Darius (Whispering, his ear pressed to the ground):
"Cavalry... I hear the thud of hooves. They aren't far; likely a royal scouting party."
Nirar (Drawing his blade with a faint hiss):
"Dammit! How did they find us so fast? The forest is vast and the mist is thick."
Nikos: "I suspect the scent of the crystal alchemy in Myron's body—it reeks like a beacon in the dark."
Picus (In a panic, trying to swallow a large hunk of bread):
"Now? At dinner time? Don't these soldiers ever get tired of overtime work?"
Ortinus (In a firm tone):
"Picus, leave the pot! Darius, help Myron up. Nirar, take the rear and cover our tracks. We're heading toward Frost Valley; the scents vanish there, and the terrain is too steep for easy pursuit."
The companions began to sprint through the trees, but Picus couldn't bring himself to abandon the soup pot so easily.
Nirar (Shouting in a whisper):
"Picus! Are you serious? Are you carrying the pot while running for your life?"
Picus (Wheezing, his chest heaving):
"This... this isn't just a pot... this is hope! We can't... escape... on an empty stomach!"
Darius (Supporting a depleted Myron):
"Drop that thing, Picus! It's clanking loud enough to alert every soldier within a mile!"
Picus:
"I won't drop it! I'll put it in my bag... wait... it's hot! Ow!"
Old Nikos (Outpacing them with agile steps despite his age):
"Boy, if you cared for your sword as much as your belly, Ajax would be trembling in his palace right now! Hurry, I hear the dogs barking right behind us!"
As they ran, Myron began to regain a sliver of strength, though his mind remained clouded.
Myron (In a shaky voice):
"Ortinus... leave me here. I'm a burden... and the dogs are hunting me."
Ortinus:
"Shut up, Myron. You've committed enough follies to last a century, but we don't leave our comrades to the royal swine. You'll live to atone for your mistakes."
Myron:
"But I've become a monster... I feel the cold in my veins."
Nirar (From the back):
"If you keep talking, you'll feel my blade in your backside! Move!"
The companions reached a sloped area filled with massive boulders and dense fog. Suddenly, three royal soldiers mounted on heavy warhorses emerged from the mist, accompanied by a massive hound with glowing red eyes.
The Royal Soldier (Shouting):
"There! The traitors! Surrender and your deaths will be swift!"
Picus (Stopping suddenly, gasping for air):
"Swift death? Did you offer other options? Because I'd prefer the 'Long Escape' option!"
Darius (Drawing his sword):
"Father, stay behind me."
Old Nikos (Laughing mockingly):
"Stay behind you? My boy, I taught you how to hold a piece of wood before you knew how to hold a sword. Step aside."
Nikos pulled a small pouch from his pocket and scattered a grey powder into the air toward the dog and the horses.
Nirar: "What is that?"
Old Nikos: "Nothing much. Just 'Black Forest Pepper' with a pinch of sneezing seeds. Wait for it..."
In seconds, the horses began to neigh and buck wildly, and the royal hound started sneezing so violently it lost its balance and tumbled down the slope. The soldiers struggled to control their mounts amidst fits of uncontrollable sneezing.
Picus (Laughing hysterically):
"You crafty old man! You defeated a royal squad with cooking spices!"
Ortinus: "No time for laughing! Nirar, Darius, strike now!"
Nirar and Darius lunged like lightning. With his agile movements, Nirar knocked two soldiers from their saddles, while Darius used his sword pommel to knock the third unconscious.
After a long distance of running, they finally stopped behind a giant rock that shielded them from view. Picus collapsed on his back, still clutching the pot that had somehow survived.
Picus: "I think... I'll go on a diet... tomorrow. Or maybe the day after."
Darius (Looking at his father with admiration):
"I didn't know your spices were so effective in war, Father."
Old Nikos (Dusting off his cloak):
"War isn't just about swords and blood, Darius. Sometimes, a little wisdom—or pepper—does what an army cannot."
Nirar (Turning to Ortinus):
"We slipped away this time, but they'll comb the entire forest at dawn. What do we do now?"
Ortinus (Looking at Myron):
"Myron, do you know where Ajax is really hiding? Tell me the truth. No maps, no coded messages. Where did you go to meet him?"
Myron (In a broken voice):
"I never met him in a fixed place. He always sent 'Antoine'... but he once mentioned something about the ancient 'Land of Silence' beyond the Northern Mountains. He said that there, one can hear the sound of the world burning."
Ortinus: "Then our next destination is the Land of Silence. We go as ordinary travelers—neither rebels nor soldiers."
Nirar: "And Myron? The King's swords are everywhere looking for his head."
Picus (Pulling out a small knife):
"Simple! We'll shave off this long hair of his and say he's my cousin who's been struck with idiocy!"
Myron (Looking at Picus with annoyance):
"I'd rather die at the hands of the Royals than be your relative, Picus!"
Picus (Winking):
"Oh, so you're getting your fighting spirit back? Come, have some cold soup; it helps with brainstorming fake identities."
While the others tried to catch some sleep, Ortinus sat alone watching the fog. Old Nikos approached and sat beside him.
Nikos: "You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, Ortinus. You don't have to do it alone."
Ortinus: "They trusted me. Myron, Nirar, these young men... if I fail, we won't be able to return to Actanos."
Nikos: "Sometimes, everything must burn so the green grass can grow anew. Ajax is but a passing wind, but the land... the land is ours."
Picus (Talking in his sleep):
"Don't put... too much salt... Darius... the cheese... where is the cheese..."