She sat perched on a tree branch, her eyes following the small icy patterns she had created on the ground, which led to her place.

  She couldn’t stay there, not with the increasing number of lost souls. She didn’t know whether it was her ability to sense them that had improved or the one heading toward her was so much stronger that even her with basic training was able to sense its approach. She had searched and searched to no avail. There was no sign of Haitham.

  It felt strange. Since they had been together, she had gotten accustomed to having him a round. A silent shadow. Always there despite the sun’s valiant effort to erase its existence.

  She crossed her arms over her chest, fighting the urge to wrap herself up and protect herself from the non-existent cold.

  Were they safe? Did they get back to the cabin, or did she leave them there, trapped with the lost souls?

  Haitham was strong. She wasn’t much worried about him. She knew whatever the threat, he would always come on top. But what about Myril? The poor man looked two inches away from hyperventilating.

  She blew into her hands, watching the mist swirl around them and dissipate into nothingness.

  “Where the heck did he go?” she whispered.

  “I’m here.”

  She startled, nearly losing her balance and falling head first onto the ground.

  “What the–!”

  “Glad to see you too.” He grinned. She winced as his hand clutched her injured arm in his attempt to steady her.

  His eyes sharpened. “You’re hurt?”

  “...A bit. It’s not that serious.” She showed him the quick job she did in bandaging her arm.

  He swung down, landing on his feet. “Come. I’ve found a cabin not far from here. We might find something to use for your injury.”

  “I told you it’s nothing. I already took care of it,” she protested. “What about Myril? Wasn’t he with you?” She glanced around, looking for the miner.

  “He should be back with the others by now, " he said, shooting her a smile. The footprints were quite quick-thinking.” He glanced away, then back at her. “We need to hurry, or we will soon be overrun.”

  “Shouldn’t we take care of them first? They might head into the village if we wait for long.”

  He shook his head. “They’ve been here for weeks, and yet, no monster was sighted roaming outside the mountains. There must be something drawing them back to the mines.”

  Daliya shot him a look. “You don’t think…?”

  “Maybe.” He shrugged.

  Daliya frowned. Who would cause such a thing? Daliya knew there were hushed whispers against the empire. Victims of invaded lands or elemental users striking against the empire that had sworn to hunt them down. But no matter how sympathizing she was with their fears, endangering the lives of innocents was a red line they shouldn’t have crossed.

  They needed to get rid of the monsters. They didn’t have time to rest. But the stubborn man wouldn’t listen.

  The fog was a bit clearer around the cabin. It was dark. No light shone through its glass windows. They were the only ones here. With a flick of his fingers, all the candles in the cabin lit up.

  “Much better.” He grinned. “We’ll rest here, then continue our search.”

  She sat next to the window, observing the still forest. Shadows danced through the fog. Daliya watched, unsure whether it was her tired mind or the monsters who had followed them. But if it was the latter, they were content lurking at the fog’s edge.

  Haitham rummaged through the cupboards, a pleased hum escaping his lips each time he found something. He brought bandages and pieces of bread that looked like they’d been there for quite some time.

  He gently took her hand and lifted her torn sleeve. “Five minutes! I’ve lost sight of you for five minutes, and you’re already injured.” He tutted.

  She scowled. “There was more than one monster.”

  He hummed. “True.”

  She winced as he cleaned her wound.

  “Bear with it for a while. I would rather it not get infected. God knows when we’ll be able to get down the mountain.”

  He fastened the bandages around the wound a bit gentler.

  “That man, the one the miners spoke about, he was an Earth Shaker.”

  “An Earth Shaker? Was he the one whose core you detected?” At his nod, she asked, “How did he survive till now?” The monsters must have felt his core. Heck, they were roaming the area as if looking for something.

  “He hid under a layer of ground.” At Daliya’s shocked eyes, he snorted. “He’s an Earth Shaker.” He shrugged. “They’re strong and grounded as long as they have a connection to firm ground. Which, if you haven’t noticed, means anywhere. Well, except the Isles.” he added.

  “What about the corruption?”

  “What about it?”

  Daliya hesitated. “Did it affect him?”

  Would it affect us?

  Haitham looked at her, silent, then said, “It’s not contagious. So, no. It didn't affect him.” He paused. “Nor us.”

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Daliya nodded. Good. one less thing to worry about.

  “What will you do?” Haitham asked.

  “About Myril? Nothing.”

  “You know the empire’s stance on people like us. There’s no telling what could happen to him if he gets found out.”

  Haitham was strangely caring. She scrutinized his actions, looking for any benefit he might gain from any help he offered. But beneath his mask of abrasiveness, he cared deeply about the Elementalists, whether they were Fire Bearers or Earth Shakers.

  She smiled. “As long as he remains hidden, he can do whatever he wants. I’m not the real princess, remember?”

  “True. Such a shame, really.”

  She snorted.

  She lanced out the window, trying to get a glimpse through the surrounding fog.

  Nothing.

  “Who could have drawn these monsters here? It’s clear they want to halt the production of the Silver Steel.”

  Haitham let out a chortle. “Who doesn’t?”

  “Is the empire engaged in another war?”

  He stared back at her. “The war never ended, nor will it ever end. Not as long as people like us drow breath.”

  “Isn’t the crown princess an Ice Wielder? Why would the emperor view her as a threat? She’s his daughter.”

  “She’s a weapon. And like all weapons, they rust and get discarded when no longer useful.”

  Daliya sighed, her shoulders slumping. It seemed that not loving and caring father was one of the things they had in common.

  “Who then?”

  Only silence answered Daliya’s querying look. She watched as Haitham stood up and put the supplies away, keeping his back to her, movements deliberate and mechanical. She narrowed her eyes at him. His reaction meant one thing; he either knew who did this or had an inkling about their identity. Could it be a member of the assassin’s order?

  Whatever it was, she would deal with it later. Now, they had to take care of the infestation.

  “Do you think they’re out there?”

  He glanced at her. “Oh, I know they’re out there. But whatever’s out there is far more appealing to their insatiable appetite than two lone elementalists.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “Hopefully, this time, your word would find its target at first strike.”

  So he noticed. She had hoped he hadn’t with all the fray.

  She glanced down at the stark white bandage around her arm. “I don’t know… I just… what if they’re still there? What if their humanity hasn’t extinguished like everyone seems to think?” She stared at him, fighting against the shame that gnawed at her nerves. No. there was nothing to be ashamed of. What if she was right? What if they were murdering people who were stuck inside their minds, unable to ask for help?

  He sighed. “They’re not.” His voice was firm. Final. “The corruption eats away at a person’s consciousness. It’s irreversible. By the time their appearance changes, it’s too late. Whatever made them human is long gone.”

  An uncomfortable silence reigned over the room. Daliya looked down at her hands, trying to stop her thoughts from tumbling down a dark, fathomless path where only death and despair reigned.

  Desperate for distraction, she turned to Haitham. “Since when have you fought them?”

  He looked up at her, pausing. “Since I could remember.”

  “Really?”

  He shrugged.

  For some reason, the thought of a child Haitham facing down these monsters made her chest tighten.

  “We were taught how to fight before we were taught to speak. Especially after the war. We couldn’t afford to let our guard down.”

  He handed her a piece of bread that she turned down. She wouldn’t chance food poisoning with monsters out for their souls. He shrugged, tore a piece of the stale bread, and chewed at it.

  She didn’t notice her eyes closing, nor did she know when she fell asleep. She was startled awake at the loud ringing of bells.

  It was already midnight. Although they had spent the whole day in the mountain, it had felt like a mere couple of hours.

  Haitham was sitting beside the lit fireplace, his hands reaching toward the fire, feeding its dying ambers.

  “I hate the north,” he mumbled.

  “We should go.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I know.”

  He stood up. His eyes lingered mournfully at the flames.

  “Goodbye, dear friend.” With a wave of his hand, the fire flickered off.

  They walked for a while without seeing any monsters. It seemed as if they had disappeared, but the heaviness in the air indicated otherwise.

  After a while, a white light shone through the fog.

  “What is this?”

  A giant Soul stone floated in the air. It was so bright. Its color shone through the fog, illuminating the forest. Lost souls scrambled over each other in their attempt to get to it. But each time one of them reached it, its comrades’ claws would dig into its heels and flung it aside.

  “This is a trap.” Haitham’s eyes widened in alarm. “We need to leave.” He tugged at her arm, but Daliya refused to budge.

  “We need to get rid of them.”

  Haitham’s apparent distress fueled her anxiety. But their mission was clear. They needed to find the source and eliminate it.

  “These are not the problem. The real problem would be here soon. It’s much stronger than I thought. I can’t fight it and keep you safe at the same time.”

  She pulled her hand away. “I can protect myself.”

  He bit into his lower lip, his eyes roaming around.

  “Shit. It’s here.”

  He pulled her to the side, a few distance from the quarreling lost souls.

  She opened her mouth to protest. She could see nothing except those weak monsters. They had to get rid of them now while they were distracted. But before a word could reach her lips, a giant form towered over the monsters. It was so huge it dwarfed their collective forms.

  Daliya sucked in a breath.

  Hands-like limbs emerged from the new monster, took hold of the smaller flailing ones, brought them to its giant maw, and tore into them, devouring their flesh and soul.

  It was feeding on them. This monster was using the soul stone as a trap for other lost souls to feed on. The starving souls quarreled over the dangling prize, unaware of the real threat devouring them.

  Before they could decide on a plan of action, the monster’s beady eyes flickered toward them.

  It had noticed them.

  Daliya swung her sword. It clanged against its reaching arm. The force of the strike sent tremors over her arm. She lifted her sword just in time to parry another attack. But this time, the force knocked the sword out of her hand. It flew in an arc, landing amongst the flailing monsters, oblivious of the impending doom as they fought over the giant soul stone. They were like mindless creatures, as if human intelligence had never graced their forms.

  Another arm collided with her side, sending her flying before crashing to the ground. In a split second before impact, she had the presence of mind to cushion her fall with the snow. It swirled around her, softening her fall.

  She opened her eyes—eyes she wasn’t aware she had closed—to find herself staring back at another monster. She had landed into the fray. She sprung to her feet, slipping on the remains of a monster before it disintegrated. She stumbled, her arms flailing around her in a last attempt to keep herself upright.

  “Fall back!”

  Arms reached for her. She spun around, using the Soul stone as support, and propelled herself away, evading the watery appendages by a hairbreadth. Arrows made of fire shot through the air, singing the arms that had twisted around and reached for her.

  “Where are you going?” Haitham called. “Get closer to me.”

  She was trying. She really was. But the monster was between her and Haitham.

  She lifted her hand, imitating what Haitham did. Instead of fire arrows, snow and ice lifted from the ground and shifted in the air, materializing into icy daggers. They shot through the air and cut through a part of the monster’s body. The arms fell to the ground, dissolving into the snow.

  The smile that had slowly itched its way to Daliya’s face was soon erased as the monster consumed another lost soul, instantly regenerating its body. The monster advanced towards her. It had her cornered. She had no way of escape.