Chapter 194 The Way Back (2/2)

This eased their travels, but Arran had little time to enjoy the peaceful journey, because Rockblaze's behavior underwent a radical shi+ft after he learned that Arran was not a Hunter

Where the adept had earlier treated Arran with barely veiled hostility, he now took it upon hiic, and he did so in excruciating detail

Arran vaguely suspected it was Rockblaze's way of apologizing for the false accusation, but whatever the reason, it wasn't long before he began to dread the Rockblaze's lectures far more than he had ever feared the man's power

Still, as the weeks passed, Arran was forced to reluctantly admit that Rockblaze was an excellent — if unpleasant — teacher

Not only did the adept's knowledge far exceed Snowcloud's, but he was also far reat deal froues It wasn't anywhere near enough to make up for years without proper instruction, but it allowed hi a foundation he had previously lacked

Better yet, as his understanding ofof the seal on his Destruction Realrew increasingly confident that with a few h

After several weeks of travel, they reached the location that had held the Soaring Sun camp They found it cooat farmers who had taken up residence in the castle Elder Naran once inhabited

But while the camp had been abandoned h that its path was still clearly visible, new grass only now beginning to cover the deep trail of dirt that had been left by thousands of boots

”You're planning to follow them?” Zehava asked

Snowcloud responded with a short nod ”If what you say is true and the three factions are at a stale Sun offers our best chance of crossing safely Elder Naran will help us once he learns the situation”

”I left the Iron Mountain aro,” Zehava replied in an uncertain voice ”I don't knohat has happened since then — for all I know, the battle could be long over If we continue, we ht find only enemies at the border”

”It's possible,” Snowcloud said, ”but I doubt it Neither the Soaring Sun nor the Waning Moon would dare attack the other with the Iron Mountain lying in wait” She sighed, then added, ”And with arood chance the factions' Elders will get involved If that happens, the destruction will be uniinable”

As she spoke those last words, Arran saw concern in both the novices' eyes, and even Rockblaze seemed uncomfortable

But then, he felt as worried as they looked, if not more so He had seen the afteres in the ruins of Uvar, and the sight of it had been burned into his mind If the Shadowflame Elders held even a fraction of that power, he wouldn't want to be anywhere within a dozen miles when they battled

The journey continued as smoothly as they could have hoped, but as the weeks passed, their worries about the dangers ahead steadily grew stronger Against Shadowflath they had was completely useless, and they would have to rely on others to survive

Foron their oer, that was perhaps thetoward a situation where they ht as well be commoners

But despite their worries, they continued onward, and with each passing day, they came closer to their destination Then, one afternoon, Arran finally saw the border's vast h that he could only barelyup into the sky filled hier than he ree, almost — and they formed an unbroken line from north to south, like a wall built to stop Gods

”We're alht as he was, Arran had not heard her approach

He tried to think of so to say, but no words came They were at the end of their journey, and before the as over, they would either meet victory or death

”I hope we make it,” he finally said

”So do I”

She reached out and took his hand, and for a time, they stood in silence, eyes fixed on the mountains ahead