Chapter Text
“Those were similar to the malfested we fought in Kroraina. Azwel most likely sent them to slow us down” Grøh retorted, his normally stoic, emotionless face had a hint of anger behind it as he looked at the defeated malfested around him.
Lara was still catching her breath after the battle. She briefly examined her staff for any damage and after seeing her weapon was unsullied, she stopped to collect her thoughts for a moment. She remembered the red glow emitting from his left eye when he spotted the hidden enemies, an aura filled the air that caused her blood to grow cold. As if something malfested-like emitted from him before he attacked. Lara kept her gaze on Grøh as he surveyed the scene. He seemed to relax a bit and saw this as her chance to get some answers.
“Grøh?” she prodded cautiously, “How did you know about the outsiders? I couldn’t see th..”
“There is no need for you to know that” He interrupted before she could finish. He turned to face the tanned woman behind him, “I imagine you aren’t satisfied with that answer.”
He looked in her amber eyes and could sense how anxious she was. He was hesitant to give an outsider the facts of his true nature, especially one with a strange connection to Azwel.
He brought a finger to the glowing blue lens resting on his left eye, “Think of this as an enhancement.”
She searched his icy blue eye for any faults in his statement. She relaxed her shoulders a bit and propped her staff up to her side. She was disappointed in the answer, but not surprised. Lara has grown used to Grøh’s reticent ways since they first met. She shows no offense for his skepticism of her, but she couldn’t shake off the cruel aura that surrounded Grøh before the fight.
“You had this look on your face,” she said in an agitated tone. “One would say similar to...one of them.” Her eyes fell back to the bodies of the malfested.
“You’re just imagining things,” he said in his usual firm tone.
He was about to turn away and tell Lara they should process on their expedition when a glimpse of her somber face caught his eye, a look he felt responsible for. He knows she couldn’t help but notice something was off about the situation.
“However…” Grøh paused for a moment, then averted his gaze and muttered softly. “When Azwel is involved, I do have a tendency to become emotional. I will admit that.”
Lara fixed her sight back to Grøh, taken aback by his sudden honesty. She could've easily brushed it off as pity, but there was a slight warmth in the tone of his voice that reassured her. She carefully approached Grøh, wanting to ask more questions so she can understand her ally a little more, but was cut short when their eyes interlocked.
His eye fell on Lara once again as she stood directly in front of him. Her somber looked seemed to recede. She smiled at Grøh as if she was letting him know she understood, but there was a sadness behind it that bothered him.
Grøh turned his back to Lara and walked a few steps away.
“If we stay here much longer, we will play right into Azwel’s hands. We should hurry”
She knew there would be a time where she would earn his trust. That day seemed far off, but Lara was persistent as ever. She flung her staff over her shoulders and continued on their course once again.