?Nene!?

  Nila's trembling voice echoed in the silence. Nene turned just in time to see her coming. Nila ran at her with her arms wide open. She was about to jump at her when she regained a modicum of self-control. Her preparation overrode her instincts. She checked her cautiously, first.

  ?Are you okay??, she asked.

  Nene nodded. She lowered her gaze: she felt terribly guilty for having made her worry so much, and for having thought even for a second about celebrating together with Bugra and Kora. The fight with the floating eye had been terrifying, but it also made her feel alive! She had almost died. People who would have suffered had she passed away. That, she had to keep in mind. Nila burst into tears and held her tight. She dropped to the ground and dragged her with her. They knelt in the mud, face to face.

  ?D-don't do that… ever again…?, she sobbed, as she caressed her face furiously.

  ?I'm sorry…?

  ?You slayed it, girl!?, Bugra shouted.

  ?We have?, Kora corrected him.

  The big man gave Nene a powerful pat on the back, which would certainly have thrown her to the ground if Nila hadn't been there to support her. She bumped into her chest and laughed.

  ?What is it??, Nila asked.

  ?I'm sorry for making you worry, but... we slayed it!?

  ?Exactly!?, Bugra interjected again. ?You have a Tega Urok’s soul! You too, Tuatha!?

  ?Shouldn't you take care of the old man??, she replied.

  ?Nene…?

  Nila gently lifted her face. Nene smiled with joy and trembled with fear as Nila cleaned some mud from her as best as she could.

  ?Nene, I don't want to lose you...?

  ?I know. But… don’t you get it? I feel like I can fight back. I can keep others safe!?

  Nila finally relaxed and smiled back. Then she looked at her face, her ears, and finally her hands.

  ?You lied!?, she grumbled. ?You are hurt!?

  ?Oh… I forgot…?

  As soon as she thought about the blisters, she felt the pain again.

  ?You think you can go nuts, just because I'll patch you up after??, Nila teased her.

  ?Maybe it's part of my nefarious plan to have you spoil me?

  Nila laughed and hugged her once more. Her half-hearted laugh turned into a soft sob. Nene enjoyed her warmth, her scent, while images of what had just happened flashed before her. Her emotions slowly gave way to the realisation that something impossible had happened, and she had no clue where to start to figure it out.

  ?Inquisitor?, Bugra called.

  ?I'm busy now?

  The man laughed heartily. Old Siming was leaning onto him, coughing and cursing. He got quite a beating, like everyone else, but due to his old age, he was struggling. He was pale and hardly breathing.

  ?You are a druid, are you??, Bugra asked, turning to Nila. ?Can I entrust him to you??

  ?D-druid? Uh… okay, sure…?

  ?What are you up to??, Nene asked.

  Bugra laid the other hunter on the ground. Nila immediately went to check on him, ignoring his grumblings about how he was fine and just a little tired.

  ?We need to explore the bottom of the lake. If the witch is hiding down there, it won't be easy to reach her. The earth is a mud trap?

  ?I'm coming with you. I can notice the witch before anyone else…?

  ?No?, Nila ordered. ?You're not going anywhere. You need treatment first?

  ?Worry not, Inquisitor, I’m not trying to steal your glory?, Bugra laughed. ?My men and I will take care of it. I was a coward just before. I owe it to old Simig. You can rest?

  Kora limped towards them. She was covered in the creature's fluids and looked like a mess. Even though the blood wasn't hers, Nene was startled seeing her so dishevelled, her rudimentary clothing torn to shreds and her proud air gone. She raised an arm and showed her her sword.

  ?I found this?, she said.

  ?Thank you…?

  When she reached out to grab it, her palms screamed in pain. She groaned in annoyance and gave up on picking up the weapon.

  ?You keep it, for now. Please?

  ?Fine?

  Kora sounded cold, even more so than usual. Was she angry with her? She stood up. The last two hunters approached and immediately bent over their elderly companion. After some insults from the old man, who insisted he was fine, they turned to Bugra with a distressed look.

  ?Forgive us?, one of them said.

  ?Yes, we were cowards, unworthy of the name of Tega Urok?

  Their leader folded his arms. His intense gaze scrutinised them for a long time, finally settling on Simig.

  ?I think we all owe him an apology. We hesitated when the weakest among us rushed into battle without fear?

  ?I'm not weak!?, Simig protested, then coughed.

  ?Forgive us, Simig?, said a hunter.

  ?Let's not lose heart. We are one step away from finding the witch. Let's help carry the wounded to safety, then we'll go ahead to scout?

  ?Yes, chief?

  Nene was picked up like a twig by a hunter. She looked around, nervous. Her nostrils were invaded by the stench of sweat and fur that covered his clothes. The second warrior helped old Simig up and together they walked towards the edge of the woods, away from the shore.

  Nene looked over her palanquin's shoulder and received a smile from Nila, who was following close behind. In the distance, she saw Bugra offering a hand to Kora, who however didn't even notice him, and tried to keep up even though she was battered and crippled. When they neared the edge of the tree roots, Nila ran to the front of the group and looked around. Having identified a flat and grassy spot, she pointed it out to the two hunters, who laid down Nene first, then Simig.

  ?Will he be okay??, one of them asked.

  ?I'm already good!?, the old man complained. ?Enough with all the fuss!?

  ?Let me take a look at you?, Nila pleaded. ?There’s no harm in being safe?

  ?Fine…?, the old man sulked even more, but didn't fight back any further.

  ?Can you manage on your own??, Bugra asked.

  ?I could use a hand. Ada??

  There was no reply. Nene looked around, but there was no sign of the witch. Nila jumped to her feet, her voice immediately filled with anxiety.

  ?Ada!?, she called.

  Kora limped over to Nene's side and sat down on the ground. She checked her right leg with a grimace and left the sword on the grass.

  ?She ran away for sure?, she commented harshly.

  ?B-but… Ada! Ada!!!?

  ?What happened to the Holy Witch??, Bugra asked.

  ?I saw her?, one of the hunters replied. ?She slipped away among the trees, in that direction?

  ?Why didn't you follow her?!?

  ?I thought… I thought she would gather magical herbs and cast a spell on the monster, or something!?

  ?What were you thinking?!?

  ?I was scared, chief! I'm sorry?

  Nene stood up and reached Nila, who was one step away from running into the woods. She tapped her arm. Nila looked at her shocked, close to tears. Nene sighed.

  ?You heard him. She's fine, we just need to find her?

  ?What if... what if she’s in trouble??

  ?I don't sense anything nearby. Don't worry?, she smiled. ?I'm going to look for her?

  ?What?! No, you have to rest!?

  ?Kora and the old man are barely standing, and you have to take care of them. I'm going. I can do it. I'll be back soon?

  ?No, s-stop. The Tega Urok can search for her?

  Nene looked at the hunters, bickering among themselves. She wanted to be the one to look for Adanara, because, although she thought Kora was being too harsh on her, she was right. In all likelihood, the witch was trying not to be found. A large research group made of unfamiliar faces would have been counterproductive.

  ?I'll take care of it. Trust me?

  Nila scanned the bush and called again, in vain. Nene stood next to her and caressed her shoulder. Their eyes met, and she smiled.

  ?When I come back, you’re mine and mine alone?

  Nila gasped exasperatedly. Nene had said something that didn't sound like her and felt extremely embarrassed all of a sudden. She blushed and cleared her throat. She walked towards the bush.

  ?Be careful?, Nila recommended. ?Y-you're not even armed?

  ?I'll be?, she replied.

  She walked through the vegetation. She looked over her shoulder every now and then. Each time, she saw Nila watching her, too anxious to tend to the wounded. When Nene was far enough into the brushes to escape her gaze, she focused on her search. She sighed: she had put on a good face in front of Nila, but in truth she was furious. Adanara had chosen to disappear at the worst time. Finding her would have been like looking for a needle in a forest. After having met the Evil One itself and having destroyed a nightmare born of God knows what blasphemous magic, all she wanted was to rest. Instead, she was wandering through the woods to search for her.

  She tried not to let her emotions get the best of her. If Adanara had indeed fled in fear, she couldn't be that far. She was likely nearby, hiding, waiting for everything to be over. Unlike Kora, she didn't feel like blaming her for not having found the strength to come to their aid. The mere sight of the monster would have broken anyone down. However, hopefully, Adanara had not been foolish enough to run off to some remote place. Although the forest had proven to be mostly devoid of danger, it still was an unknown place and the lair for servants of the Evil One. Checking the surrounding area she found nothing but rocks and trees, the same they had come across that morning. The midday sun was high and made visibility as good as possible. However, without help or clues, she might never have found her. Only a stroke of luck could have resolved the matter quickly.

  A tapping sound in the distance caught her attention. The forest was extremely silent and almost devoid of wildlife. That rhythmic sound seemed totally out of place. She followed the incessant ticking that reverberated among the trees. She walked through a ditch filled with bushes and struggled to get out of it. Climbing up a slope turned out to be more difficult than she had imagined, as she was trying not to touch anything with her injured hands. She reached the top of the steep terrain and was out of breath. The sound was a few metres away from her, hidden behind a tangle of branches. She shouldered her way forward and nearly tripped and fell to the ground a couple of times.

  Having overcome the barrier of vegetation, she finally saw it: Adanara's showy hat was peeking out from behind a boulder, lying horizontally among the woods. The witch was sitting on the ground, her back leaning against a tree. She was holding a stone which she absentmindedly tapped against the boulder while staring into nothingness.

  ?Adanara?, she called.

  The witch boggled visibly, torn from her thoughts. She jumped up to her feet and was about to run.

  ?Wait!?

  Adanara stood still. Nene ran to her. After dropping to the ground, resigned, Adanara curled up and hid her face between her knees.

  ?What are you doing here??, Nene asked.

  ?Go away…?

  ?No way. We must stick together. It’s dangerous to wander on your own?

  ?Tsk!?

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  Adanara sneered bitterly and raised her head. Nene had never seen her so dejected. She tried her best to think of what might have comforted her.

  ?We did it!?, she exulted. ?The monster is dead. There is nothing to fear anymore?

  The witch looked at her disdainfully. She wasn’t going to budge, and Nene couldn’t understand why.

  ?Did Nila send you??

  ?She was worried about you. I’m too. Let's go back to the others?

  ?You look beat up?

  ?Huh? Well… Yes, nothing serious?

  Without saying another word, the woman finally stood up and walked in the direction Nene had come from. She watched as she passed, her back hunched, her clothes wrapped tightly around her.

  ?What's wrong with you??

  ?What's wrong with me?!?, she replied through clenched teeth.

  Adanara sprinted in front of her. She looked lost and terrified. Her usual facade of anger didn't hold up but for a moment. Her lips trembled, her eyes teared up.

  ?You could have died. You, Nila… all of you, and…. and I…?

  ?We made it. It's all right?, she consoled her.

  ?Maybe this time, but next??

  ?I… I hope there won’t be a next...?

  She giggled sheepishly, but Adanara didn't do the same. She turned her back and pressed on towards the lake.

  ?Let's go?, she urged her.

  ?Okay, but... listen, I mean it...?

  ?I don't wanna talk. Leave me be?

  She walked after her and didn't dare say anything else. Adanara was once again proving to be a much deeper character than she wanted to let out. Nene was awful at talking to people. Saying or doing the right thing was beyond her reach. Her best option was to keep quiet and hope that Nila could handle her sister better than she did. Adanara walked quickly, and Nene fell behind. At first, she didn't dare speak up, but, struggling more and more, she called for her.

  ?Wait?, she gasped. ?Slow down?

  The witch turned. After looking at her for a moment, she came back and offered her a hand.

  ?I can't do this either...?, she whispered.

  ?Huh? No, don't worry, I just need... I'm tired, that's all?

  Nene hid her hands thoughtfully. She didn't want to show her her wounds for fear she'd feel even more guilty, but it had the opposite effect. Adanara sighed for the umpteenth time. She kept walking, at a slower pace. It took them not too long to go back to the shore. Luckily they hadn't strayed far. They heard the voices of the rest of the group before they could even see them among the foliage. When they emerged from the bush, Nila, who was leaning over the elderly Simig, ran to meet them.

  ?Ada!?, she rejoiced.

  ?Hey…?

  Nila grabbed her sister by the shoulders. She gave her a worried and at the same time annoyed stare. Adanara lowered her eyes, like a child caught in the act, while everyone watched in silence.

  ?Where did you go??

  There was no reply. The atmosphere was getting heavy, so Nene looked around for a way out. Luckily for her, Bugra came to her rescue. He gestured for her to come closer, near the chasm left by the disappeared lake. She left behind the voice of Nila, who was questioning Adanara without getting a word out of her. When she reached Bugra, she immediately understood what the man was onto. She shivered, even though the monster was by then dead.

  ?Unbelievable?, the hunter said. ?What’s going on??

  ?I don’t know?, she admitted.

  The eye-shaped monstrosity, generated by the waters of the lake, was once again returning to its original state. Its hideous flesh was dripping everywhere, its bulk having already shrunk significantly in size while rapidly drying in the sun. The grassy ground beneath the corpse was reduced to a quagmire as if after a heavy rain.

  ?Tuatha says it’s going back to the Flow. I don't know what that means?

  ?Me neither...?

  ?I see. Anyway, I talked with Nila and we thought we should continue tomorrow?

  ?Tomorrow? Why not now??

  Nene looked at her hands and figured that her remark was silly. Bugra smiled and rested a powerful hand on her shoulder, with unusual delicacy.

  ?We must rest and tend to our wounds. Don't worry, it won't be a waste of time. In the meantime, I'll try to figure out how to get over there?

  He pointed to the bottom of the lake. It was a truly enormous chasm, composed of muddy earth, covered with water lilies and other lake plants. Like the rest of the forest, there were no animals in that place, no frogs and not even a single fish left out of the water. At the bottom of the chasm, approximately in the centre of it, a rocky area stood out, made of dark, damp stone, whose smooth surface glistened in the sun. In the middle of it, a sinister crack made Nene feel sick just by looking at it.

  ?What is it? Are you alright??, Bugra asked.

  ?I think…?, she gulped hard. ?I think the witch is in there?

  ?Excellent! Finally…?

  ?How do you plan to get there? You will sink into that mud?

  ?I think we could use some logs, but it would take days of work and many men. I'll figure out something. You should rest, Inquisitor?

  She nodded. She went back to the rest of the group who had gathered alongside Simig. Kora was off to the side, lying on the ground. She hadn't even cleaned the creature's blood off herself, and her leg looked bad. However, instead of resting, she was sharpening a stone by rubbing it against another, thus crafting a primitive spearhead.

  ?Inquisitor?, a hunter called.

  She walked to him. The elderly Tega Urok was sitting on the ground and drinking from a waterskin. He was visibly exhausted and weakened, but overall he seemed fine. When he saw her, he gave the waterskin to one of his companions and cleared his throat.

  ?Come, girl?, he said in a hoarse voice.

  Nila urged her with a nod of her head. The old man rummaged through a purse on his belt and found a curious metal object, the likes of which she had never seen.

  ?Here. For you?

  ?What is it??, she asked.

  ?It belonged to my nephew. The lake took him away from me years ago?

  Nene picked up the bizarre brass trinket. The cold metal made her feel uncomfortable when it touched her battered skin, but her curiosity prevailed. It reminded her of a telescope, the kind she had seen at the stellarium of the Citadel, but much smaller and more compact, barely as large as her palm. The thick lens was cracked and the brass had become opaque, but it was undoubtedly an object of excellent workmanship, with curvilinear decorations engraved along its entire length, reminiscent of waves.

  ?Is that a gift? Are you sure??

  ?Thank you, for giving peace to a poor old fool?

  The man smiled at her. His teeth were stained with his own blood. Nene glanced at Nila, who intervened.

  ?You're still too healthy to be talking like this?, she scolded him.

  ?Ah! You sound just like my mother?, he replied.

  ?Will he be okay??, one of the hunters asked.

  ?He's already fine?, Nila said. ?He has a thick skin?

  ?See? I told you!?

  ?Good. Now it's your turn?

  Nila grabbed Nene by the arm, implying that she had no escape. She accompanied her near Kora, where she made her sit on a boulder. She then knelt in front of her and began checking her hands.

  ?Do you need us still??, a Tega Urok asked.

  ?No, thanks. Ada, can you help??

  ?We're going to the chief, then?, the other hunter added. ?I think he wants to explore the area?

  Adanara dragged along next to her sister. She nodded and meekly accepted her every directive. Nila smeared some sticky stuff on Nene's sores, made in a mortar she'd salvaged from the depths of her seemingly bottomless bag. The poultice felt stingy. Nene gritted her teeth and stomped her feet on the ground.

  ?Hold on, like a good girl?

  After a few very long moments of pain, she felt some relief. Her hands were in a pitiful state. The sores covered in greasy goo looked disgusting, so she looked away.

  ?It's n-nothing serious, luckily. But how did you get burned??

  ?I don't know?, she lied.

  ?Really? Ada, do we have bandages??

  ?Yes. I cut a handkerchief?, she replied dejectedly.

  ?Can you take care of it from here??

  ?I can?

  Nila went to check on Kora who, in the meantime, armed with the stone that she had sharpened like a blade, was carving a sturdy branch to make a new, rudimentary spear, as a replacement for her own. Adanara wet some pieces of brown cloth with water from her canteen and wrapped Nene's hands in them. She squeezed just enough to keep them in place, but not too much to cause her pain.

  ?Try to stay still as much as possible?, she recommended. ?Bands come off easily from this spot?

  ?I'll try. Thanks?

  The witch smiled slightly. She checked the bandages one last time, then sat down next to Nene. She gently grabbed her head and searched for any wounds that Nila might have missed below her hair.

  ?At least I can do this much...?

  ?You could have done so much more?, Kora said. ?Nene had to act as bait because you stood by and watched?

  Adanara hunched her back. Her hands trembled, as did her voice.

  ?Easy for you to say?, she replied, close to tears.

  ?Harnessing what I taught you, you could have… Ah!?

  Kora groaned. She stiffened and looked at Nila who was touching her injured leg.

  ?My hand slipped?

  ?Not…?, Adanara sobbed. ?Not all of us are as strong as you, you half-monster or whatever you are!?

  ?Would that be an insult??, the shaman asked.

  ?Don't listen to her?, Nene said.

  Kora finished securing the tip of the new spear to the handle. She checked her makeshift weapon one last time, then glared at Adanara and frowned.

  ?I didn't share my knowledge with you so that you could hide behind my back, while... Ah!?

  ?Slipped. Again…?

  ?Are you doing it on purpose?!?

  ?Try me?, Nila menaced her. ?Say something mean to my sis again?

  The shaman's eyes widened, fearful. Nila's tone was so cold as to make her shut up. Adanara, after being done checking on Nene, stood up and, trampling her feet on the ground, faced her master.

  ?You taught me because it benefitted you!?, she growled. ?Also, you're not my mother anyway!?

  That said, she snatched the spear from Kora's hands and threw it a short distance away. She turned on her heel and went to old Simig, who had been following the argument from afar. Having guessed what was happening, he offered his waterskin to Adanara, who, after sitting next to him, took a long sip.

  ?She'll never grow up if you keep protecting her?, Kora insisted. ?Birds never learn to fly if they never leave the nest?

  Nila patted her thigh, making her wince. Her glare was furious. She was one step away from going on a rampage. She stood up.

  ?It’s just a bruise. Don't make any effort. The bird who leaves the nest too early falls flat to the ground?

  Kora was left speechless. Nila abandoned her. Perhaps out of fear, perhaps out of pride, she didn't say a word until Nila was far away.

  ?Why did she do that??

  She carefully got to her feet and limped to where her new spear had fallen, among the tall grass. Once recovered, she used it as a walking stick to get back close to Nene.

  ?You know... I think sometimes people need kindness to grow?, she observed.

  ?You believe so??

  ?Yes. I mean, it worked for me?

  ?I'll think about it?

  Kora's voice and manners were impossible to decipher. It was difficult to understand whether what they were experiencing was personal incompatibility or just cultural differences. Nene noticed a heavy furry cloak lying at the shaman's feet. Her clothes, revealing by design, had been torn to pieces during the battle, so one of the hunters must have lent her new ones. Whether Kora had left them there because she didn't understand what they were or for other reasons remained a mystery.

  ?What's that??, Nene asked, feigning ignorance.

  ?A mat. It belongs to Bugra. He gave it to me without explanations?

  ?Um… that's a cloak. You can wear it?

  Nene reached for her silver cloak to show her how it was supposed to be worn. Kora looked puzzled but picked up the garment and followed suit.

  ?How is it??

  ?Oh, it's... warm. It’s soft. Pleasant?

  ?He must have thought you were cold?

  ?Why would I be cold??

  ?Well, we humans, we don’t... go around naked, usually. We would freeze without clothes?

  It was also considered inappropriate to be naked in public, but that was obviously not how the Cloud Folk felt about the matter. Kora nodded and wrapped herself in the fur, all in all happy with the gift.

  ?Nene… what was that??

  ?The eye? I do not know. All I know is…?

  ?No?, she interrupted her. ?Not that?

  Kora glared at her. The tension between the two of them suddenly arose. Remembering how the shaman had exterminated the Lightbringer knights, near her sanctuary, Nene felt in danger. She looked towards the others and tried to calm down. They were too close for Kora to hurt her without anyone noticing.

  ?The symbol?, she whispered through gritted teeth. ?On the ground?

  ?S-symbol??, she stammered.

  The memory of the Evil One visiting her soul assailed her. The enemy had taken on Elora's features and besieged her mind. She hadn't been strong enough to push it away. The Archangel's protection had kept it at bay, not her. According to it, she had even welcomed it.

  ?It was you. I know?

  Nene curled up and wanted to cry. It wasn't the first time she had failed to follow the Church's teachings, but listening to the Evil One was a new level of blasphemy, even for her.

  ?I'm sorry...?, she whimpered.

  ?The spirit of whispers never brings good advice?

  Kora craned her neck towards her. The left half of her face was still covered in dried blood.

  ?Nene, are you a danger to us??

  ?What? No! No, I could never…?

  She closed her eyes and held back tears. She couldn't answer that question with absolute certainty, not anymore. As much as she wanted to deny it or at least forget it, she had played the game of the Evil One, danced in the palm of its hand without even thinking about it too much. As if that wasn't enough, she was trying to keep it hidden from her companions, while leading them to the witch's lair, to which the Evil One itself had granted them access.

  ?Moka didn't mean to do any harm either. We'll have to keep an eye on each other, don't you think??

  ?We cannot doubt each other constantly?

  Kora nodded bitterly. Inside the witch's haven, it was likely that the Evil One would have been more powerful than ever. To face the dangers that awaited them, they needed to stay united and cooperate, but how was it possible when the whispers risked turning a comrade into a foe?

  ?If you're not immune either, how can the rest of us be safe??

  ?Maybe… Adanara could help?

  ?Adanara??

  ?Yes. I will consult with her. You…stay here. You know…?

  ?I understand. I will take this opportunity to rest and meditate on what you said?

  The shaman instinctively tried to sit cross-legged, but she grimaced in pain and resigned to stay half-sitting against the rock. Although she always made a fuss about human culture and comforts, she seemed to appreciate them to a degree: she wrapped herself in the fur cloak and closed her eyes.

  Nene's account left the sisters speechless. After surviving Nila's reproaches about the recklessness and dangerousness of her actions, Nene turned to Adanara. In the past, it would have seemed crazy to consult with a witch as an "expert" on the Evil One, yet things had changed. They were in a land far from home, far from the Principality, and they were exploring an unnatural grove, facing damned creatures they had never seen before. Sunset fell upon them. The group prepared for the night, and Bugra and his men had not yet returned.

  ?What did you ask for??, Adanara asked.

  ?Nothing. I don't understand?

  ?I thought there was always a demand. The Evil One tempts you by offering what you desire most?

  The witch's testimony coincided with the studies conducted by the Church and with Nene's own previous experiences, but by the lake, she had felt something different. The Evil One had guided her body, her thoughts, and they had even had a dialogue, if it could be called such.

  ?Did you ask it to t-take us to the witch??, Nila surmised.

  ?No, I didn’t. I didn't wish for anything, it acted on its initiative. I believe that that monster was guarding the entrance to the witch's lair. It only became hostile when I tried to get closer...?

  Her statement wasn't entirely accurate which troubled her deeply. Without thinking too much about it, she had pointed the cross at the creature and, having achieved no effect, she had turned it upside-down. That was when the eye attacked her.

  ?... It got angry seeing the reverted cross?, she whispered.

  ?Are you sure??

  ?No, but… think about it. The monster showed up when I drew that… thing, and then attacked when I showed it again the symbol that the Evil One suggested?

  ?The damned we found in the church was a priest. Do you think that…?

  ?It called out a name, after witnessing the cross. “Maria”. What does it mean??

  Adanara shrugged. Nila, on the other hand, became thoughtful. They were investigating an absurd mystery without the slightest knowledge of what was happening in that place. Theirs was a desperate undertaking.

  ?“Maria” is a fairly common n-name in the Principality, I think?

  ?Is it??

  ?Maybe not in the countryside?, Nene admitted. ?But around the Capital, it is. That makes it even weirder. Why did that monster spell that name??

  ?Perhaps it was its name? Maybe it was damned?

  ?A damned... can turn like this??

  The thought that a person could turn into that horror was chilling, more than any horrendous story circulating in the Church library about the Evil One itself. The three exchanged frightened glances as darkness began to reclaim the forest. Shortly before nightfall, Bugra's group returned to shore, claiming to have found a safe route to reach the rocky ravine in the centre of the lake. Planning to continue the following morning, the group set up camp for the night.