Page 10 of Garden of Ashes & Hope

My eyes dart around, searching for something, anything I can use. They land on a cluster of plants near the water's edge - water hylas. Highly toxic, but in the right hands...

Without thinking, I dash to the plants, quickly gathering a handful. "Mordakus!" I yell. "Cover your mouth and nose!"

He looks at me, confusion evident on his face, but does as I say. I take a deep breath, then crush the plants in my hands, dramatically tossing them into the air between us and the approaching demons.

And then...

… nothing happens.

The demons pause in their advance, looking at the sad pile of crushed leaves on the ground, then at me.

Even Mordakus turns to stare, his eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Everything is still. My face is burning with embarrassment. "It... it was supposed to release toxic fumes," I mumble, my voice small, the wind out of my sail.

One of the demons actually snorts, a sound so unexpectedly human it takes me aback.

Mordakus, however, seizes the moment of confusion. With a roar, he launches himself at the nearest demon, catching it off guard. The fight resumes in earnest, but now Mordakus has the advantage of surprise.

As I watch him battle, clutching Vincent to my chest, I can't help but cringe at my failed heroics.

So much for proving my worth.

As the last one retreats, he turns to me, breathing heavily.

"What," he pants. "...Was that supposed to be?"

I look down at my feet, unable to meet his eyes. "I thought... I mean, my dad always said water hylas were really poisonous, and I just thought..."

To my surprise, Mordakus lets out a short bark of laughter. "Well, they certainly didn’t see it coming. But not quite the daring rescue you had in mind, I take it?"

I shake my head, still mortified but relieved that he doesn't seem angry.

"Next time," he says, his voice gruff but not unkind. "Maybe stick to identifying the plants, not weaponizing them."

I nod, managing a small smile. "Noted."

As we quickly pack up to leave the now-compromised oasis, I can't help but feel a mix of embarrassment and relief. I may not have saved the day, but at least I tried.

And maybe, just maybe, that counts for something.

8

MORDAKUS

The sun beats down mercilessly as I scout ahead, my eyes constantly scanning the horizon for any sign of movement. The landscape is a patchwork of ruins and overgrown vegetation, nature reclaiming what was once a thriving town. Every step I take is calculated, every sense on high alert.

Behind me, I can hear Eve's lighter footsteps and Vincent's occasional mew. I glance back, watching as Eve points out various plants to the creature, her voice a soft murmur carried on the hot, dry wind.

"Look, Vincent," she says, kneeling to examine a scraggly bush. "This is mulop. It can help stop bleeding if we ever need it."

I turn away, pushing down the warmth that threatens to bloom in my chest at the sight. Attachment is dangerous. I learned that lesson the hard way, years ago...

I shake off the memory, refocusing on the present.

We can't afford distractions out here.

"Eve," I call back, my voice gruff. "Keep up. We need to cover more ground before nightfall."

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