To those fateful three words, those three words of request backed by the existential desire for answers, Dongwoo answered with his now stereotypical smile and nod. The profound sense of loneliness in Myungsoo's eyes spoke volumes to Dongwoo. He need not question why exactly Myungsoo wanted to visit his home of Laroo (although he would later on) and instead retook his place at his assumed friend's side with alacrity. His mission, to tell him how Nesher spoke to him, and how the two were chosen personally by the deity to save the Adamah people, happened to be buried in the midst of his joy to bring his new friend to his home. Dongwoo was happy to be alive and wanted this present moment to last a very long time.

According to Myungsoo's plan, if the two continued trekking for another whole day, they would reach the more sustainable plains of Equ soon after. He was correct. The moment the soles of their feet stepped out of the desert was a surreal moment for them. It was astonishing and hard to believe that a desert bordered the verdant plains, yet as far as the eye could see: luxurious fields of green filled with abundant life- an ethereal emerald tapestry woven by nature. 

The barren wastelands they had escaped faded into a dusty memory for the two of them when confronted with the beauty of jackrabbits skipping across fields and the frolicking of deer, both bucks and does. The sky, the air, the animals- everything appeared more welcoming to the worn souls. 

Dongwoo, with his charming childlike innocence, abandoned Myungsoo's side in favor of mounting one of those wild beings of grace incarnate, a stag whose great and magnificent antlers seemed a crown of pride and honor. Upon seeing Dongwoo successfully ride the deer for an instant before being shaken off, Myungsoo suppressed a grin and a chuckle. Although the juxtaposition of elegance and ridiculousness amused him, he would have none of it.

Dongwoo was not Myungsoo's friend; he didn't need any. He didn't want a friend.

His eyes were perpetually sullen, that blue heaven that permeated every inch of his sight was a black sky of sorrow and desolation. To the warrior whose path was trailed by blood and evil, Dongwoo was more of a pawn than friend. There was no reason why Myungsoo should view him as that. His sister was murdered not even one week ago, and he should forsake his mission to kill her murderer?

Accepting Dongwoo as "friend" was a tacit approval of ignoring the blood of his sister that cried out for justice. Myungsoo lives on only to kill Oscuridaon- that was the purpose he affirmed he was now breathing for while his sister moldered away in a place that was the figurative incarnation of death. 

Dongwoo's carefree and lackadaisical pace turned Myungsoo's blood into toxic streams. Those skipping steps marked by glee and gaiety called to mind the fleeting, vague and hazy image of a dainty girl dancing by his side. Pride prevented him from accepting the uncanny similarities between that fool and his dead sister.

 He kept moving forward on the dirt road his boots treaded on, with the hope that the "how" in how to kill Oscuridaon and his army would be found in this mysterious Laroo. In the recesses of his mind, he knew he needed more than the power in his bones to kill him. He needed something beyond the power of the Faeries' magics. He needed the pride of a once mighty nation, he needed the accolades of a past era; he needed the product, the offspring of advanced science.

Transcending logical thinking and entering the realm of blind but substantive faith, he wagered all he had left, his life, on finding his answers in Laroo where such products might yet exist. The vestiges of a world that was now one with the dust, the two weapons and arcane armor Dongwoo possessed alluded to the survival of an untouched store of high technology.

 "Wait!" Dongwoo exclaimed over and over again.

Myungsoo glowered at the jungle boy's importunateness. With a sigh, he turned back and glared at Dongwoo who ran to catch up to him.

Myungsoo began to walk again with hasty steps. "A little further and we'll enter the Forest of Echoes."

 Dongwoo opened his mouth and prepared to talk, but was cut off by Myungsoo.

 "Save your energy and keep walking. Leave the wildlife alone; you're just wasting time when you play with them."

 Dongwoo quietly questioned the reason for the coldness of his friend's words. With a disappointed look, he steered his mind to happy thoughts. He mused how on this day marked by abundant life, he found himself in a better standing than the days prior. He felt happy and his dumb smile reappeared once more.

Just one week ago and he was all by himself, traveling with no real destination in mind. He journeyed wherever his sight led him, not thinking much of the lurking dangers but rather at the prospect of meeting those who were like him, people whom he could talk to. Ideally, he could have met a better person than the one he was currently walking beside, namely Myungsoo- especially considering he tried to kill him twice.

Dongwoo wasn't horribly stupid, only naive and innocent. He believed that it was a heat-induced hysteria or something of the kind that prompted the barbarian to assail his life. Moreover, it was his deep faith in Nesher that constrained him from an overly cynical and damning mindset. He sought to see the best in Myungsoo, honestly believing he was a good person despite the superficial appearance.

 "There's a small lake in the forest. We'll head there and spend the night there as well."

 "Okay, friend!"

 Myungsoo suppressed a growl and chose to think on other things. By now he figured that he was considered dead. If the Sanritem army detected him alive, they would have sent scouts. The lack thereof revealed their faulty knowledge, but this serendipitous result was in flux. Upon Oscuridaon's advent from an undisclosed realm, what would naturally follow would be his conjuring of magic to determine the status of his existence: whether dead or alive. Once discovered alive, a new can of worms would open.

Much ambiguity filled the rogue's mind. He was unclear on more than one thing. This is why he desperately wanted to reach Laroo. He had a full assurance that he would find the solutions for his problems there. He didn't question why he felt that way, his faith was a visceral phenomena.

The light that radiated off Dongwoo's armor snatched his attention again. With every furtive glance he took, his mind would summon visions of the past when his father would don the gilded armor. During his seven years of life there hadn't been any terrible wars, but small skirmishes still disturbed the peace on occasion. The kingdoms that neighbored his tended to make pacts only to break them whenever they felt slighted in diplomatic matters. Myungsoo's father always did his best to conciliate without wantonly pandering to absurd demands of the other kingdoms, and he admired that. In his impressionable and sweet perception, his father was more than king, he was his hero.

He remembered the day in which his father proudly stood from the balcony of their home to address the nation about a dispute he had ended. Myungsoo was still young to fully understand what was going on, but one thing he did catch on was how his father was adored by all, both poor and rich. It was clear and sunny that day, much like the present, and Myungsoo distinctly remembered the stunning golden luster of the cuirass.

 "You like my armor?"

 "Keep walking," Myungsoo replied.

He wasn't keen on sharing his life story with Dongwoo and didn't care much about his either. With Myungeun, he could spend hours listening to her chirping, boring as it'd be, but he'd still listen. Compared to the honey intonations of his sister, Dongwoo's voice was the harsh grinding of sheet metal. This fact would never change; his sister was irreplaceable.

In this cold world, he only had his sister and now she was gone too. Her phantom appearance that infrequently popped up wasn't enough to bring him joy, and he hated the way his mind forced such a thing upon him. Why couldn't she just rest and he forget her? He clicked his tongue in frustration, angry that she died a martyr for a false god. 

"I hate you Myungeun. Why'd you die for Nesher?" 

 Dongwoo overheard his quiet murmur. He wasn't wholly certain as relating to the topic of the complaint, but he knew without a doubt that he heard the invocation of the deity's name, Nesher.

His words, though sincere, struck Myungsoo as mocking, "I thank Nesher for bringing me to you, my friend."
 
"That god is dead."

 Dongwoo turned and directly faced his friend with a pained expression, feeling a choke in his throat and lack of air in his lungs. "My friend, he lives! Why would an Adamah deny him?"

 Myungsoo started to walk with hasty steps, "Because he denied me and my prayers- now stop mentioning him. He is dead."

Dongwoo could ostensibly feel his skin shrivel from contact with the frigid air his companion's words engendered. He couldn't name all the expressions he was feeling in that moment, but one thing was clear- he was heartbroken. Dongwoo was on the verge of tears. He was driven off a sheer cliff to fall into the gorge of intense melancholy. It hurt him to hear Myungsoo's rejection of Nesher. He, himself, never rejected his god or cursed him- even when his mother died and was left to fend for himself in a jungle full of dangers.

The thought stalked every corner of Dongwoo's mind, it chased him down and put him in a stranglehold- what happened to Myungsoo? What was it that caused him to stray away from the faith of the Adamah? He had to know. He opened his lips to speak again but was cut off by Myungsoo once more.

 "Keep quiet and walk. I can't waste time speaking about trivial matters."

Dongwoo acquiesced and nodded with his head hung low. He decided now was not the correct time to speak. His steps became slower and in the instant, he found himself staring at Myungsoo's back. It was the second time he paid attention to all those scars that marked him. Some of the scars seemed to reach one end of his back to the other and Dongwoo winced at the thought of the pain he must've endured. Just what kind of torture Myungsoo endured, he didn't know.

He just knew those scars were more than superficial reminders but rather symbols, tokens of hardship and affliction. Dongwoo wanted to know more about this enigmatic figure that walked on like an ox bearing a heavy yoke. 

The two continued walking for another hour in silence. The only noises heard were the occasional chatter of nearby critters burrowing in the soft meadows, the sound of gentle winds brushing the tall grass and the clinking sounds of metal strapped onto Dongwoo and Myungsoo. The air was fresh with the pleasing scent of fertile pasture filling their nose and the sky seemed clearer now than it did earlier. It was a good day, a perfect day by all means, yet the two weren't afforded much time to admire the small miracles at the quick pace that marked their gait.

 But it was because of their speedy strides that the two reached the Forest of Echoes just as the sun began to set and the sky became marked by a pink glow. By the time the two reached the small body of water Myungsoo spoke of it was already some hours into the evening. 

Presently, Myungsoo knelt by the small lake and dunked his whole head in the water. He chugged down as much as he could take, satiating his thirst, and the coldness of the water refreshed and alleviated his sunburnt skin. Dongwoo stood idly by with an out of place timidity, unsure if he should join Myungsoo or not.

 "Drink if you want. I'm not going to kill you."

 "Sure," Dongwoo succinctly replied with a bright look. He followed up on his friend's invitation and cupped his hands, filled them with water, and quaffed it down. Repeating the same actions for a number of times, Dongwoo stopped drinking and washed his face with abrasive .

Myungsoo took off his leather boots and let his soles enjoy the cool and still waters. Letting his feet wade in the pool, he reclined back supinely. The space where the lake resided was hemmed in by giant trees that stretched their long branches across as though they were arms. The shadows of the woods were dense, darker than those of other forests, and appeared animated, palpable. If one lacked the ability of discernment, their mind might trick them into seeing the silhouettes of fantasmal beings passing between the thick trunks in chilling procession.
 
The moon reflected its pallid and silvery light lazily on the undisturbed waters. Breezes, sweet kisses of the wind would sweep infrequently at the lake, creating tiny, tiny waves of water and the moonlight's reflection would ripple in motions that would perfectly accompany the swaying and faint sounds of a windchime.

Dongwoo sat cross-legged and wondered what they would do next. His stomach rumbled and because the night was so quiet, even though his rumbling was a muzzled sound, Myungsoo heard it loud and clear.

 "If you're hungry, go and fetch a deer for us to eat. I did my part in bringing you to water. You do yours. I don't think you'll get lost, just follow the footprints we imprinted on the soft soil. I'll kindle a fire too, so you'll have a beacon to follow."

The boy looked down, disappointed at first, but nodded with alacrity after a brief pause.

Myungsoo saw Dongwoo run off into the woods with a single eye opened, lethargically bringing his palm over his mouth to cover a yawn. He could fall asleep at any moment. Closing his eyes for a short second, he cogitated on the number of loved ones Oscuridaon had murdered. He counted with his fingers at first but was unable to keep track almost instantly. In his mind, he made a promise to repay Oscuridaon with equal measure.

Another yawn escaped him and the memory of Myungeun talking and reaching out her hand invaded his mind. His hand unconsciously reached out to grasp at air. Realizing what he was doing, he closed his hand into a tightly clenched fist and slammed it down at the grass. Feeling the sensation of a bent and broken stem under his fist, he opened his eyes and looked for the flower.

With the miserable looking flower in hand, Myungsoo stared into it and laughed at the many petals that had fallen off and the way its white color was stained with a green hue, having been smashed into the grass- all a result of his venting. On his two feet, Myungsoo wiped his hand on his sides and began his search for kindling. 

Heading deep into the woods, Myungsoo absorbed the eldritch qualities the forest contained. Under the thick and dense shades of branches looming over him, the moonlight barely dapled in. As a precaution, one of his hands always remained gripped on the hilt of his sword while the other quested for dry twigs and other flammable materials. Shadows began to dance several, several feet ahead of him, impelling him to question whether his presence was the only one in the area. The sound of an owl flying off a branch startled him.

 He was now questioning whether his decision in sending Dongwoo off alone in search of food was a wise one, perhaps he might fall prey to a bear. If that were the case, his journey to Laroo would be thwarted by his own lack of foresight. He cursed under his breath and sped up his search for kindling.

Too bad the lake had no fish, or else their dinner would have been served then and there. After he had gathered sufficient firewood into his arms, he doubled back and headed for the lake. Strangely enough, he felt the eyes of amorphous beings stalk him. He chuckled a little at the thought, that maybe it was the restless ghosts of all those Sanritem he brutally killed. Serves them right. Still, the eerie ambience of the dark forest made his skin crawl and become cold.

Arriving at the lake, he was stunned to see Dongwoo standing there, his presence disclosed by the glare of his armor. He waved back with his teeth fully showing alongside his gummy smile, but Myungsoo didn't share his sentiment: he scowled at him sorely. Dongwoo wasn't alone. There was another person with him.

He scarcely made out the tall and lean outline of a man with what appeared to be a sack or some species of elk on his shoulder. The moonlight failed to divulge the distinct features of the man, leaving Myungsoo to swell with crude suspicion. Perhaps it was a Sanritem scout posing as a lost wayfarer and Dongwoo had been fooled. He cursed Dongwoo's overtrusting nature and naive spirit. Surely Dongwoo brought in a wolf to a flock of sheep. 

His teeth grinding in visible fury, Myungsoo snapped one of the branches he carried. It shouldn't have been too much of a surprise to him however, since he figured Dongwoo is the type that's easy to dupe. If he trusted someone who menaced to kill him, trusting an out of the blue wayfarer without knowing their interests wasn't out of the realm of possibility. Myungsoo dropped the kindling and ran to Dongwoo's side, his hand fastened onto his sword's handle.