Frey inhaled sharply, his eyes tore open.
He threw his head left, then right, scanning his surroundings.
Intense exhaustion was weighing him down, but he forced himself to get up.
The survivors were spread around, no sign of tentacles, or any other kind of danger…
There was only one person he was looking for, only one back turned his way.
He ran up to her, then stopped, his heart dropped, seeing the ruptured patches all along her skin.
Beneath the surface there was an unending darkness, "Agnes… wha-" his brows furrowed, but the figure turned to him.
He was scared to touch her, but a set of arms slung around him, embracing him tighter than ever before.
His eyes reddened, he returned the hug.
Frey gazed over Agnes' shoulder, where he spotted the remains of two corpses.
An unrecognisable chunk of flesh, that still had the tiniest of appendages sticking out from its body, and a similarly destroyed, but far more human-like husk.
"Marquis Gomon?" Frey gasped.
Their embrace loosened, Agnes let go of him, and turned in the same direction, "He stepped in between us, took the strike that was meant for me."
"…a warrior's death." another voice came from behind.
Agnes tilted her head, it was Daren, who half-walked half-crawled his way closer.
Daren frowned upon seeing the mutilated man he had started looking up to.
"He went out just like he had wanted, protecting us till the very end." Daren continued.
"I wouldn't have expected him to." Frey whispered, then cleared his throat, "What about you, Agnes? What is… this?"
Agnes rotated her arms, taking in both sides, but it wasn't just there, these gaps covered all of her body.
"I… don't know. There are holes on the outside, yes, but even on the inside."
"On the inside?" Frey repeated.
"Mhm." Agnes affirmed, "I also can't feel my connection to my ice magic… but that's a worry for later." she looked at the injured, and mostly still unconscious survivors.
"Let's rest for a bit, wait for the others to wake up, recoup our strength, then get out of here." Agnes nodded at the two, then shot another glance through the area.
The dagger and her staff, both were gone without a trace…
… …
The portal was flickering; its connection was far from strong.
It would take time before it could be considered stable, but the rescue party had ignored the dangers, as they braved traversing it anyways.
Members of the church and soldiers had stayed behind and were clearing the vicinity of trees, chopping them down to increase the visibility into the thick swamp, as they did for the previous camp.
Low ranking mages were carving runic patterns into the ground, following the drawings on a fancy parchment.
They were forming a circle around what would be the centre of the new camp, setting up defences against the weaker Treemen.
In the outermost perimeter something pierced through the fog, pairs of legs emerged from the steam.
Humans, some walking on their own, others being carried due to heavy injuries.
The priests jumped to action, rushing over to the survivors, enveloping them in a soothing light.
Shallow wounds closed instantly, while the more life-threatening variety became manageable, they successfully stabilized them to prevent the worst.
"Is that the Duchess?!" the priests exchanged wary gazes.
One of humanity's powerhouses was left in such a state, what happened?
Baron Beckett handed Vivienne over to them, most colour had drained from his face.
They would be able to take care of the Duchess on their own, his mission was done… regrettably so.
He stared off into the swamp, his lips trembled, but he managed to hold it in.
Agnes swiftly found herself in the spotlight of the camp's attention, her condition was unlike anything they had ever treated.
Frey found it easy to vanish within the crowd, compared to the others, he was mostly fine.
Kassan Horun was briefing the people in charge of the temporary camp, ignoring the priests' adamant attempts to inspect and heal him.
Baron Beckett closed his eyes; all the noise faded into the background.
A tear rolled down his cheek, until his unsteady hand moved to intercept it.
"Your son, Marv, he is still alive." a voice broke through the buzzing the baron was trying to ignore.
His hand stopped abruptly, the tear ran down his chin, then dropped onto the earth below.
Stephan Beckett was scared to move, had he heard right?
Frey squatted down next to the baron, his palm connecting with the moss below.
The technique was nowhere near perfect, but Frey grew accustomed to connecting to nature during his stay in this plane.
But it wasn't just nature alone that enabled all of this…
His mind connected to the network of trees that was invisible to the naked eye.
At the start, he was but an observer, listening in.
Soon after he tried to put his own orders into this hive-mind, it felt like shouting into a void, until it clicked.
And now… now, the recipient was paying close attention to him… waiting for a transmission, unprompted.
He was being observed now.
"You are-?" Baron Beckett knew this boy, Cykrus Aventia's one and only disciple.
In a way, he was similar to his son, a capable youngster, another victim of this competition initiated by the king.
Frey's words made him hopeful, but Stephan was fully convinced that couldn't be the case…
He studied Frey's expressions as the two spent several minutes in silence.
Behind them, the camp was roaring with life, the survivors were slowly being herded back home.
But then the swamp began to quake.
There were no sounds of destruction, no breaking of branches, no cries of intimidation, pure silence, as one figure after the other plastered the outskirts of the newly created camp.
Treemen, Flyers, and the Hunched Claws stood there in overwhelming numbers.
Monsters ranging from rank one to rank three sent shivers down the humans' spines.
The camp wasn't ready to repel such a force, and neither were the people within.
"-ATTACKED! WE'RE GETTING ATTACKED!"
"WE ARE SURROUNDED!"
Chaotic shouting ensued as the soldiers armed themselves, preparing for a fight to the death!
Baron Beckett gulped, he was but a rank two mage himself.
They had survived the war, only to die mere meters from the gate home.
Yet Frey didn't seem worried at all.
Was this his doing?
He decided to keep standing there, side by side with the young man, against all his instincts.
The horde of locals parted, and a closed bud attached to an endless flower-stalk drew nearer.
"ATTAC-!" someone amongst the soldier's shouted, but his voice was overshadowed by another…
"Stand down." two words that broke up all tension.
They were spoken with complete serenity.
The sense of danger within all the soldiers and clergymen was diffused.
They looked to the source, a teenager at most, a rank two mage, one of the survivors.
With a voice that was strangely compelling.
The bud of the flower opened, the scarlet petals revealed its contents; a flower-woman, carrying a human.
Baron Beckett choked on his breath, then ran at the flower-woman, who lowered the human gently.
His feet trampled through the muddy earth, and splattered all over his clothes, but that didn't matter, nothing else mattered right now.
He grabbed onto the body the flower-woman lowered, and fell to his knees choking, "My boy! My boy…!"
Tears stained his vision, but he would never mistake Marv.
Stephan Beckett felt his son's pulse, then gently brushed through his hair, "I am here, I am here now."
The fingers that held Marv's cheeks were shaking intensely.
"Merciful gods, you haven't forsaken me... thank you, thank you." he pressed their foreheads together, ignoring the masses of locals that were mere meters away.
Frey walked up next to him, looking up at the flower-woman as he spoke, "They say he isn't waking up, and they don't know why." he looked to the ground, "I am sorry."
"Don't be! Don't be!" Baron Beckett answered, almost a tinge of joy in his voice, "He is alive… that is plenty… I-I will find a way to treat him."
"Thank you." he lowered his head, to Frey, then to the locals.
Stephan had read some reports before coming here, the locals were known to be mindless monsters, so his gesture might be wasted on them, but he was far too grateful to mind such details.
They probably took countless lives over the course of the expedition, but this one life that mattered the most to him, they preserved it!
Frey helped them both up and walked back to the portal.
It was a mindboggling scene for the newcomers, how Frey exposed his back to the creatures of the Sunless Mire without a care, and still wasn't getting pounced.
The locals continued watching from afar, leaving the warriors and church members on edge.
Agnes welcomed him back, then gestured at the horde, "Why are they still here? Are they waiting for something?"
Frey nodded, "They are seeing us off."
Agnes nodded in turn, "They are-… Huh?"
She scratched her head, "Then let's not keep them waiting." and grabbed Frey's hand, tugging him towards the portal.
Frey flinched, parts of her hand were missing, replaced by that strange void, but when he looked at her, all he could see was her peaceful smile.
'Agnes' smile.' he sighed to himself, 'It's been a while, hasn't it?'
He couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth as well.
Agnes disappeared into the portal, so did he.
Everything spun around him.
A multitude of colours whizzed by him, and before he realised, he was standing on solid ground again.
He kept his cool, breathing in slowly, deeply, like Marquis Gomon had told him back when he set foot into the Sunless Mire.
Nausea washed over him and went as quickly as it came.
"Welcome home. Frey." a soothing voice filled his ears.
Sunlight blinded him, he covered his eyes with his hand, until his sights adjusted.
Warm rays awaited him.
A calm breeze tickled his skin and caused the weeds around them to gently sway in the wind.
The chirping of birds, and the buzzing of bugs came from every direction.
Followed by the low hum of human conversation.
'Home?' Frey basked in the feeling.
They were standing in the middle of a small fortress.
Walls made of rock spanned the outer ring of whatever this was.
Tents littered the area, and soldiers, all at minimum rank one, swarmed the place, escorted the injured, and stood guard with watchful eyes directed at the portal, ensuring that nothing unexpected passed through.
"Where are we?" Frey wasn't sure he'd ever been here, it didn't seem like Aventia at all.
A man spoke up next to them, "We are a couple hour's distance from the royal capital."
"The capital?" Frey squinted his eyes.
"Yes. This place was deemed the most suitable to reopen the portal and ensure a stable condition. I am very glad it worked out." the man answered.
A whooshing sound came from behind them, the portal shuddered, spitting out the next group of humans.
Among them Kassan Horun.
The leader of the expedition approached the three, bowing deeply.
"Please raise your head." Frey tried to stop him, uncomfortable with the act.
"I simply must. The two of you played a major part in saving not just my life, but that of the others as well. Such a thing cannot be brushed off so lightly." Kassan insisted.
"Kassan Horun, I assume?" the man beside Frey and Agnes spoke up.
Kassan patted his chest, "In the flesh. Forgive me, I have been blinded, and your aura is unfamiliar, who might I be talking to?"
"Duke Monotay." the man introduced himself, "His Majesty stationed me here to keep an eye on the portal. Since you oversaw the expedition, I would like a word with you, to get a grasp of what troubles you faced, and what we should prepare for, should it come to a breach."
Kassan lowered his head, "Duke Monotay, it has been a long while. If it is alright, I will be with you in a minute, I must give my thanks to these two first."
Duke Monotay affirmed, then walked towards one of the tents.
The moment the tent flap was pushed aside, allowed Frey a glimpse, he spotted Daren on a table, and multiple specks of yellow light.
'Healing magic?' he guessed.
Agnes held her chin, "So you are off immediately, what about your eyes, don't you want the priests to check that out first?"
Kassan shook his head, "It is my duty to return to my sovereign and report my failure. There are also matters that simply cannot wait, like what happened to Plamus Starhelm."
"The many families will want answers, and compensation. They lost valuable offsprings and successors after all."
"I don't know whether His Majesty will reward you for your contributions, but for saving my life, know that I, Kassan Horun, will come to your aid, should you ever require it." he bowed once more, then walked after the duke.
Then came along Baron Beckett with Marv in his arms, "Frey, right? Please tell Cykrus that I owe him a massive favour, and you too, of course. Having my son returned to me is a blessing and a half."
"I have been worried witless ever since I sent him off to participate, I am sure your master must feel the same. Now then, I must take my leave, I won't feel at ease with the king's people in charge of his treatment." he whispered the latter part.
He bid the two farewell, then hurried off so he could start his son's treatment as soon as possible.
Frey's gaze followed Marv with a heavy heart.
It wouldn't be a lie to say that he was at least partially responsible for the state he was in.
His cursed voice was the catalyst for so much harm, be it now, or years ago.
He didn't like admitting it to himself, but it had also been surprisingly useful in other cases.
Was it wrong for him to draw on its power in the first place?
Or was he wrong for hesitating to use it, despite its great potential?
Frey's face darkened as he contemplated these thoughts, but Agnes patted him on the back, "Something wrong?"
He looked at her, then shook his head, "No. Nothing."
"So…" Frey said to Agnes, "What now?"
"What now?" Agnes repeated his words, "Now, you have your whole life ahead of you."
Frey's brows furrowed, "I don't know how to feel about that..."
Agnes chuckled, "That's fine. I'd be shocked if you did."
"Your future was stolen from you, not once, but twice. But here you are, stronger than ever before."
"You are free to choose what you want to do now. I'll support you all the way."
Frey's eyes reddened, "Thanks. Agnes."
She gulped; his puppy eyes didn't change as much as she expected.
"…Soooo…" she emphasised, trying to change the mood, "Any idea what you want to do?"
Frey went inward for a few seconds, then nodded, "How about we go home? Our real home, I mean."
Agnes glanced at her indescribable wounds, then smiled, "Yeah. Sounds good."
"But you should prepare yourself mentally, the Aventia you knew has undergone some serious changes."
Frey blinked, "It has?"
"Mhm, you were gone for over five months." she said matter of fact.
"The people from the church here don't know how much time passed on your end. Oh, did you know, time moves differently when planes aren't connected to each other?"
Frey nodded, "I think I heard that before."
"Anyways, we've had some… I guess you could call them 'unexpected developments'."
"But look at you! You definitely seem older, more mature. Almost grown up even. I can't wait to hear what you've been through." she teased him.
"Hehe." Frey blushed from the compliment.
Agnes ruffled through his hair, "Glad to know you are still you."
"Let's go."