soon. You'd best come into the station and pitch a tent for the night. We do not have much in the way of supplies, but you are welcome to any land you find to rest your head on. After that, I suggest you get moving."

  Rivergate Station - North along the Cascadia River

  "We welcome you with what we can. However, we do not have much in the way of services to offer you."

  As far as services, Rivergate had very few. Kevin wasn't familiar with this place; it had never been one of his Guard Stations. Bryson knew it well, and Mia too, but for the rest of them? Well, discovery was always the best option.

  That is, if discovery were available. Boasting six buildings, this place felt more like a way station than a midway post. Like driving to a Travel Center, or a high-end Buccee's, only add a few more buildings for residence and the Advent Guard station, and you have a midway point between Mordecai and the Commons.

  "I need to check the Advent Guard building and find out why it's not transmitting," Bryson said, heading toward a small shack with a large antenna sticking out of it. "We will stay here for the night to let the Resonance Stones recharge and set out in the morning."

  They each separated to take care of random stuff: Mia looking for what semblance of a tavern, Kiyo checking supplies, and Pizer was already off gathering information.

  "So, it's a Save Space?" Kevin asked. He tossed the metal cube in the air and inspected the edges.

  "Yeah," Carl replied, snatching it back. "Except this isn't a video game; you don't save your progress. What it does is give you a perimeter barrier. I tell ya, campers would buy the shit of these if they were known to the public. But since we do not know the ramifications of having a barrier pop around you, let's say this will come in handy one day."

  "I don't know, it would be better as a Save Space instead."

  Pizer returned with the leader of the Station, Sanders. "Well, apparently, they sent the guy we found to investigate the water situation, and when he didn't return, they feared the worst. I'd say he was rather lucky we were on the road."

  "These parts ain't safe anymore, like I was tellin' ya before," Sanders added, scratching at his beard.

  "Yeah, seems they're gettin' hammered by conscripted beast-kin," Pizer said, twirling one of his daggers absently. "The crab variety."

  "Which is why I'm sayin' it's way too dangerous for you folks to stay," Sanders insisted, his weathered face creasing with concern. "But it's equally dangerous to be traveling right now."

  "Well, regardless," Kevin sighed, resting his hand on his baton, "let's pitch a tent, so to speak."

  Later that night, Kevin walked around the magical perimeter of Carl's Save Point (he was not saying Tent-In-A-Box), as they decided that at least one person should be on guard.

  He spent most of his hour sorting through the memories, as over time, it did become easier to tell which was Rowan and what was Earth. The magical features of the Rowen made it somewhat easy, as Earth was magic-less (as far as he knew) and grounded to reality.

  Master. Momma cries for me.

  That was new. Usually, the voice demanded they travel faster, but now, it came out of nowhere. Eventually, he will have to figure out what this little child is, but if this were going to happen every time like the Anger Sword yelled at him, then this may bear more problems than it was worth.

  Despite all that was happening in his head, he heard whispering near the Caravan. At first, he tried to quiet his mind to listen, and when the quarreling did not happen, he almost gave up when he heard it again.

  He strolled over and noticed someone was indeed inside. He wished he had noted who was where, but at that particular point, it didn't matter. The whispering happened again, and he couldn't help but investigate quietly.

  "Hush…I am here…No… No…"

  From the sound of the voice, it was Mia. He caught a whiff of strong alcohol when he walked closer to the wheel. He figured she must have been in some stupor, which made him wonder if she could drive to Mordecai in a few hours.

  Regardless, she spoke again, and he made out a few more words this time.

  "Celia… beloved… Yes, he is still a stubborn ass… no… of course not… yes…yes, of course I will…"

  Celia. There was that name again. The pendant around his neck pulsed, and a chill ran through his body. His mind started to piece together information that he did not want to process - fragments rising to the surface like bodies in water.

  Kevin pressed his hand against the caravan's damaged side panel, steadying himself as the memory surfaced. The wood felt damp beneath his palm, though it hadn't rained in days.

  Back then, there was a Rowen child, and he played with her while the parents worked.

  "They call you the Sword Master, but you do not have any swords?"

  "I wield something much greater," he told the girl. "The power of your heart can wield greater magic than any evil can comprehend."

  "Sounds like bullshit," she exclaimed.

  "Hey, if your father heard you, he would have words," Kevin replied.

  "He says it always, so it's a normal word."

  "Right, but magic is magic, and bullshit.. is well bullshit…"

  They laughed as they perused the markets… markets…

  He knew this place. It was Mordecai. But the memory felt both his and not his simultaneously, like recalling a dream someone else had described. Who was this girl? And why was Mia speaking to someone named Celia as if...

  Kevin's thoughts froze. Was Mia communicating with the dead? Or worse, was she hallucinating? The blue tears, the water stains on the caravan, and Mia's secret conversations were somehow connected, but the threads refused to weave together in his fragmented mind.

  Before he could process further, Mia peeked around the corner, catching him eavesdropping.

  "Captain, are you spying on me? hic"

  She did not look drunk at all. If she was, then she was good at hiding it. Her eyes, though, held a knowledge that made Kevin deeply uncomfortable, as if she could see parts of him he couldn't access himself.

  "No, Mia," he said. "I heard noises back here. Were you talking to someone just now?"

  "You know…" she said, "You sound better now that your friend arrived, and you speak like you know what you want."

  "Wait… what? What does that even mean? Anyways, get some rest, Mia. We still have some time before we get to Mordecai."

  "Yes, sir, Captain sir!" She exclaimed as she straggled away. "You are still MY Captain. Like hell will I ever call Mama's Boy that. Damn… him... him."

  Kevin shook his head as she disappeared into the tent. He looked back at the wagon, and wondered if she was truly talking to someone or just herself…

  Clicking noises sounded from the distance. A sudden rushing feeling overcame him, and he turned in that direction.

  Out of the darkness, a clattering rushed forward out of the hills. A sudden blaring of a post alarm, followed by screams and yelling from the buildings.

  Large river crabs scuttled into view. Not just your normal variety either. Spore-Beast Crabs, and by the looks of their bloodshot eyes, they were conscripted.

  No... that's not Conscription, Kevin thought. Their eyes were blue.

  "Those are some huge-ass crabs," Carl said, jogging over. He yawned dramatically before extending his claws, lightning crackling along the metal blades.

  "Must be what Sanders was warning us about," Pizer replied, already shifting into a fighting stance.

  "This is bullshit. We can't transform into Advent," Bryson announced as he approached, his voice tight with frustration. "The Resonance Beacon still isn't functional."

  Two of the larger crabs noticed them and scurried in their direction. When they charged, Kevin and the others took a stance.

  But they were repelled forcefully when they hit the golden encampment from Carl's Tent-in-A-Box.

  Kevin glanced at Carl, who flashed a smug, satisfied grin.

  "I am still calling it a Save Point."