"One's options in this world are as vast as the horizon, which is technically a circle and thus infinitely broad. Yet we must choose each step we take with utmost caution, for the footprints we leave behind are as important as the path we will follow." 

― Lori R. Lopez

– K Á R A –

I inspected the wooden raft that would soon be our ship for travelling the dusty wastelands to the northern capital. I had read many stories of its depths in this continent. The souls that have been countlessly lost to its endless orange sands. All it took was mortal underestimation of the realm's scale. A few spans without water would be enough to kill the men–then a few more to kill immortals on this realm.

I kicked a boot into the hull of wood and a plank fell off. John pulled up from his work with a dark scowl. He waved a metal device in my direction with a curse.

Tayah lay underneath a palm tree waiting for the moment she needed to weld metal parts together. A map was in her hands and she stared intently at the endless streets of the Kanton capital.

"We need more space!" Kaden complained.

John flung a towel from his sweaty bare shoulder and slapped the mortal with it.

"We need speed you oversized buffoon! Any additional weight–on top of you, will consume our time." He snapped, turning back to his hull to hammer another set of nails. Before the man could snap a retort he turned to see a giggling boy.

Yanu was tangled in the sail and buried under mounds of cloth and corse material. The hulking man's scowl melted in a moment and he began unwrapping the layers from the source. I rolled my eyes skyward and tugged at the now sleeveless immortal tunic. I wanted my hood back. It was too exposing to let every mortal witness my endless exasperation–

"This city is bigger than anything I have ever seen!" Tayah called, under the shade. Her eyes focused intently with the map spread against the stone and a hand under her chin.

"Imagine Vayleron ten fold." I told her simply, picking up a free water skin and taking a careful sip. I could feel her disbelieving stare on me.

"Do they have a whore–"

"They have everything of Vayleron. Ten fold." I cut in before letting Kaden's mind finish his repulsive thoughts.

The men exchanged a knowing look before laughing and discussing women more intently. I sauntered over to Tayah's shaded spot and crouched before the map. I pointed quickly to a spot near the centre.

"They do not hold a monarchy like your custom. There are no Kings and Queens. They have warlords." I murmured, tracing my hand to three other places across the city.

Tayah frowned at the map. "Who keeps the city in order if not a Royal guard?"

"Imagine a city run by the mercenary guild. Only there are four war lord factions. They do not compete but run it collectively. Their fighters are formidable and none challenge the authority based on their skill." I finished, thinking of the strange curved blades and knives they utilised. Light weapons. Light armour. They were indeed worthy of praise–for mortals...

I heard little footsteps shuffling in the sand behind us and the boy bonded into sight before Tayah could answer. Her frown morphed into a smirk and she allowed the boy to duck under her arm and get involved with the discussion. His wide eyes grew brighter when he saw the familiar city. He rushed out in Kanton quickly.

"My family! My family live here!" He pointed a small finger at one of the locations I had just marked–

My eyes whipped to his. "No child, that is a war lord's compound. It must be nearby." 

Tayah looked confused between us but waited patiently. But the boy was adamant and pointed again very specifically at the large compound in one of the central leaders locations. One I knew as sure as I knew the mountains in my home.

"Ma and Da!"

I frowned and ripped my eyes off the map to look at him intently for any sign of doubt. It was only excitement.

"Boy. Is your father a Vargos... war lord?" I murmured calmly. My body feeling a lethal spike travel through it.

"What is... war lord? He is father!" He grinned again, bouncing in place.

I dragged my eyes off him and back down to the map shaking my head. Tayah placed a hand on my forearm. "What is it?" But my focus was still on the boy.

"The slavers who took you, Yanu," I began as his happy eyes found my silver. "–were they enemies of your father?" I asked slowly.

His happiness dropped a shade and he seemed to understand enough to nod. "I have not been home for two summers. I was sold to them by bad people."

I blew out a heavy breath and stood up swiftly. Tayah was on her feet in an instant sensing the anxiety roll off me. I felt her grab my shoulder and lead me away to the palms leaving the boy with the map and a confused look.

"What in hells has you looking like I just stole another damandium blade?" She demanded.

"The boy..." I dragged a hand through my loose hair and levelled her worried eyes. "His father is a gods damned Vargos war lord."

"And?"

I let out a humourless laugh. "You do not know this custom, Tayah. The boy had been sold to slavers by his enemies for two summers. The moment we glance at that city with the boy anywhere near us we will be attacked by a city made of killers and hunters."

"Perhaps not. We are returning him, he is no captive–"

"They do not give time to reason. They barely tolerate outsiders within the city."

"Then we disguise him until we are outside his home." She retorted more surely, "Yanu will know his personal guard in his home surely?"

I paused considering her for a moment. I rolled my shoulders a little.

"Perhaps."

She grinned and splayed her hands. "Good enough. Whether the boy has terrifying rulers for family or not–we must do our best to return him. Look at that little face." She drawled, turning back to see Yanu steal one of John's tools and Kaden's booming laugh echo across the rocks outside the town.

I sighed and palmed a dagger out of habit. Spinning it in thought.

"I dislike the idea of involving us with Vargos mercenaries." I sighed.

They had a colourful and brutal history of their own. Though I knew not about their morals and reasoning. It could have all been in defence of the barbaric outer towns like the coastal clans. Worthy to become a monster to fend off other monsters.

Tayah smirked out of the corner of my eye.

"I've never seen you scared of mortals–"

My energy snapped into burning and powerful sparks under my skin and I felt my eyes glow in sudden challenge. "I am no such thing." I hissed at her maddeningly amused look. "It means I will have to worry about three children and you when the time com–"

"I hear a lot of words, but not much action–"

I lunged at her quickly looking to show her just how much action I could demonstrate. She danced away from my bright hand with a calm look. "I don't think you could blame it on Yanu if the mercenaries of Vargos got the better of you."

"Then I will have to take my frustration up with you." I murmured in a lethal calm.

I heard her heart rate spike before the mortal called to her from the craft.

"Tay! If you will!"

She broke our heated stare and trailed towards John's position near the sail. I watched them briefly crowd around the craft, focused on the task ahead. The Three Lions. Fighting to return a boy to his long lost family. A smirk moved my lips as I regarded them working together. Usually it had been for themselves. For coin. Oh, how the tables turned so completely. 

But I was no better.

I pulled Thanatos off my back where I had started to feel a beed of sweat travel down the line of my back. I felt the hum of power try to melt its way into my bones instantly. I stopped the flow easily. The corrupting darkness that could overwhelm one not used to its god power. I set it down against the rock under the shade of the rocky outcrop behind. I gazed at the intricate details spanning the obsidian black.

Then I placed my palm against its centre and let the feeling flow through me.

I felt traces of the one now endlessly roaming the soul rivers. I let the power of Hades briefly merge with Odin's and felt the cold calm rush around me. It had become a familiar practice. One to flex the muscles of control to be sure I always had them. I would never wield more than one relic. Even as an original it would be madness. Consuming.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw my hand blacken with vines of electricity wrapped around it. Then as if turning off a switch I released the flow and sent the black power away as quickly as it had come.

The mortals still worked on the craft with her. But I saw Tayah's stare on my hand before she quickly looked back down to the work. I smiled darkly. She had never truly felt the power of a relic rush through her as an immortal. Nor would I allow it until I had truly trained her in its ebb and flow. She had been manipulated by one. But I wanted to take that fear away. Maybe I could take her nightmares away with it.

I felt her power burn in the air every now and then to melt metals together. I leant back on my elbows with a slow exhale and closed my eyes.

I heard a cry of irritation and then a snappy response. The argument got a little more heated before I released her power again and they resumed. I did this a few more times until Tayah cursed loudly and flung a tool at my head with lethal accuracy. I caught it before it hit my face.

I opened my eyes slowly and saw her own Ares filled rage turn into amusement before she slapped John's head and indicated that he continue.

* * * * *

The sails sat limply in the hot, dry air. We all boarded with a heavy load of clay water jugs corked and stacked at the back. It formed a makeshift platform for either Tayah or myself to stand when we used our energy.

I had warned her to only keep drawing on it until she felt the well of energy in her muscles start to fade. When her body became weak it was important to rest because the heat would drain the rest of her energy more.

"You two ration this water out like liquid gold." I warned the men as they slouched under the sail with sweat already dripping off their skin. "If you need to relieve yourselves–hold it."

Kaden frowned up at me. "But if it is urgent, I cannot hold it I have a small bladd–"

John waggled his little finger in Kaden's direction instead and Kaden looked ready to strangle the man. I did not have the patience however. I moved fast and took Kaden's collar ripping it upward to make his hardened jaw slacken in shock.

"Nafferion I will scorch your masculinity off you so it never comes out that way again. Or you can. Hold. It. Until we make camp at nightfall." I finished slowly.

He nodded slowly, holding his manhood beneath me. I dropped him quickly and turned to the raised platform. "Let us move now. We have two sun quarters until sundown to rest."

I held a steady speed for us. Guiding the wooden craft over the sands until the orange sanded town disappeared over the horizon. Not a cloud was to be seen in the dusty air. For many slithers the dusty sun baked earth ran flat. Then we reached the dunes.

The others held fast to the sides and our tied down gear rocked to the sides as we crested a sandy mountain before riding down the slope at speed. The child couldn't help but scream in delight every time we did making the men grin. Tayah pretended to sleep with one hand secured on the wood but I knew she was aware. Every time I took a heavier breath to steady my energy she looked ready to force me off the platform.

But I gave her a hard look until she closed her eyes again.

I would only push her to expend her own energy until it was necessary. But soon enough after my own sheer will wore thinner, I felt the drain more completely. I let the sail drop from the winds carefully as we crested another dune and lowered my hands.

She already had a water flask raised to me as I dropped off the platform with a low thud. I gave her a weary smile before taking a gulp and corking it. But the immortal stopped me.

"I don't think so. You drink more, demi-god."

"No, Tayah. If something were to happen to the craft we will need every drop."

"You are expending a lot. I know you are–you're too stubborn to admit it and you need the water–"

"Ladies! I have a solution here!" John called, leaning on his elbows. We paused for a beat. "I will drink her share!"

We turned back to each other like we hadn't heard him at all.

"I will discuss this no longer. Prepare your energy." I told her simply. She glared at me and I levelled her with a cool look. Finally she broke our stare off and took position up on the platform.

"You look more tanned." She noted, distractedly.

I snorted and took a deliberate position under the makeshift shaded canopy of reeds where Yanu sat. Kaden was already carving him a wooden horse carefully between the dips of the craft. The boy watched intently.

We moved once again with fire propelling us forward more aggressively than the winds in the sails. I glanced at the power coming out of her palm with a smirk.

"You are using too much!" I called.

"Do not back seat drive this thing!" She snapped, her brown hair moved in wild waves around her like the flames she controlled.

I grinned and shrugged up from my position being sure to keep my balance. Then I jumped next to her and made her flinch but she held onto the flames.

"I told you–"

"Just be calm." I murmured, over the hot winds. I set my arm out alongside hers and pulled some of the energy away until the flames were half the size and the speed decreased but still moved quickly over the silken sands.

"There." I told her, watching the orange gold fire lick hungrily behind us.

She caught my eyes with a small smile. "Thank you. Now go rest." She ordered with an overly sweet tone. I ducked in quickly to brush her lips with mine making our speed falter briefly before I drew back with a chuckle.

We took turns this way until the power in us both was coming to its bottom. Much like an emptied water skin. The sun was on its retreat on the horizon and we collapsed alongside each other breathing deeply under the shade of the sails. The men murmured something in concern before Tayah waved them away with a pant.

"Go make–a fire." She mumbled.

I heard the sounds of limbs climbing off the raft and the sounds of supplies coming off the craft. I took another measured breath and already felt parts of my energy sing back into my blood. I rolled carefully to the side to watch Tayah's chest rise and fall quickly under the white tunic. Fortunately she wore more sensible riding trousers too now.

"That was impressive, immortal. You showed true stamina."

She didn't even bother to hide her shameless smirk. "Wouldn't be–the first time."

I grinned even though she could not see it. I moved for the water skin again and ripped a piece of cloth off one of the mortal's garments before soaking it in a small amount of water and pressing it against her forehead. She groaned low and smiled faintly.

"What happened to–conserving water?" She mumbled.

"I cannot help myself." I admitted. "You can take it out of my own rations for that expression."

She frowned at that and opened those silver eyes.

"Please remember to drink some water too–in fact." She pulled herself up with a struggle and took the skin from my hands. She drank deep for two gulps before moving it before me.

"Don't make this difficult." She warned, serious for once.

I rolled my eyes and took a slow but measured sip watching her over the leather. Then corked it and tossed it aside. I glanced over her shoulder and saw John had pitched the sail up and spread it making a tent of sorts with a wide square of shade in the setting sun. Kaden had already collected firewood into a pitch and was cracking his mammoth axe against flint.

Tayah glanced over her shoulder and called out to him.

"Don't break that axe Kaden!"

He threw me a withering look and struck again as the wood caught alight. He grinned triumphantly and kissed the giant blade. Tayah made a gagging noise.

"Do you know where that has been?! Because I do!"

"Silence girl!"

"You realise I can start a fire with the flick of my hand buffoon!"

I chuckled darkly and got to my feet. I pulled her up under the arms before she could start another argument that would take more of her energy.

"That's enough for one day immortal, come." I murmured, keeping an arm under her and supporting half her weight.

She leant into me dramatically and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Oh, good knight I fear the heat will consume me!"

John cackled something back. But I ducked under her suddenly and swept her off her feet easily. She protested in the most girlish scream I had ever behold. I rolled my eyes as I jumped off the edge and landed with a puff of sand.

"I have never heard her scream like that," John began,  "–and I have heard many different screams–"

"Mortal." He turned to me." Shut up." I finished, walking past him and setting down the ever drifting immortal in my arms. The fire crackled against the dry wood. The sun had fallen behind the dunes on the horizon now and Kaden was already pulling out dried meats he hoped to gain juice from the fire.

I lay with my back pressed against a chest of our supplies. I set Tayah down against a pile of cloaks but she soon rolled off it preferring my legs as her pillow. I glanced up at the stars that were starting to peak through the sky.

"Try to keep the fire going, mortal." I told Kaden quietly. "The night's grow surprisingly cold out in the dunes."

Kaden dropped me a nod. "Aye I will take first watch."

I nodded briefly feeling my own eyes droop. With the last of my energy I watched Kaden pull out the completed wooden horse for the boy. The child's eyes grew wider and he giggled, pulling the little wooden carving from Kaden's colossal hands. It was quite amusing. Seeing a man of such bulk and aggression come crumbling into a soft heart before the boy.

It reminded me of the contrasts they all had. A light and a dark. One not existing without the other but these particular mortals often chose more of their light. They were often so confusing, yet so simple.

I shifted my shoulders slightly and left a hand resting against Tayah's arm. I let my mind drift towards oblivion.