CHAPTER 31: CONNECTING DOTS

The sound of the group’s footsteps mingled with the heavy rustling of wet leaves and broken branches underfoot. The darkness was not just the absence of light—it was a presence. A living membrane that seemed to want to swallow any trace of civilization or logic. But Eren did not feel fear. Not anymore. He felt... calculation.

The forest marked the end of the territory dominated by the Order of the Burning Eye. And, at the same time, it was the beginning of their silent retaliation.

[Neutral Zone: Borders of the State of Norval]

[Danger: Intermediate | Faith Trackers: -Lost-]

[Group’s Average Affinity: 92%]

Kaela looked over her shoulder, sniffing. She walked at the rear, in a semi-beastly posture, her amber eyes glaring at any suspicious sound. She still panted a bit from the recent battle—more from wounded pride than actual fatigue.

Nyssa, as usual, slithered near his heels, maintaining partial contact with his skin to feel secure.

Eren noticed that his core pulsed differently, more firmly, as if it were emotionally maturing after everything. But he didn’t comment. Feelings were not his priority at that moment.

The spider followed them from above.

Morwynn leapt between trunks, almost invisible in the darkness, weaving fine threads at strategic points as they advanced. Cautious, methodical... and strangely at ease.

It was she who broke the silence:

"Humans are... interesting. They don’t flee like prey, nor do they advance like predators. They simply... resist."

Eren did not respond.

Morwynn descended to the ground with a light thump, like a curtain falling. Her humanoid form was gradually revealed as the natural bioluminescence touched her dark skin and hybrid features. She had long eyelashes that fluttered on their own, as if sensing the air. And her voice was gentle, like a wet blade sliding over silk.

"And what is your form, Eren? Predator or prey... or something else?"

Eren replied to her:

"I am a tamer."

Kaela grumbled softly but said nothing. Her fingers clenched into fists and she quickened her pace to overtake them. Nyssa looked at her, concerned, but also remained silent.

The clearing where they stopped was shielded by dense vines and twisted trees, like vegetal claws. The perfect place to rest away from the eyes of faith.

Morwynn immediately started to work. In minutes, she wove a suspended nest between three trees, a chamber of black silk threads, opaque, with protective layers and a cushioned interior space. It was almost elegant... and clearly just for her.

Kaela watched from afar, leaning against a rock. Her jaw clenched, eyes half-closed. She fiddled with her own tail with unconscious irritation. A tic of jealousy.

Nyssa, meanwhile, slithered to Eren, molding herself into a cushion that slowly warmed the ground for him. An ancient gesture, which he already associated with genuine care.

Eren sat down.

"I have three. A trio that evolves with me. A relationship that most tamers don’t even dream of having. But it’s not enough. Either I make them evolve, or I’ll need to further expand my arsenal of monsters."

He looked up, where Morwynn was finishing the last threads of the nest.

"I’ll show this entire state that the Tamer class can be the nightmare they never saw coming. But not through strength. Through advantage. Through logic. Through defying expectations."

He opened his mental interface and observed the recent statuses. Partial sharing with Morwynn was already at 76%. Faster than usual. Probably due to early physical affinity. And he realized: there was more emotion in the connections than he imagined.

Kaela didn’t like that.

"Doesn’t the spider sleep on the ground like us?"

She growled from where she was, without looking up.

Eren didn’t respond. Morwynn did:

"Sleeping above is a survival practice. Where I was born, those who stayed on the ground... were food."

Kaela made a sound of disdain and spat on the ground. The smell of jealousy was dense. Eren wondered if it was due to possessiveness or insecurity. Perhaps both.

The silence that followed was heavier than any discussion.

But Kaela just lowered her eyes, her breathing trembling. Perhaps she understood. Perhaps she was just tired. Or maybe she realized that, even with all her strength, she couldn’t compete with someone who wove plans while others slept.

Morwynn, meanwhile, disappeared inside her cocoon.

[Morwynn: Affinity Increased to 80%]

[Deep Bond in Formation | Path of Intellectual Synergy]

[New Passive: Weave Escape Routes – allows identifying 1 escape alternative in enclosed regions]

Eren read the notification. He had somehow managed to increase the bond with the spider. He thought she had liked him, and that increased a bit. In the end, each bond was a new card in his deck. And he didn’t play to draw.

That night would be the beginning of his counterattack.

But first... they needed to sleep. Except, of course, for Eren.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

The room was small, dark, and stuffy. The only sounds came from the prayer chains hanging from the ceiling, tinkling with the hot wind coming through the cracks in the walls. Each chain represented a fallen soul. And, in recent days, their sound had become a cacophony.

"Three units lost. Five paladins corrupted or missing. And... no bodies," said the man in incomplete armor, kneeling at the center of the circle. His voice trembled, but not with fear. With restrained anger.

Around him, five other paladins remained silent. The emblem of the Order of the Burning Eye—a flaming iris pierced by a lance—shone on their chests, embroidered with golden threads and protective spells. But there, in that place, not even gold seemed pure enough.

A new presence entered. The sound of boots on stone. The sound stopped behind the kneeling man.

"Stand up," said the voice.

The paladin obeyed. But he did not dare to face the owner of the voice.

[Malrik, Bearer of the Just Flame | Red Grail of Purification]

[Total Authority granted by the High Theurgy of Hagan’s Faith]

Malrik wore a dark red tunic, almost black at the edges. The sleeves were long and completely hid his arms, like fabric serpents. There was no visible armor. He didn’t need it. His presence burned the soul.

His eyes—or whatever lay behind that embroidered veil over his face—seemed to pierce the unspoken sins of everyone in the room.

"You failed to prevent an anomaly. A single one."

He took a step forward. The chains jingled, but it wasn’t the wind.

"An aberration with a whip, two bitches, and now a spider."

The paladin before him swallowed hard.

"Sir... the records..."

"Records are memories written by cowards," Malrik cut in, without raising his voice. "And you’ve failed before. Once, twice, a thousand times. That’s why we exist. To burn your failures."

He extended a slender hand, from which a piece of parchment was revealed between the sleeves. It burned at the edges, yet wasn’t consumed.

"Barovik."

The name hung in the air like smoke.

One of the paladins, the eldest, raised his eyebrows.

"The settlement with double walls? They’re saying there’s an ancient temple of faith there. But also a garrison of autonomous tamers."

"Exactly. An inevitable collision point. The tension there is already simmering on its own. We just need to fan it."

Malrik walked to the center of the room. He touched one of the prayer chains. It broke.

"We’ll make Barovik an example." He turned sideways. "Spread rumors. That monsters are being used in rituals. That humans are disappearing. That impurities circulate in the waters."

"And the anomalies... Eren Vale?" someone asked.

Malrik snapped his fingers. A purple flame appeared in the center of the room and formed the face of Eren, in flames. Cold, calculating, eyes that saw patterns where others saw emotion.

"Leave him. For now." Malrik observed the image. "Every predator needs a territory. He just escaped. He’ll look for shelter. Support. A chance to take root."

He clenched his fist. The flame went out.

"When the monster digs deep, that’s the time to cut the tree’s head."

The metaphor was vague. But the paladins understood.

Malrik began to chant a prayer. The chains joined in the sound. A grave chant, in an ancient language, made the air grow denser. And then:

[New Mission: Barovik]

[Objective: Incite faith and purify the corrupted]

[Status: Holy Crusade in Planning]

[Blessing Granted: Voice of Hagan (Malrik)]

"Prepare the inquisitors. The Faith’s Watchers. The eyes underground," he said, turning with slow steps to the exit. "We will bring light where there is darkness."

The room fell silent.

The paladin who had been kneeling before, now standing, looked at the ground one last time. The name "Eren Vale" etched on his tactical parchment fluttered, as if even the paper feared to utter it again.