Gabriel took the bodies, one by one, dragging them deeper into the wooded area and laying them where wolves or whatever other beast roamed would find them.
They were tailing us since Eldenreach. Sloppy, untrained. I could smell their piss-stained trousers and the day-old ale-soaked into their robes. Hear their uneven heavy steps. Always far enough back that the naked eye couldn’t catch them.
So who sent them, and why were they after me?
I’ll speak to Hanitz, only the Guild would know the exact time Tess and I were leaving.
Gabriel remained close enough to the corpses that he could hear the forest stir. He was covered by the shadows. Only his eyes let off a ruby glow that even monsters feared.
First a low growl, then the snapping of bone, then the wet tearing of flesh as the bodies were taken into the night.
He waited.
He didn’t want a starving beast straying into the campsite where Tess was sleeping, so he stayed, motionless. Listening to the forest feast, until the last sounds faded into silence.
Then, when he was certain nothing remained in the area, Gabriel turned, making his way to the edge of the campsite.
He stood guard for the remainder of the night, silently like a sentry. Ready.
When the sun finally broke through the treeline, only then did his eyes begin to dim and return to something resembling calm.
He began his morning ritual, not too far into the treeline where they had decided to lay their heads for the night, was a small river brimming with salmon.
You could hear the flowing water from the campsite.
Gabriel began by taking his robe off, folding it neatly and resting it on the ground, paying extra attention to avoid any dirt areas, ready to jump into the knee-deep river. His tunic and trousers followed the same pattern.
His sword sheath placed next to the clothes. His medallion gently wrapped around one of the sword handles.
He stood there naked, looking up at the sky, watching the birds soar through the clouds.
The Northern wind, as unforgiving as ever, pelted against his skin. His breath created its very own mist with each exhale.
The pain in his abdomen spread further than the wound stretched. Sharper than yesterday, he hadn’t heeded Mera’s warning about overexertion. The long march, plus the added bandits, had taken its toll.
He just stood there paralysed, looking up.
After a while, he walked into the river. The water sent shockwaves through his body, he ignored them and proceeded to lie down in its centre. Closing his eyes and letting all of his senses wash away.
This is the first time he could spend longer than 20 seconds washing his body without anyone noticing his scars.
A rustling in the bushes snapped his senses back into him. He stood up in the river, eyes begging to glow ominously, steam rising from every inch of his muscular flesh. Scanning in the direction of the noise.
"Get some clothes on, we have to move"
A voice crept out from behind a tree.
He reached his hands down. One attempting to hide his dignity, the other attempting to cover his body. His eyes burned a shade brighter.
Face remaining still.
"It’s too late, you saw mine, I saw yours. We’re even. It really must be cold." She chuckled
"Get your clothes on so we can move."
Gabriel stood unmoving in the centre of the small river. Waiting until he sensed Tess had moved on before he dared to walk back to the bank.
He threw his clothes on whilst his body was still wet and wrapped the fur coat around himself in a hurry. Attempting to keep the cold at bay.
His eyes had dimmed back to the usual deep red colour.
Tess was back at the camp, going through both of the supply bags, checking they had enough for the journey.
Gabriel entered the camp, passing through the trees and sitting on the same overturned branch he had been sitting on the night before.
The fire had all but died, the small branches no longer existed, and only the larger logs still remained smouldering with an occasional popping noise coming from them
"Here" Tess barked whilst handing Gabriel a small vial.
Gabriel reached over to take it.
"What’s in it?" She questioned.
"It’s Redamere essence." He replied whilst taking it from her.
"I know that Hanitz said its name, but what does it do?" She snapped back in an annoyed tone.
"It allows you to fight whilst injured, like Dullhorn root," Gabriel said whilst subtly reaching for his stomach.
"Then why doesn’t the guild give it to everyone?"
"Because it doesn’t just heal you." The former Paladin replied. His face tightened as the words came out.
Then why has he given it to you, you freak? She shouted inwardly.
"We need to eat and move" Tess changed the subject, trying not to show her inexperience in alchemy.
The two of them finished the remaining slab of beef before packing the camp up. Hanitz had stuck to his words and placed a leather breastplate in the bag with Gabriel’s supplies. It was only small, just big enough to cover his vital organs, but better than nothing.
Tess had also decided to be fully prepared. Her metal chestplate, gauntlets, and plates on her trousers all glistened in the sun
Before beginning the second day of their journey, Tess turned to Gabriel.
Her face softening just a touch, "Why didn’t you tell me about the people following us?"
Gabriel turned to meet her gaze.
Before, when she looked into his eyes, her body tensed up, but this time she remained at ease.
"Because I’ve never worked with anyone else".
He didn’t wait for a reply, he just began walking.
Tess, somewhat shocked, couldn’t force any words out of her mouth. They reached her lips and then went back down her throat.