Nana watched as Sanguina walked over to Vick, her crimson cloak billowing slightly in the breeze. She wore a dark red silk blouse with a high cor, intricately embroidered with ck and gold patterns.


    Her fitted trousers, made from the same rich red fabric, allowed her to move with grace and ease. A ck utility belt cinched her waist, adorned with various pouches and holsters, including the sheath for her de.


    Tall red leather boots and matching glovespleted her ensemble, the subtle detailing adding a touch of elegance. A ck choker with a blood-red gem glittered at her throat.


    "Sanguina and Nana walked over to Vick, and Sanguina stated, "d to see you are holding up. Are you busy? I am heading out to search for my fairy and was wondering if you would like to apany me."


    Vick put his axe down next to four dozen chopped wood blocks and replied, "Sorry, Madam, no can do. I have a strict schedule and have to ensure I get the King to and from his meetings. I will make it up to you when you get back, okay?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sanguina crossed her arms, her expression firm. "So be it. Just know that when I''m gone, I''m gone. I''ll likely never be here again." She turned to Nana. "Let''s be on our way, my Lady Nana."


    Nana nodded, giving Vick a brief wave before following Sanguina. They headed out of the medical estates and down the robust alleyways of the marketce, weaving through building after building of random merchants. The air was filled with the scent of spices and the sound of vendors calling out their wares.


    As they walked, Nana nced at Sanguina. "Do you think Vick will be okay? He seemed pretty tied up with his duties."


    Sanguina shrugged. "He made his choice. We have our own mission to focus on.


    "That is true," Nana stated, but her mind was sidetracked as the smell of warm meat and savory sweetness wrapped around her.


    Suddenly, she beamed away from Sanguina and toward a local stall. Sanguina turned, confused, not seeing where Nana had gone. "Na-Nana? Where did you go?"


    Suddenly, she heard the snapping of fingers through the robust noise as people slowly cycled through the market area. A trail of small pops led her to where Nana had taken a seat. As Sanguina walked up with her hand on her sheathed sword, she asked, "What are we doing here?"


    An old man with white hair slid a bowl of ramen to Nana, who looked up with a delighted smile. "I couldn''t resist," she said, gesturing to the steaming bowl. "The smell was just too tempting."


    Sanguina sighed, rxing her grip on her sword. "You could have told me before running off. I thought something happened."


    Nana chuckled. "Sorry, Sanguina. I just needed a quick break. Join me? It''s been a while since we''ve had a decent meal."


    Sanguina hesitated, then took a seat next to Nana. "Fine, but just for a moment. We have a lot to do."


    The old man nodded to Sanguina. "Would you like a bowl as well, miss?"


    Sanguina nced at Nana, who gave an encouraging nod. "Alright, I''ll have one," she replied. The old man smiled and went to prepare another bowl.


    Momentster, the old man slid a bowl down to Sanguina along the wooden table. The metal bowl spun around,nding with the spoon in her open hand.


    "Thank you, sir, for the food," she said as she took a bite.


    They both spent the next ten minutes eating. Nana then stated, "Sorry again, I just got really hungry all of a sudden… I guess being asleep for a while will do that. Now that I think about it, how was I even fed if I was asleep for three days?"


    Sanguina shrugged. "I don''t know. If I slept that long, I just wouldn''t eat. The meal was okay, but it could''ve used some vor… it was very nd, sadly."


    The old man overheard and asked, "Oh no, what could it be missing?"


    Sanguina responded, "It''s missing rich iron, or in short, some blood to really bind the vors."


    The old man blinked, a bit taken aback. "Blood, you say? That''s quite the unique ingredient."


    Nana quickly added, "Sanguina has a... very particr pte. Don''t worry, the meal was lovely."


    Sanguina shrugged. "I''m just being honest. Not everyone has the same tastes."


    The old man nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I appreciate the feedback, even if it''s a bit unusual. I''m d you both enjoyed your meal, regardless."


    Nana finished her bowl and set it down, a contented smile on her face. "Thank you again. This was a nice break.


    It really was," Sanguina said, pulling a sk from her utility belt before downing it, bits of red slipping out. Rubbing her chin, she continued, "So, where do we go from here?"


    Nana put a finger to her chin, thinking. "I believe it was on the outskirts of the kingdom along a forest path. I will know it when I see it. Should only take us a few hours."


    Sanguina nodded. "Alright then, lead the way, please."


    After an hour of walking, Nana pointed toward a massive wooden gate. "This is the direction Ty, Todd, and I came in from. Let''s head this way to the ounds, and we shoulde upon the forest shortly after."


    Walking out to thends, the once vibrant kingdom quickly faded, reced by dirt and destroyednds with ruined buildings.


    Sanguina looked around, her eyes wide. "Wow, everything outside the kingdom is sort of in ruins, isn''t it?"


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    "Yeah," Nana replied, her voice tinged with sadness. "The Demon King sent us three here to acquire a weapon that could help in dealing with Erebos. I never could have thought things would get out of hand."


    "Oh? And what weapon is that exactly?"


    "The Demon King called it the Cross Link de," Nana exined. "But from all of my conversations on this, everyone said it was underwhelmingpared to others."


    Sanguina raised an eyebrow. "Underwhelming? That''s not what I expected. Why would the Demon King send you for something like that?"


    Nana shrugged. "I''m not sure. Maybe there''s more to it than we know. Or maybe it has a hidden power that no one has figured out yet."


    Sanguina frowned as they kept walking. "And why have you failed to retrieve it yet? Why not just burn everything to the ground until you get it?"


    Nana raised an eyebrow. "Well, first off, I don''t think that would do any good. Destroying a world that the Demon King rules, especially one where one of his daughters manages the power system, doesn''t sound like a great n."


    Sanguina''s eyes narrowed. "You have a point. So what''s the real issue?"


    Nana sighed. "Secondly, it''s turned to stone right now, along with six other des. They all sit at the base of the King''s chair in his throne room, wrapped around it. Me and Ty snuck in to investigate before Erebos took him, and things unraveled fast."


    Sanguina''s eyes widened slightly. "Turned to stone? Thatplicates things. How do you n to unearth it?"


    Nana shrugged. "We were trying to figure that out when Erebos intervened. It''s not just a matter of taking the de; we need to understand the magic or curse that''s binding it."


    "King Griswald mentioned that the des turned to stone because the original user is no longer here," Nana continued as they walked. "I''m not sure if I fully believe his reasoning, but there might be some truth to it. After all, they are stone."


    Sanguina nodded, though skepticism lingered in her eyes. "There might be more to it. We need to stay alert for any hidden motives or secrets."


    As they walked, thendscape began to change. They came upon a long stretch of grass, giving off a strange, dark toxic green color. A mile ahead, dozens of trees spanned the area, standing 30-40 feet tall.


    Nana put her hands on her hips, a wry smile forming on her face. "Yep, that''s the forest I ran into, crying like a baby, not even thinking about what I was running into."


    Sanguina looked at the trees, her eyes narrowing. "And now we walk into it with purpose. Let''s find what we need and get out quickly. This ce doesn''t look weing."


    Nana nodded, taking a deep breath. "Alright, let''s do this."


    They entered the forest, the thick canopy overhead casting eerie shadows on the ground. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and the distant sound of rustling leaves. Every step felt cautious, the ground beneath their feet soft and treacherous.


    Sanguina took a deep breath, stretching her arms toward the sky. "Now this is nice. I feel my bodying alive, finally no sunlight to annoy me!"


    Nana chuckled, giving a loud shout with a bright smile. "Don''t go crazy now. You''re a bundle of random emotions… but thanks foring back. I was a mess after I lost Ty."


    Sanguina grinned, lowering her arms. "No worries, don''t even fret. My pleasure, really."


    Secondster, a wolf creature with a melted face darted toward Sanguina. With lightning-fast reflexes, she caught the mming paw with her hand andughed. "This forest even has adorable puppies guarding it!"


    The wolf creature barked at her, its lifeless eyes staring nkly and saliva dripping from its maw.


    "Oh, that won''t do," Sanguina said, her tone mocking. "Calm down, pup. Can''t you enjoy your scenery?"


    She stared into its eyes, expecting it to react, but nothing happened. Confused, she frowned before snapping the creature in half with a swift motion. "I guess it has no soul in it? Odd."