The next morning came too early for Phil and Ted. They needed to rest and leave as soon as possible before the church could catch up to them. Although they both had secretly hoped that the church hadn't responded to the threat of a necromancer, it was safer to assume that the inquisition was already on their heels. 

 

So, they woke up at dawn's first light and stumbled through breaking their makeshift camp. 

 

It was dark and overcast. The sun couldn’t break through the clouds and only gave a fraction of the light that would normally be expected. The perfect weather to mirror the storm between the two boys. 

 

Ted stayed quiet through most of the process. He had many questions and doubts about the future. But, none that he could voice to someone he didn't trust. It would only reignite a fight. 

 

And, they needed to escape to survive. 

 

On the other hand, Phil was consumed with his doubt and burning with his conviction. 

 

"I made the right choice. There was no other way. We would've been killed if we had stayed with her… 

 

But, she had helped us. 

 

Yet, a necromancer is altogether evil. We were only pawns to her. We would've been killed or corrupted if we stayed with her.

 

Although, she hadn't done anything intentionally harmful to us…

 

Yet. 

 

I betrayed her. 

 

No. She betrayed us…"

 

He couldn't think of anything else as he packed their supplies back into their bags and picked up Karen from the forest floor. It was time to move on. 

 

Or, it should've been. 

 

Ted pushed in front of him and wheeled to face him. 

 

"Let me carry Karen."

 

Phil stopped in his tracks. 

 

"No. She's too heavy. You'll slow us down."

 

Ted clenched his fist.

 

"I don't care."

 

Anger, hurt and conviction radiated from his posture. He looked up into Phil's eyes.

 

"You're not going to touch either of us." Ted placed a hand on his rapier. 

 

Phil stared at the bard. He towered over him. A mountain set against a sapling. 

 

He sighed.

 

"Fine." Phil gently handed Karen over to Ted and helped arrange her more comfortably on his back. 

 

Ted staggered through his first few steps. A bead of sweat already collecting on his brow. 

 

"Alright." He said through gritted teeth. And, began to trudge away. "Let's go." 

 

Phil sighed and went to readjust his packs before he followed Ted. A faint brownish red splotch on his hand caught his eye as he moved. He glanced down and over himself. A bit of Ted's blood had dried on him. A drop or two on his hands and a few on his clothes. 

 

"Dammit." Phil muttered softly. And, quickly chased after Ted to catch up.

 

The two travelers didn't speak most of the morning. They kept their silence, which was only accented by their heavy footsteps and Ted's hard breathing. 

 

The bard manager to carry Karen fairly well for the first hour. He stumbled and struggled with the weight, but managed to keep moving forward. But, as the hour turned into two and three, he found himself struggling to take another step. He tripped over roots and bushes constantly.

 

Phil, to his credit, offered to help every time that Ted nearly fell over. He reached out to steady them…

 

Only for Ted to push his hand away and glare at him. 

 

"I don't need your help", He hissed and tried to pick up his pace. Only to slow down a moment later.

 

It wasn't even mid morning when Ted got the notification. 

 

[[Ted] has gained status effect: Exhaustion 2]

 

Ted groaned and struggled to put Karen down as gently as he could. 

 

"I have to stop. I can't go any further. " He gasped between breaths. 

 

"Already? But, we have to-"

 

Ted snapped straight and whirled toward Phil. 

 

"We don't need to do anything. You can go ahead, if you like. 

 

I just gained another level of exhaustion. I'll be completely incapacitated when I hit [Exhaustion 3]."

 

Phil blinked in surprise, "You're already at [Exhaustion 2]?"

 

"Yeah. You only recover one level after sleeping through the night."

 

"You mean you were at [Exhausted 2] last night as well? Why didn't you-"

 

"Because; I hit [Exhausted 2] after you thrashed me, dumbass."

 

Phil took a step back, "I didn't-"

 

"Save it. We can't change it now." Ted groaned and leaned against a tree. "If you're still good. You can do something useful like scout ahead."

 

Phil opened his mouth to object. He'd rather stay together. But, it wasn't a bad suggestion. He couldn't carry two people. And, it would be better to know what's going on up ahead anyway. 

 

"Alright." He placed down his packs again. "I'll be back soon." 

 

Ted only nodded and massaged his sore legs as Phil slipped into the underbrush and up the road. 

 

It didn't take long for Phil to run into a snag. 

 

A large group of bandits had set up a blockade on the road ahead. 

 

"I don't think we'll be able to sneak past them. Especially when Ted and Karen are out of it."

 

Phil kicked a nearby tree out of frustration. And, quickly wished that he hadn't. He turn around and headed back to his friends. It would be best if they could avoid the encampment entirely. And, maybe, just maybe, the outlaws would be able to slow down the church for them.

 

Phil burst back into the clearing with all of the grace of a landslide. Ted was startled and drew his weapon. 

 

Then, breathed a sigh of relief that it was just Phil.

 

“Gods above, Phil, can you be any louder?”

 

Phil simply shrugged. “Bandit encampment ahead. We’d be better off moving further into the forest. And, going around them completely.”

 

Ted grit his teeth and sheathed his sword. “Great. Peachy. Just what we need.”

 

He leaned over and scooped Karen back onto his back. And, started trudging further away from the road.

 

“I’ve been watching the sky since you left. It looks like we might-”

 

*Zzzzzzz Cccriiiiii-crack!*

 

An enormous and thunderous peal of lightning streaked through the clouds. And, the distant sound of a drizzling rain, falling against the leaves and the earth, rapidly closed in on them. 

 

“-get some rain”, Ted finished with an exhausted and defeated look. “Ugh, we have to be cursed. We just have to be, at this point…

 

Karen is sick and dying. Zephyra is gods knows where. The church is behind us. Bandits are in front of us. I’m exhausted. You’re a piece of shit. And, now, of course, it's going to rain on us.”

 

Phil gathered the bags again and quickly followed the colorfully cursing and swearing bard. He looked up at the sky and let the rain wash away some of his stress. 

 

He laughed at an absurd thought. He turned to Ted and joked, “Well, hey, at least it can’t get any worse.”