Water splashed around their steps as they walked through the largest chamber that laid just below the island. The place was as dark and damp as ever, however, with only Boc making use of it, the place had become significantly more livable.
That disgusting mix of stenches no longer plagued the cavern, replaced by the salty smell of the water constantly leaking through and wet stone. There was little in the way of mess or cluttered, Boc keeping his fur tent and other supplies in one isolated area that was elevated just enough so that the water wouldn't ruin any of it. All in all, it wasn't hard to see what initially led to a tribe of demihumans settling here.
With at least the bare minimum respect for proper hygiene, a good number of people could live down here comfortably alongside one another.
The large chamber gave way to a familiar narrow tunnel that Onyx and Melina traveled up, soon stepping out onto the sandy shores of the island he spent so much time meditating on.
"Lord Onyx!" Boc, not far, wasted no time racing to his side, the bucket full of water he'd been lugging towards the cave dropped. "Welcome back. How-you're-"
Onyx rolled the bandaged shoulder Boc was staring at. The worst of the injury had already passed during his time with Sellen, a lingering soreness and faint scaring all that he had to really deal with. "It's nothing to worry about. How have things been here?"
Concern remained but Boc looked up from it, uncertainty rising up as well. "Quiet but-"
"Sir Onyx." The reason, or reasons, for Boc's uncertainty stepped up from the shores behind him. "I hope that we are not intruding."
Edgar, armor done away with in favor of simple dark pants, a wrinkled and dirty white shirt, and boots, still cut the form of a warrior, his scarred arms holding up a pair of water filled buckets borrowed from Boc by the look of them. Irina stood beside him, quietly smiling with the same uncertainty Boc had.
"Its not like I went and laid claim to the whole island." Onyx said. "I'm guessing the two of you are planning to set up here."
Edgar nodded. "If you take no issue with our being here. I was skeptical but this place is as Irina described it. As few would dare to brave the waters of The Lands Between, the single entrance here is easily defendable. I am surprised the Order did not have a fortress built here themselves."
Onyx nodded his agreement though his primary interest had always and still did lay with that dragon corpse and its altar. He'd have chosen to stay here no matter how inhospitable or dangerous the area might've been.
"Like I said, I don't own the place so you're free to set up wherever you want." He said before turning to climb the incline of the faint trail forming along the island's surface. Melina followed close behind, Edgar and Irina doing the same before long. And for reasons that quickly became evident.
Across his cabin and not too far from the logs, campfire, and other supplies that he left out for cooking, a small campsite had been set up. A simple fire surrounded by stones, small tents made of cloth rather than fur, and a scratched up pot that must've been borrowed from Boc as well. Despite technically showing up unnoticed, the pair went the extra mile of ensuring they disturbed nothing they decided belonged to him.
"How's your carpentry skills, Edgar?" Onyx questioned as approached the steps of his cabin, undoing the straps of his weapons and gear, sword crossbow, and pouches all soon placed along the railing.
"Carpentry?" Edgar asked as he guided Irina to their campsite before placing the buckets down. "That is a strange question."
"Is it? You said you were going to find a safe place to live. Are you planning on just roughing it out in tents now that you've decided on a place to stay?" Torrent appeared beside Onyx, trotting up beside him, nudging him with the greatsword hanging from his things. Onyx pulled the blade out, propping it up beside the rest of his equipment.
"I see your point." Edgar said, surprise about Torrent quickly overcame. "I have few skills beyond that of those needed for combat and hunting."
Onyx turned to him, arms crossed. "It's never too late to learn something new. I'll be around for awhile before I set out again. I can teach you a few things if you want. Enough to build something like this." He nudged his head at the cabin behind him. "You up for it?"
Edgar, once more proving himself to be a decisive man, only needed to take a single glance towards Irina and their tents before nodding.
Not exactly what he planned to do but it should make for a nice way to pass the time between meditation and physical training. And, while he might not have been willing to give up his cabin for new neighbors he didn't exactly ask for, he'd prefer if Irina actually had a home to lay her head at night.
XOXO
Onyx unfurled the bandages around his shoulder, the dirtied white wrappings gathering on the floors of his cabin. Removing the lid of one of the buckets of water in the corner of his room, he kneeled over it as he thumbed over the now marred skin of his shoulder. That bolt had pieced both front and back, the latter mark fainter than the former, but both here to stay.
He looked down, hand dropped to his left side where the slash from that giant mounted knight remained.
Scarring was another thing he'd all but forgotten about, only the rarest of weapons and specific types of magic capable of leaving such a thing on a body enhanced by mana.
It is what it is. He decided. He'd just consider the marks signs he was enjoying his life rather than playing it safe despite his situation.
Replacing the bucket's lid and moving aside the bandages to be disposed later, he pushed open the door, leaving the dimly torch lit interior of his cabin for the golden lit nights of The Lands Between. Melina, hood pulled up, sat on the steps of his cabin. She was silent as ever, gazing out towards Edgar and Irina, the pair around their fire. Smoke rose over it, the smell of cooking meat wafting over.
Knowing Boc, he was down below, nose to the grindstone. His skittish nature did little to stop him from nearly demanding Onyx's cloak and pants. Thankfully he'd already prepared several sets of pants since they'd left.
Onyx headed over, taking a seat on the opposite side of the same step as her.
She glanced his way but remained focus on the pair. Maybe she just had a tendency to watch those around her, but he was willing to bet they held some interest to her.
"You are not tarnished." Melina suddenly stated, tone kept low. Apparently the two weren't interesting enough to keep her focus off him.
"Never claimed to be." He said. Her gaze flicked back to him. There was no noticeable change in her expression and she said nothing but the way her stoney gaze bore into him-
Was she annoyed? Did she even realize she was?
"You did win that little bet about Sellen so I guess I can give you a better answer than that." He said through a faint chuckle. "Before arriving here, I had nothing to do with anyone or anything in these lands. I'm not a descendant of anyone who did either. You could say I'm as foreign as foreign gets."
That better appeased her, Melina's eye turned back to the others.
A cool breeze blew between them, Melina saying nothing more. She really was slow to act on anything she felt, that being one of the first questions she asked about him despite her now constant presence.
It was his turn to ask one anyways. And there'd been a specific one on his mind since she stopped disappearing.
"Do you want to get some sleep?" He questioned. Melina turned her attention back to him, head tilting slightly. That amusingly cute habit of hers was about the one sign of emotion she ever showed. "You've been keeping watch over me for awhile. Don't you want to get some sleep?"
"I have no need for sleep."
He mirrored the tilt of her head, smiling slightly. "Is that what I asked?"
Sure, she might not need to, but he knew what that was like. Technically speaking, with mana at his disposal, sleep was no longer a need, its healing capabilities preventing any form of sleep deprivation. A handy aspect for all sorts of things but sleep felt all the better when it was a luxury one decided to indulge in rather than a restriction of the body.
Whatever sleep was like for a spirit aside, he specifically knew what it was like to use that lack of a need as a license to remain on guard for days at a time. An experience that came with its own form of exhaustion. Something Melina was doing to herself, never once sleeping whenever he made camp.
"I set aside a spot for you inside." He said, thumbing towards the cabin and dropping the teasing tilt. Unlike Irina and Edgar's sudden presence here, he'd agreed to long term travel with her. He had no problems accommodating her. "Feel free to use it whenever."
Melina slowly nodded before returning to her observation of the other two. Something that didn't last long, the woman standing and heading into the cabin. Reserved as she was, there was a natural curiosity in her that the odd suggestion here and there could easily rouse, motivating her to try things that sat at the back of her mind.
Hopefully she learned to heed her own faint emotions without another's input.
His moment alone wasn't allowed to last, Irina, armed with a stick, slowly but surely making her way to him. With the help of the crude but effective aid, she managed just fine, soon standing before him.
"Hey, Irina." He decided to start the conversation after watching her shift about in place. "I didn't think we'd be running into each other so soon."
"Y-Yes." Irina said, smiling, the golden light of the distant tree allowing him to see the faint flush on her face. "I must admit that I told my father of this place in hopes that he would decide to bring us here. I hope that we aren't intruding."
"That eager to meet again?"
The blush coloring her cheeks spread further. "I, well, we-we wanted to ask if you wished to join us for a meal? It's the least we could do for everything you've done for us." She said, quickly changing the subject, but not denying it. Her developing feelings might as well be on her sleeve for all to see.
"Sure." He stood, looping arms with her and heading over to join Edgar around the crackling fire. He hadn't bothered preparing anything for himself after returning from that trip through Limgrave, so it was nice to have another preparing food for once. Simple cuts of meat on sticks but he wasn't going to complain about food landing in his lap.
"Are you and your maiden planning to confront Lord…" Edgar paused, watching over the cooking meat. "…Godrick?"
It was safe to say Edgar was not one for small talk.
"If I end up near that castle, Stormveil, I might go take a peek to see the shard and demigod for myself, but I can't say I'm too concerned with seeking him out." Onyx said. "I'm more interested in exploring these lands than looking for a fight."
"It is a dangerous time to do something like explore. You will find battle even if you yourself are not looking for it."
"Father." Irina stressed, obviously urging him to either stop or change the topic.
The warning might've ruined the appetite of others or soured the mood, but Onyx liked the bluntness.
"I think battle will find me no matter what I do in this place." Onyx said. He'd spent his first few days here walking around greeting anything that could talk and ended up in more battles than conversations. That'd set the tone for things perfectly.
Edgar nodded in agreement, refocusing the entirety of his attention on evenly cooking the sticks of meat while Irina swiftly took over, beginning the small talk that most would say was far more appropriate for a shared meal.
Edgar wasn't much of a conversationalist but that was just fine with Onyx. He just might be the one for a position in dire need of filling. Irina, on the other hand, was just as expected, emotions plain to see.
He'd thought them similar in nature to Boc's near hero worship of him but had fully picked up on the beginnings of her feelings before they reached The Weeping Peninsula. Whether or not the initial awe and gratitude of what he did had passed, it was clear the short time apart hadn't diminished them.
Living along the two should be interesting.