The gentle warmth wrapped around his body as it desperately healed his wounds from the inside. Bones started creaking and began snapping into place. The intense pain wracked his body, but he continued forwards. Alphonse’s hand never once left his cleaver. It was as if it had been stuck to his palm with glue.

Alphonse ran towards the raging Orog. Lucus noticed him at the corner of his eyes as his sword flashed forwards. The sword slashed past the achilles heel of the Orog, it violently exposed pure white bone as the greenish-blue monster knelt onto the ground.

Ice formed on Alphonse’s finger tips like a beast's claws. He made it to the Orog and reached round its skull and thrusted his fingers into the monster’s eyeballs. Without waiting a second–Alphonse’s shadowed teeth lurched forward–sinking into the steel-like skull of the Orog. It exposed a bright pink brain to the room. Blood seeped out from the soft tissue as white foam formed at the Orog’s mouth. The monster’s rage ended as its heavy body thumped to the floor.

Alphonse ran towards the next Orog, Tariq, Kristen and John were firing arrows towards the monster. Some arrows shone in a green light, others emitting a white hue as they rocketed ahead. Alphonse could see the Orog’s eyes about to change. He knew it well; it was about to enter spectral rage.

Alphonse's head lurched backwards as he felt the burning sensation of a full stomach of bile rise within, as it shot out of his mouth and covered the monster’s back completely. The smell of burning flesh assaulted his nose. The monster’s club swung backwards, its movements had slowed considerably because of all of its back muscles being melted away.

Alphonse ducked under the club and quickly stood up and, with all of his strength, slashed across the Orog’s throat with his meat cleaver. Blood spurted out like a waterfall as it cascaded to the floor. Alphonse panted for breath as he looked around him. Lucus, Makrus and Oskar had finished with their enemies, as all the Orogs had been killed.

With his heavy breathing, Alphonse sat on the floor. He was too tired to even eat the spoils of his battle.

“Back from the dead, eh, Alphonse?” Markus said as his loud laugh filled the room, deep bruises covered his thick arms as blood fell from the side of his head.

“Barely.” Alphonse said behind bated breath.

Felecia struggled up onto her feet as she hobbled over to Alphonse, her arms wrapped around him.

“I’m so glad you’re okay, Al–Alphonse…”

“It looks like you’ve kept everyone alive.” Alphonse smiled helplessly within the arms of Felecia.

“Of course. Especially Markus. If I don’t look after him, who would?” Felecia smiled a toothy grin as she let Alphonse go.

“Alphonse… I made the call to leave you back at the cathedral. I made the judgement that it was too risky to fight. I’m sorry.” Lucus had a serious expression on his face, the previous hostility had vanished.

Alphonse noticed Felecia glaring daggers at Lucus. “I get it. I would have made the same call.” Alphonse said, shaking his head. He felt a little sour towards it, but he knew deep down that it was the best call.

“Any luck yet within this maze?” Alphonse looked at Haydon. If there was anyone that had a clue, it would be the pathfinder.

“Nothing, there’s no pattern, no strategy. You pick a pathway and walk forward.” Haydon said, shaking his head. He cleaned the blood from his dagger and looked into the reflection of the blade.

“I wonder…” Alphonse said. His eyes wandered to everyone. “Do you all hear voices? Telling you to do things, I mean.”

At the mention of the voices, John and Oskar clenched their fists.

“now and then… yeah, I guess.” Gabriel said. “Doesn’t really bother me, though.”

“Really?” Markus put his finger into his ear, trying to block something. “It’s fucking loud for me. Little shits trying to get me to bust your heads open.” Markus shook his head.

“It’s probably got to do with intelligence.” Gabriel said as a matter of fact.

“What are you trying to say?” Markus shoved his chin forwards as he glowered at the group's wizard.

“I’ve already told them,” Lucus walked forward. “To let me know if it affects them negatively, that goes for you as well, Alphonse. John–Oskar–it’s good to have you with us.” Lucus nodded towards the duo.

“Likewise Lucus, it’s a good feeling being back in a group.” John said.

After making sure the room was secured, everyone settled down to rest. Not only were their bodies utterly exhausted, but so were their minds. It was impossible to tell what time of day it was, so no one had a sleeping schedule. They just slept when they were tired.

Alphonse was sitting next to Felecia as he recalled her words a while ago. “You said that I reminded you of your brother. Do you want to talk about it?”

Felecia’s eyebrows raised, then a small smile formed. “Sure,” Felecia said. “It's strange talking about him. It was a taboo subject at my home. Mum and dad wanted nothing to do with him. They abandoned him but… he was always so kind to me.” Tears crystalised at the side of her eyes as she tried her best to hold them back. “Every day he would come back home with some of my favourite sweets. I soon realised he was… using his lunch money to buy them.”

Felecia hid her head in her arms. “He came home every day covered in bruises. I was young but… I could tell his eyes were hiding so much pain. I tried talking to him about it, but every time was just excuse after excuse with a smile on his face. Then, one day, he just didn’t arrive home…”

Felecia took a breath as she continued. “The police knocked on the door… They said he had killed someone at school.” Felecia’s voice turned almost whisper-like. “I couldn’t believe it, my big brother…”

Alphonse gently placed his arms around her shoulder, then she loudly wept. Everyone in the room looked at her with difficulty as they shifted their eyes away.

He sounds very familiar… Alphonse thought, his hands gently patting Felecia's shoulders.

Alphonse tried to open his mouth, but it felt like something was jammed in his throat. He wanted to talk about his sister, how he desperately wanted to get back and see her. However, the words just wouldn’t come out. He shook his head. Felecia’s head had rested on his shoulders as her light breathing entered his ears. She had fallen asleep.

Well, I better get some sleep. Alphonse thought as his tired eyes closed, finally giving up their struggle.

***

< Time remaining 15 days >

Alphonse chopped parts of the Orog apart. The legs were tough, but after a while of hacking away with the cleaver, hesoon separated them.

He was about to chuck the piece of leg onto the ready-made fire when Markus held back his arm.

“What are you doing?” Alphonse said in surprise. He was hungry. No one should stop a man from having a meal.

“Do you know anything about cooking? Positioning it on the fire will just cause it to burn you know.” Markus said as a matter of fact.

“Then, you know how to cook?” Alphonse said, as his eyes sparkled.

“Of course I do. My family owns a restaurant. I worked there part time to help the old man out.” Markus said.

“What should I do?” Alphonse said. His hands were currently occupied by a large Orog leg.

“First–you need two sticks to place the leg onto–then you rotate it now and then so the fire can cook it evenly without burning it to a char.” Markus used whatever he could find as two sticks and placed them next to the fire.

Alphonse looked around, and his eyes rested on Oskar’s spear. His eyes lit up as he rushed over and grabbed it.

“Alphonse, no. You’re not using my damned spear as a rotisserie stick.” Oskar held the other end of the spear, attempting to yank it back.

“It will only be for a little while, please?” Alphonse's hunger filled eyes leered towards him. Oskar quickly let go and shook his head. My poor spear.

“Alright, this will do.” Markus nodded as he grabbed hold of the spear and thrust it through the tough flesh.

“Oh, I have another idea, Alphonse. Strip the flesh from that arm and throw the bones into the fire.” Markus ordered and Alphonse followed the words closely. The others watched as Alphonse butchered the meat of the Orog like a hungry demon.

Alphonse rotated the leg now and then until chef Markus told him to take the meat off of the fire. The light pink juices from the fat rendering ran down the spear’s handle as Oskar attempted to hide his tears.

“Alright, now split the bones open and empty the marrow on the leg and enjoy!” Markus gave him one more step.

Alphonse cracked open the bone as a whitish-pink gelatinous substance greeted him. It had a faint meat aroma as he rubbed it onto the meat. The marrow melted and seeped into the meat. He couldn't wait any longer and his teeth seeped into the meat. Juices ran down his chin as the incredible taste tickled his taste buds.

[ Chef’s Kiss activated ]

[ Recipe: Marrow infused Orog leg]

[ Marrow infused Orog leg: Perfectly cooked rotisserie Orog leg infused with its own bone marrow. ]

[ Rating C+ ]

| 7.4 extra strength added

| 5.1 extra constitution added

[ +3 to strength and constitution for three hours. ]

Alphonse patted his full stomach in content, his eyes looked up at Markus as if he was a god.

Markus shivered, looking at those ghost-like eyes.