Most students were still asleep, and Regina was among them. Sighing, Peter joined one of the few groups awake with familiar faces: Kostel, Jack, and Ariana. They were having coffee and scrambled eggs around a fire. The engineer he met the first day of the trip, another normie, and three cultivators Peter only vaguely knew were also there.

  "Coffee?" the unknown normie offered a cup.

  "Thanks," Peter gratefully accepted. It was unexpected to see the two kinds mingle. A part of him expected Jack to find some chore or prank for him.

  "I'm going to see if I can find out their secret," Jack said, throwing the remains of his coffee into the fire.

  "Whose secret?" Peter asked.

  "The Dayaks’," Jack said and went away.

  "The guys who won the game," an unknown Cultivator girl said. "We spoke with a New Zeelander, and he said nightmarish monsters appeared with the fog, and they were paralyzed, unable to do anything. When the fog disappeared, all returned to normal, but their flags were captured. It means those guys did something to control the fog."

  "Melinda thinks it was a coincidence," Kostel said. "Even high-ranked cultivators couldn’t control that thing.”

  One by one, the group disbanded, with only Ariana and Peter hanging around. He ate the remaining scrambled eggs with a piece of bread, and she stared into the fire.

  "I'm happy for you and Regina," she said at some point, looking sad. It meant she was unhappy about her own situation.

  "She's not yet over him?" Peter asked, noticing she was looking at Melinda’s tent, where Kostel had just entered.

  “No. Kostel is goofy, older than her, and appears reliable, so I think she'll keep him for now."

  "I'm…" he swallowed the sorry while Ariana shrugged and walked away.

  Waiting for Regina to wake up, Peter went to the provision tent and asked for more eggs to make her something when she appeared. He had a few bottles of orange juice in his backpack.

  Jack reappeared first, looking a bit befuddled. "I talked to their headmaster, the village elder," he said without Peter asking.

  "He's from Earth?"

  "Yeah. The guy had potential, advanced independently, and transformed his village's school into a remote learning Cultivation center. Anyway—”

  "How did they use the fog?"

  "They didn't. No one told them the fog was dangerous, and they moved their camp there to hide from the rest. There was an error on the map we were given, so it was within the trial’s limits. At night, monsters came. They ran and got directly into the… whose camp was that?"

  "I think Japan's in the end."

  "And the fog followed them. The Dayaks were more resistant to the mental attack, he said. When the fog retreated, they profited and took the flags. It was just luck.”

  “Hm… luck? They got two flags before. Was that also luck?”

  "Yeah. Those colleges made their camps next to each other and went crazy, fighting each other. Some countries still hate each other. The Dayaks went in when only a handful of fighters remained."

  "Good tactic."

  "Hey guys," Regina said, appearing next to them.

  "Oh, hi," Peter said, kissing her.

  "I'm going to check if there's some hunting task to do," Jack said, leaving them. Regina sighed. Peter fondled her hand. Asking if she had second thoughts was on his mind, but it was a question best left apart.

  "I'm happy with you," she pecked Peter’s lips, reading his mind. "I just want him to be OK and go on with his life."

  "Who knows, maybe he and Ariana would get together," Peter joked. "They both like dogs."

  "That's it!" Regina exclaimed. "We have to bring them together." There was no doubt in her voice about interfering in other people's lives, her fanatic eyes reflecting the conviction of the sacred duty of coupling people she thought belonged next to each other.

  I hope she won't make some dolls to mind-control them…

  They were too tired to work and didn't leave the camp to forage or hunt. Around noon, many tiny bell noises attracted the guards' attention. Melinda flew away to inspect the source and returned shortly. "A local peddler, all's good. These are peaceful, don't attack them."

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  A food truck, only pulled by a bilghie, appeared and was installed between the camps. It offered hotdogs and local beer. The seller was none other than Redroar's husband, and the cubs assisted him. Peter and Regina went to say hi; they were the first customers.

  "We’re making some extra money," Bluebrow said.

  The beer and the hotdog were twenty bucks together, so the Lionfolks’ plan was not bad. A line formed, mixed from the two camps. Soon, the cubs got bored by the work and began playing. Shredder ran out of the camp and joined them. A few kids from the Dayak camp approached timidly, and the cubs invited them in, enthused to have new partners, treating them with free hotdogs.

  Peter and Regina were sitting on the grass, not far away. She tucked into his shoulders, wrapping her hands around his arm. “I hope that one day, we’ll look at our kids playing like this,” she said, and Peter kissed her, nodding.

  Bluebrow packed when all his merchandise was sold. The caravan left but stopped for a minute near a group of trees. A silhouette appeared, joining the group, and Peter realized Redroar had been there all the time, guarding her family. They were talking about something, the cubs gesticulating and the adults nodding.

  The food truck soon continued on its way, but one of the cubs stayed behind and ran on all fours toward the couple. It was the lion girl that had won the game of hide-and-seek the week prior.

  "Hey, sweetie," Regina said softly. "What can we do for you?"

  "Mom said: let Peter know. The human kids told me their tribe's totems could control the fog and its monsters. It’s something about artifacts. Mom also said she invites you to go treasure hunting. Just say when."

  Peter slackjawed.

  "You pretended to be friends with them to spy? That's not nice," Regina frowned. Remembering Ariana's scratches, Peter put a hand on her arm to stop her from lecturing the little lioness.

  The cub shrugged. "We did not pretend. It was fun. But we told them everybody is afraid of the fog, and they bragged how they're not and told us everything."

  "Very well, whiskers zero zero seven," Peter sighed. "Tell your mom to meet us tomorrow, after sunset, to the south of our camp."

  The cub executed a military salute and rushed to join his family.

  "We have to tell the others ASAP," Regina said once they were alone.

  "Yeah… I think it’s time to talk like a group and make a plan. The Cultivators failed to control the fog. This is the first advantage we have on them. It’s big.”

  "Woof!" Shredder barked, begging for attention, turning upside down to be scratched.

  "Sorry, boy. I missed you too," Peter rubbed the pet's belly and chest. "You spend so much time with Ariana I barely get to see you."

  "That's it!" Regina exclaimed, all excited. "You have to give the pup to Ariana and Jack! That will bring them together."

  "That's a bit extreme… but maybe I'll agree to share custody… Let's go for a hike. I need to clear my head…"

  He offered her a hand, and they strolled on the hill, choosing the places with lower grass or paths. The Japanese wheels had left many traces, which worked for the better. In the distance, they could see Oxford Castle. A line of people and vehicles were heading inside. When everyone got in, a brief flash followed, and the building disappeared.

  The next hour passed pleasantly, with the pup entertaining them with his jumps and cuteness. When it was clear the warg was exhausted, they returned to the camp. "Go ahead, I want to speak with the Dayak chief," Peter said.

  "Why?"

  "To find more bout the fog, of course. ‘It’s about artifacts’ is too vague for my liking."

  "Mind that you don't lose your head," Regina said.

  Peter smiled. "Nah, I already lost it to you. And my heart."

  She brushed her fingers against his and took off at a jogging pace, calling Shredder to follow her. Despite the sky becoming cloudy and a drizzle starting to fall, the Dayak kids were still playing. Peter beckoned one. "Hey. Can you tell your chief I want to talk with him?"

  The kid looked at him briefly, then ran to his camp. Peter watched him approach an old man, all wrinkles. The chief raised his eyes, met Peter's, and then nodded. The young man approached slowly, activating his HUB and Insight in case the situation turned hostile. A few tribesmen followed Peter with their eyes but kept their distance.

  "Hello," the chief smiled. The man’s face, albeit wrinkled, looked pleasant and happy.

  "Hello, chief," Peter said, returning the smile and offering a handshake. "I'm here about the…" his eyes looked behind at the fog sea.

  "Is this about the little lie the kids told those pups earlier?" the man asked. "They have a lot of imagination."

  "Cubs... Yes, kids have a vivid mind…"

  The older man's eyes became serious. "What do you want?" A couple of warriors moved closer.

  "I suppose you don't like the Cultivators much." Because you hid the truth from them.

  "I don't know yet if I like them or not. I never tasted one," the man said deadpaned.

  "That can be arranged." Peter grinned. “I might be interested in hunting some soon. Bad ones who hurt kids. Maybe you’d like to join.”

  

  This is not a System world. I’ll take any help available.

  “My priority is my tribe,” the chief shrugged. “As long it’s not in danger, I’ll pass. What do you want?”

  “I'll be brief. We’ll keep the secret of the fog if you do too. We can share the hunting grounds—"

  "We prefer to hunt alone. Keep south of our camp, and we’re good," the chief said.

  "As you wish," Peter said. "Any… tip?"

  The chief continued after a long pause of staring into nothingness. "The Cultivators don’t understand the fog. They tried to tame it but failed because the fog is about wisdom, not force. It reacts to you. That’s the key. Personal items with deep meanings of protection will shield you from the fog. For us, it’s our totems. Don't come back. This conversation never took place."

  Peter Warped to the hill he had come from, half a mile away. It was an intentional show of force to make the Dayaks think twice about whether they should get rid of the competition. What their game was, he had no way to know.

   the System spoke.

  "I wondered where you were."

  "It remains to be seen. Where do you suggest we find some powerful artifacts? The college has a few trinkets, but they’re kept under key…"

  

  "Oh, boy!" Peter facepalmed. "I just remembered something… It's just perfect."