***Back to when the perspective changed away from Etaria***
'It pains me to admit, but that lass…'
Etaria gritted her teeth as she rushed deeper and deeper into the forest.
'She was most likely right.'
Even though there should be a whole unit of elites from her golden legion with her, Etaria only needed the take a few steps into the forest to find herself completely isolated, all alone.
Just a few steps, and not only her private guards vanished between the trees… but so did the spy and Zanba, tasked with escorting her. Even though the entire front of the army should have long since passed by the place, the princess couldn't feel the presence of even a single soldier.
All of those along with the fact that she should be right now right in the middle of a group of powerful ascended all lead to one conclusion.
"And where do you think you are going?"
The meaning of all the marks (!/!!/!!!/? so far) will be explained once I reach the entire sequence. They have little to no meaning now, but will make sense once the picture is complete and will serve as a good anchor to remember which chapter is which easily.