Warmth streamed across my face as I blinked awake. Sunlight danced between the leaves of the tree, falling across my face. Covering my eyes with a hand, I sat up and shook my head. I still couldn't remember anything. Part of me hoped that after getting out of the crypt and getting some rest, I might have remembered something. But it seems my hopes were doomed to be dashed.
      "Good morning, Rieta."
      I looked over to see Erevan sitting there with a spread of fruits, bread and cheese before him. He smiled, extending a flask to me.
      "I hope you don't mind me taking the initiative to look through your everpurse for some food. I figured we'd both be a bit peckish soon enough."
      I gazed at him for a heartbeat before nodding. "Thank you, I suppose." I smoothed my hair with a hand and turned to face him and the spread of food. "And... thank you for staying through the night. Though I imagine you took your payment from my everpurse as you looked for food."
      "Rieta! You wound me!" Erevan held his hand over his chest in mock shock. "I would never steal from an unconscious woman in need of my help!" He picked up my everpurse and opened it. "I would however take from one who is awake and watching me." He reached in and pulled out a lute. "Do you know how to play?"
      I arched a brow at him.
      "Yes, yes, silly question. But you should give it a try! You never know what might shake loose."
      "Can I eat first? I'm quite hungry. I don't remember when the last time I ate."
      "Oh? Are we allowed to joke about such things? Because I have a few ready to go."
      "You are not." The fruit was fresh and juicy, and utterly delicious on my apparently very empty stomach. I was starved. I felt Erevan's eyes on me. I glanced up at him and arched a brow. "Can I help you?"
      "You are... very precise in your eating."
      "What is that supposed to mean?"
      "You're controlled, exacting, but also graceful, elegant. Your eating is as much about how other people perceive you as it is about satisfying your hunger."
      I paused. He was right. As hungry as I was, I couldn't bring my hands to move any other way than they were. My bites were small, controlled. "I... can't eat any other way."
      "That's some intense muscle memory." Erevan took one of my hands in his. "You must have practiced diligently for decades."
      "Or I wasn't given any other option." I glanced at him and pulled my hand from his. "I need that to eat." I continued eating until I was finally sated. Erevan joined me after a bit, letting me eat in silence. When we finally finished, we packed everything away into my everpurse.
      "Where do we go now?" I said. "You mentioned a settlement within a day's walk. Are you certain there's nothing closer?"
      "Truth be told? It's possible. I just know for certain the township of Trellvyn is a day's walk. The forest of Restrau is not exactly hospitable to visitors."
      I touched my chin in thought. "I'm not about to risk my life on an unknown. We head straight for Trellvyn as quickly as possible."
      "A perfectly reasonable assessment," Erevan said. "Let's head out, Rieta! We've no time to waste!"
      I gave him a quick glance then nodded. Erevan lead the way into the forest. I cast a glance back towards the pit where the entrance to the crypt hid. I'd awoken there with no memory and now I only have one chance to figure out everything I lost. Or so my instinct told me. And it told me one more thing: I'd lost more than just my memory in that crypt.

       The day wound late when I heard the shouting and cries of battle. Erevan paused, glancing at me with an arched brow. Hesitation gnawed at me. What point was there getting myself involved in a fight that hadn't sought me out? Even so... something said it was the right thing to do.
      "Gods damn it all." I turned and started at a brisk jog towards the sounds of fighting. Erevan made a sound of amusement and his footsteps soon followed. Soon the brisk jog turned into a run as the shriek of a child cut through the air. I curled my hand and focused on the rapier I'd summoned before. A heartbeat later, the familiar weight settling in my hand as a glowing circle of arcane runes flashed through the air, revealing its length with their passing.
      I focused forward, passing trees and underbrush, until bursting into a clearing where the scent of blood immediately struck my senses. Surveying the scene, about six adults formed a loose wall around a group of huddled children. Circling them were carrionites. Beastial, wolf-like humanoids nearly three meters tall, the carrionites all stank of blood and offal, their claws and jagged swords all dripping with the blood of the bodies scattered across the ground of the clearing. Their dark fur matted with grease and sweat, they lurched about in swaying movements that belied the strength contained in their sinewy muscle. But the curious thing was the muzzles around their toothy maws.
      A curiosity that would have to wait as one of the carrionites lunged towards the defenders. It lashed out with claws and sword, the defender narrowly dodging before retaliating with a strike of their quarterstaff. Another raised their hand and threw a globule of flame at one of the carrionites, the flames striking the beast and drawing a guttural snarl.
      "I really hope you have a plan!" Erevan said as we charged forward.
      "So do I!"
      Our footsteps drew the attention of the carrionites and three whirled to face us as we approached. The first, and largest, loped towards me with a growling snarl, raising its claws to strike. I felt the stillness overtake me again, the hum of music in my bones. And more... there was... what was...
       "Lady Rieta, I must insist that you keep to the studies I have prepared for you!"
       "So you would chain a stallion to a lead weight and tell it to run?"
       "What? No, of course not- Lady Rieta, that is not the point. Magic is a delicate craft. Even one as gifted as yourself must take care in-"
       "The sparrow presumes to tell the eagle how to fly. Leave me. I will attend my studies myself. Inform my grandfather you are no longer necessary."
      "Rieta!"
       Erevan's voice cut into the memory and I twisted aside from the carrionite's claws at the last heartbeat. Ducking below its outstretched arms, I lifted my hand up and drew my fingers through the air, a pattern of arcane runes hovering in the air.
       "Ignivios Via!" The words rang with power as I encanted them then slammed my hand down into the ground. I snapped my gaze up towards the children and their defenders, my will seeking them out. A moment later, the ground between the defenders and the carrionites glowed orange as red flames burst up from the ground in a wall around them. The children shrieked and recoiled further as the defenders flinched away.
       "Rieta, move!" Erevan's shout was desperate and I felt the claws scrape across my back a moment later. The blow slammed me to the side and I tumbled across the grass, taking in a shuddering breath a moment later. My head spun and the flow of magic teetered as I forced concentration. I rolled onto my back to see the largest carrionite stepping above me, drool dripping from between the bars of its muzzle. It raised its claws to strike as I lifted my rapier.
      "Don't move." The voice was unknown. Then a lash of black shadow struck out from the ground behind my head and pierced through the center of the cardionite's neck. It gurgled and went limp as the shadow resolved itself into the figure of a man, a long sword in his hands and jammed into the throat of the carrionite. He moved the blade aside, letting the body fall, as he turned back to me. A dark skinned human man with parallel scars across his right cheek, he wore a loose shirt and dark trousers, an open leather gambeson speaking to a haste in his dress. Poking out from just under his shirt, I could see swirling lines of what might have been a tattoo across his chest. His black hair was done up in thick box braids with green beads at the end.
      "Are you okay?" He held out a hand to me. I took the hand and he hauled me to my feet. There was no pain.
      "Somehow."
      "Then keep that wall up protecting those children, and let's finish these damnable roaches!" He whirled and charged towards another carrionite. His longsword cut into it with greater speed than his lithe frame would have suggested and shadows clung to him with each step.
      I looked over to see Erevan using two short swords as he danced between two carrionites. I dashed forward, raising my rapier, then thrust out, catching the beast from behind and through the throat. The thing went limp and Erevan used the chance to slam a sword up into the other's gullet. Giving me a wink, we turned to see the newcomer dicing up another carrionite, leaving only three that were beginning to back away.
      "Do not let them get away!" someone shouted from within the wall of fire. "They cannot find out where the enclave is!"
      I ran up, gathering magic to myself. "If you can hold them in place, I can end this!"
      "Leave it to me!" The newcomer halted and knelt down, sinking his sword into the ground. All around the carrionites, shadows reached up and lashed around their limbs, halting them.
      "Ignirvas!" I threw my hand out and a bead of orange light streaked over to nestle between the carrionites. Only to explode into a ball of fire and light. I fell to my knees, all the strength in my body suddenly fleeing. The light and heat disappeared and I looked up to see the charred corpses of two carrionites falling, the third barely alive.
      "Just die already," Erevan said. He stepped forward, a bow readied and arrow drawn. He nocked it, took steady aim and loosed. The bolt sunk into the eye socket of one cardionite and the beast fell, stilled at last. Erevan shook himself with a sigh. "Horrid creatures. I didn't think they hunted in these woods."
      "They don't," the newcomer said as he approached, wiping down the blade of his longsword. "But these carrionites--" He lightly kicked the body of one. "Were brought here as fodder for the Praiteron Army." He held out a hand to me. "Well met. I'm Adran Faen."
      "Rieta." I took his hand and he pulled me up again. I looked over to the wall of fire and ended the flow of magic. A moment later, the flames vanished, the singed grass the only indicator of its presence.
      Adran regarded me for a moment then walked over to the defenders. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. The birds only just sighted the hunting party."
      "The children have survived and that is what matters," one defender said. "Once we get to the Enclave, Master Amakiir can raise the barrier and we will be safe."
      "Then let's not waste anymore time," Adran said.
      "Hold on a minute, did you say Praiteron?" Erevan said. "The border with them is over a week's march away. What is their army doing here?"
      "That is certainly the question," Adran said. He chuckled dryly. "Technically it's not even the army proper but a forward camp that's wreaking havoc on the outlying villages. They're using carrionites and letting them hunt the refugees they create." Adran's fist clenched. "It's disgusting."
      As they spoke, something inside me stirred at the mention of Praiteron. Was that... satisfaction? But... at what? I shoved the feeling down and looked to Adran. "You mentioned an Enclave. What is that?"
      "Ah, yes, it's a shelter created by Master Amakiir to protect the people of Tellvyn against the army's attacks," Adran said. "All are welcome. Please come with us."
      "Thank you for your hospitality," I said. Adran turned and joined the children, picking up one of the youngest to carry. His sword hung at his hip and, for a moment, it almost felt like one of the shadows on him was looking at me. I blinked and the sensation disappeared as Erevan fell into step alongside me.
      "This is all rather dower," Erevan said. "If there really is an army coming, I don't recommend prolonging our stay at this so-called enclave."
      "Our?" I quirked a brow at him.
      "Yes, ours, Rieta." He leaned in closer. "I think we both know by now that I'm not going to leave you quite so quickly." He caught a lock of my hair and curled it around a finger. "Especially not until I'm certain you don't have what I need from the crypt."
      I gazed at him for a heartbeat before shrugging his hand off. "You had a chance to search my everpurse while I was asleep. If you're looking for an excuse, you'll need to try a little bit harder than that."
      Erevan chuckled. "You're not wrong. But I'm not convinced. See, you can do magic. And since I know your rapier exists in a fold of space, you could have any number of things hidden in similar folds that only you can pull from. Until you remember everything you have hidden, I think I'm going to keep following right behind you."
      "If you insist." I hurried my pace and caught up to Adran. "Tell me, Master Faen, how long has--"
      "Oh please, call me Adran," he said. "Master Faen is my father."
      I blinked then nodded. "Adran. How long has it been since the Praiteron's forward hunting party arrived here?"
      "They arrived at the border a month ago. Their attacks began a week after that. Now they've set up camp close by."
      "Where is the border guard? Surely they should have done something about this."
      Adran scoffed. "Tassion recalled the majority of its illustrious border guard about two weeks before the attacks began. The skeleton guard we were left with was overrun in a heartbeat. And now refugees are left running for the cities with carrionites nipping at their heels." He shook his head, stroking the hair of the child in his arms. "It's chaos."
      "Maybe that's the point," Erevan said.
      "What? What are you saying?" Adran said.
      "The border guard was recalled just before Praiteron started its attacks?" Erevan smirked. "I've never been one for coincidence."
      Adran went silent, staring forward, the gears in his mind evidently turning.
      "Adran! Are you certain we can trust these two?" one of the defenders said, looking over Erevan and I with thinly veiled hostility. "How do we know they aren't Praiteron spies?"
      Adran glanced at me then at Erevan. "Given how the border guard is decimated and they leapt into the fray without hesitation, I think we have no other choice than to trust them." He gave me a listless half smile. "And at the very least, I want to practice having faith in people. What about you?"
      My throat tightened. I had hesitated. But now was not the time to share such details. "For as long as I can remember, I've tried to help people."
      Erevan stifled a snort. "To which I can attest. I'm Erevan by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you, Master Faen."