Beyond the Void

Chapter 55, Nothing is inevitable

of Shattering 287 - Because of the wars with the Draig'yar and caused by their own constant infighting, the Ereko cease to exist as a nation. Those tribes more tired and desperate from the constant fighting plead aid from the kingdom of Ordruch and migrate to their lands, abandoning their ancestral homelands beyond the Greater Spine.

An excerpt from the diary of Pia...

ERIC

Three moons and three tens since the Mark of the Other One blossomed.

"How long do we have to keep doing this?" Eric glanced at Sarah, who had just slammed her fist on the raggedy table. "How long do we have to keep hiding like rats? Look at me, Eric? Why are we still here? There are humans here, Eric! We all have seen them. Why are we not moving forward? Deeper into safe lands? Look at me, Eric, when I am talking to you, damn it."

Eric did not turn his head. He felt tired. A haze clouded his thoughts. Doubts and fears, but he had little strength to confront them.
"We have shelter here. We've made ourselves comfortable. All cleaned up. Food is easy to come by now. We needed rest, Sarah." Eric poked the fire with a stick and threw more logs into the blaze.

"We have rested for nearly two months. What are we waiting for, please, help me understand?" Sarah did not relent.

"Becca needs time to get used to her powers. There are too many presences here." Eric mumbled.

"She has already made significant progress and since when do you care about her?"

Eric ignored the question. "But not enough. She has barely talked to us this entire time, only mumbled to herself. You cannot say the state she has been in, is all right."

A small voice tried to protest somewhere behind Sarah, but the woman's voice drowned all others. "You are pulling random excuses out of your arse! Why are we hauled up in this... Whatever this thing used to be? Watchtower. Ruin. Cold, smelly pile of rocks!"

"I am fine! No, really. I am!" Becca finally got a word in.

"And where exactly should we go? We made it, didn't we?" Eric sighed.

"Away from the shadows!" Sarah crossed her arms.

"You've been talking to Becca."

"So, what?" Sarah spat.

"You only ever use words like this when you've been talking to our princess." He mumbled. It annoyed Eric. "Before you say anything, listen. We made it. Has this not gotten through to you yet?" He added in a louder voice.

"Of course, we made it. Thanks to you! Thanks to Sten! We are all grateful, but we have rested enough. We need to keep going." Sarah insisted.

"We do not need to run any further." Eric intoned.

"It's not about running. It's about moving forward. So we can go back. To our world, Eric!" Sarah's composure was slipping. She was angry, barely able to contain herself.

"Is there even a place to go back to?" Anna quietly said and sighed.

Like Becca, she barely talked as of late. Eric suspected it had to do with Andrew. Did something happen between the two? He was reluctant to follow the thought. Yet another fight was brewing.

"Okay! Okay! Enough! One at a time! It's time we discussed this. Alright already! It's time to think about what to do next. I am sorry." In truth, he had been avoiding this discussion. Eric had to give in. He had to face the truth and make others see it.