Cassian and Simon finally made it down into the valley in one piece.
Cassian's arm had fully regenerated—well, almost. It still looked strange, thinner and shorter than his other one, more like it belonged to a child. But it was growing, slowly thickening with each passing minute. Still, the rapid healing had drained him. His legs felt unsteady, and his vision swayed every time he blinked.
Simon wasn't doing much better. After fighting rats all morning, sprinting for his life, and then hauling them both down a cliff, exhaustion was written all over him.
With nothing else to do and no safe path forward, they rolled the dice and decided to rest—betting on the chance that their pursuers would take time to catch up. They found a shallow cave tucked into the side of the valley wall, hidden behind a curtain of thick roots and vines. It wasn't much, but it was shelter.
Cassian collapsed against the cool stone, his back pressing into the hard surface as he struggled to steady his breath and stay awake. Despite being dead on his feet, Simon volunteered to keep watch, hoping to scrounge up something edible if luck was on their side.
He had no illusions. Even if their bodies were in perfect condition, escaping their pursuers was nearly impossible. Unless their teams managed to get the help—or some powerful ally stumbled upon them—it would be a miracle. The traitors seemed to be assigned specifically to this area, and the chances of anyone else from their group showing up here were slim.
It would take more than luck for them to survive—though Cassian still had one trump card left.
The red sword… and the war armor.
The only problem was, he wasn't even sure if they'd work. And even if they did, he'd need to be in far better shape than he was now. His body was a wreck—his growing arm still incomplete, and his energy nearly drained. Without a healing potion or something to restore his strength, using them might do more harm than good.
But then, as if fate heard his silent plea, he saw Simon returning—grinning, with a few fat fish skewered on his blades.
Maybe luck wasn't entirely out of reach after all.
Simon dropped the fish beside the small pit they had scraped out between some rocks, still panting a little but grinning like a man who'd just won a jackpot.
"Caught 'em near a trickle of water down the slope. Guess we're not starving tonight," he said, pulling out a small firestarter stone from his pouch and sparking it with practiced hands.
"Yeah, I wouldn't want to die on an empty stomach," Cassian muttered, nodding as he slowly sat up straighter, wincing a little.
He couldn't help but regret leaving his spatial storage with Katherine. It held most of his valuables—food, potions, supplies—but he'd been too worried it might get stolen or damaged during battle. Now, all that caution meant he was stuck eating whatever Simon managed to catch… including the pale, bland-looking fish now roasting over the fire.
Still, the smell alone was enough to make his stomach growl. And the moment one of the fish looked even halfway done, Cassian didn't hesitate. He grabbed it, ignoring the rising steam, and bit straight into the hot flesh.
Simon blinked, watching him with a mix of disbelief and mild horror. "I'm pretty sure your tongue is cooking along with that fish."
Cassian grinned wide, steam puffing out from his mouth as he kept chewing."Worf it… so gwud," he mumbled through a mouthful, clearly enjoying it way more than any sane person should.
As Cassian devoured half the fish, the gnawing in his stomach finally began to ease. He took a long gulp of water to wash it down, then asked, "Any sign of our pursuers?"
Simon shook his head. "Nothing yet," he replied, taking his own fish. Unlike Cassian, he split it open first, blowing on the steaming flesh before taking a careful bite.
"We can't outrun them. We need a plan," Simon said, breaking the silence between bites.
Cassian nodded. "Then we watch them—observe their movements while they search for us. Once we know how they're spreading out, we figure our next move."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "And what if they find us first?"
"They will," Cassian said plainly. "It's just a matter of time—probably before sunrise. We need to come up with a plan before that happens."
He paused, glancing toward the darkening sky.
"By morning, I'm sure our team will have reported the traitors. That means the higher-ups will be sending someone to investigate. Those cult bastards know that too. They'll want us captured or dead long before anyone shows up."
It was still early evening, the last traces of sunlight just dipping below the horizon. Hours of danger lay ahead—and both of them knew the night would be anything but quiet.
"Then let's rest up a bit and see what awaits us," Simon said with a resolved expression. He knew just as well as Cassian—there weren't many ways out of this. Hiding wouldn't last long; they would be found. Running was pointless against enemies faster, stronger, and more experienced. And fighting? Maybe one of them could survive… if the other stayed behind as bait.
If everything had already gone to hell, then why not take the riskiest path?
Don't be the hunted—be the hunter. A careful, quiet, patient one.
After finishing the bland fish—which tasted like a five-star meal to their starved stomachs—both of them felt a bit of strength return. Cassian's arm had fully regrown, shedding old skin as new muscle flexed underneath. The way it wriggled and shifted still weirded Simon out, but he smirked and shook it off.
"Mask your presence and your scent with your Domain as best you can," Cassian said, rising. "And let's wait outside the cave. I'm sure they'll come."
Simon gave a firm nod, then closed his eyes. Within moments, Cassian felt a subtle shift in the air—like a single drop disturbing still water. Then... nothing. Silence.
It was as if Simon had vanished entirely. If Cassian hadn't been looking right at him, he wouldn't have known he was still there.
Cassian couldn't help but feel a twinge of amazement—and maybe a bit of envy. His own Domain let him suppress sound and scent to a degree, enough to move quietly and stay unnoticed by most. But what Simon had just done? That was something else entirely.
Still, there was no time to dwell on it.
With silent resolve, both of them slipped out of the cave and into the night.