It wasn't until midnight when they finally stopped, completely exhausted through and through.
At first it was only eren, but after few more rounds both were apparent with their reasoning. Now it wasn't just matter of bloodline awakening, they had gone with their insatiable lustful nature to satisfy mortal feelings.
And now they were utterly empty without power, laying side by side with rhythmic shallow breathing.
They had time to catch a breather, but that didn't mean they weren't exhausted, sleep was slowly drowning on their heavy eyelids but both were too worried for outcome to give into it.
" I think I enjoyed a bit too much than I originally expected." Said eren with slight chuckle, initiating a conversation.
" A bit?, That's it." Natalie spoke rhetorically not daring to look at him naked.
" Okay, Maybe too much but you were into it too."
" I so wasn't, Stop turning it around me." She rebuked with red face, she covered Eren's eyes to not let him look further and slapped his abs.
" Don't deny it, I liked it quite a lot and you did too and if you don't believe me-" Eren took her body in close embrace and slapped her ass gently as he spoke, " Wanna find out with another session, nat." His eyes still covered, but Natalie flinched with his touch and devious cheeky curved up smile.
She pushed him aside with power, eren nearly fell off the bed but with little dynamics, he managed.
" Let's see there were one, two..And four, Yes four rounds and you're still this energised." Natalie stared at his boner for mere a moment before looking at him with disgust and bewilderment.
" Don't look at me like that, You make it as I'm some pervert. this is completely healthy reaction to you closing in on me earlier.
But you needn't worry. although i can push beyond my limits for another round, I wouldn't try."
" Why?, Guilty conscience."
" Not even, because I didn't do anything wrong, Sooner you accept this the better.
And as for the reason, because we need be ready and energised to leave this place tomorrow morning."
Natalie eyed him with questions, Eren added further,
" This is central region of white forest, it's not safe anymore with our guardian angel gone. Soon the creatures will be swarming in to take the stage. "
Only now that Natalie understood severity of his words, They were not just any creatures, because with Death zone of white forest and even in that the central region where only most harrowing creatures lived.
It was better to run away as fast as possible afterall Alena the white ghost, her presence was only thing stopping other from marching in and now that was gone.
Natalie's body was already covered in glistening sweat, but just imagining the danger gave her scares, She felt chilling cold whether due to sweat or just fear, she didn't knew.
Eren patted her head and stood up,
" No need to fret. Even if something does go wrong, I'm fairly confident in my ability to transverse this jungle without getting noticed."
" But we're talking about wraiths, demons and devils here." Her voice obviously tensed.
" Yeah but don't we have your transportation device?"
" Yes, Yes, How could I forget?, Even if it fails to transport us to neutral continent, It can atleast take us out of this damned place."
" See, That's wonderful news, Now put your clothes on because I'm about to teach you something very important." Eren stood up and wore his own clothes.
Natalie frowned, "What now?" She asked.
" The way you described your family circumstances, I assume you don't have any idea of basic survival tacts, So let's just discuss this before hand to increase our chance of survival." Eren smiled cheekily, why? Simple because Alena had same expression when she bestowed this knowledge to him.
" I guess, That's good." Natalie's response was cold, but she found it reasonable enough and had no way to argue or deny., And by now she was again fully clothed, Sitting gracefully with all the unholy past hidden behind stoic expression.
She even had her hairs tied neatly, No one would even dare make assumption that such noble lady was moaning sexily as she enjoyed the ecstacy of dual cultivation.
No, Now all that was hidden masterfully.
Eren felt admiration, Odd sense of reverence. Just like Alena she lacked only one thing, imperfection, atleast in their personas and how they carried themselves.
Eren too was accustomed in such way, living with Alena made him half noble as well.Now atleast he knew how to not make a fool of himself.
Putting those thoughts aside, Eren stared at her for a second.
" What?"
" Nothing, It's just this clothes of yours. I didn't think of this before but now that I focus, It looks provocative." Eren was genuine with his reply, which only got him ugly glare.
" Get your head out of gutter and Focus." She said annoyingly.
Eren coughed few times and spoke,
" Well then First, the reason of this unnecessary lecture is that we will refrain from using that teleportation device of yours till it's really.. And I mean really unavoidable."
" Why?"
" Because the fuel to run that thing is mana stone. Singular and necessarily high ranking, And The one in inside is violet yet completely used with you only travelling from one continent to another.
And we don't have any of those anymore, I mean atleast I don't." Suggesting to speak up right now, if she had one to which only silence came so eren continued.
" Even if we had one of those rare violet rank mana stone, only one of us would be able to travel.
Which is not part of the deal, so get yourself comfortable with me because we are in for a one hectic ride, together." His words clean, And his intent clear. He Indirectly conveyed his message to remain trustworthy, Only then will be the deal completed.
Natalie got some idea what he meant, Afterall even if she was noble and honest. Eren didn't see that or rather didn't believe in that. Intelligent being's nature is unpredictable and Eren's thoughts to not completely trust her, To not get stranded in wild is harsh, but that is what called being cautious.
" I understand and I'll uphold my promise." Natalie held her hand to chest, her promise wasn't just to eren but to herself as well, to remain true and noble.
" That's very assuring." Eren smiled, While he didn't trust her fully but he knew what kind of individual Natalie was, he didn't doubt that the words she spoke were true.
" Next, I have other mana stones though. But I'll hold onto that, Okay?"
It meant, they were lock and key respectively. One would be wasted without other, with this they'll be sticking together with minimal trust that other atleast won't be able run away using teleportation device.
" I'm fine with that." Natalie agreed, They up until now held similar advantage, invoking beneficial interest to both side with required trust and necessary levarage.
" excellent." Eren's smile widened even more, He moved closer to her and simultaneously golden dust flew out of his ring, Which sagregated into a rolled up paper.
A map.
Eren rolled it open and gestured Natalie to focus on one perticular point,
" This is where we are, At center.
To our south is extention of forest which only end with the horizon of great sea.
To our north is vampire continent." Eren gestured locations on the map, Of course he hid his resentment well which was product of resurfaced memories and focused, His heart became cold.
He didn't had time to contemplate as Natalie's voice woke him up from his daze.
" Which is north again?" Eren stared blankely to her question and then to the black shadow that loomed over few hundred meters.
Tall uneven stony wall stretched far horizontaly and vertically. Tons of water rushing down with crushing force in one particular place forming a beautiful wonder of world, A waterfall. It was hard to notice the top in dark, but Eren was sure that even in day, it would be hard to catch glimpse.
" So our first task is to climb that, Easy enough I guess." Spoke Natalie.
" I like your confidence, But what is this sudden change?, Is it side effect of dual cultivation?
You were so stupid before, let me see? " Eren picked up the manual but before he could open, Natalie snatched it with a glare.
" Ha ha..very funny." Natalie faked a laugh with contempt.
" Maybe it only works for female."
" I'm not playing your tricks." With that she stood up, ready to leave.
" Oh come on, don't be a downer. I was just joking. But if it makes you happy, I apologise."
" Got you there sucker..haha..." Natalie laughed, getting him feeling guilty over nothing.
Eren didn't mind it, Slowly they were really getting comfortable with each other.
" That's fine and all but the climb, It really won't be easy." Eren tracked their conversation back to where it was, Natalie didn't say anything as if she had some other thoughts.
But one thing was clear, just as Eren said, Climbing a cliff just at start will not going to be easy, especially when it will take several days if not weeks to climb all the way up.
Along the way they'll have to endure the cold which will only become more dangerous with high altitude and picked up wind.
They'll have to find shelter on manageable distance for rest, eat and to regain their strength, to climb again and hope to find the next shelter soon, otherwise they'll be hanging weakened which will only increase the chance of falling and dying.
Ofcourse the climb will be extremely perilous with slippery wall.
Just thinking about upcoming hurdles was enough to make eren sigh with exhaustion.
" We don't have any option, do we?" Asked Natalie with stoic face, She had somehow realised that this was the only way and even accepted it but ofcourse it wasn't easy to digest.
" We can always go east or west, Long route with hopes that this cliff won't be the obstacle there but that is it, only hope.
Beside walking around the forest instead of straight path will significantly increase the time and risk to reach the capital.
Not sure we can afford that." Natalie nodded in agreement, Afterall she wanted to reach her home as soon as possible.
" Not only that but this waterfall must be the end of a great river or maybe junction of few rivers, if we track that river back, we're sure to find living settlements sooner or later." Natalie spoke with grace, Her thinking was very reasonable and logical. Eren's thoughts aligned with her perfectly.
Intelligent beings mostly resided on higher altitude and close to the drinkable water supply, Easy way for primary survival. This increased the possibility of finding residing civilization, to get help to reach their goal.
" Yes, Once we do find a proper way inside the Ravenvale empire, We'll locate the nearest international teleportation gate and warp ourselves to the neutral continent." Natalie nodded with grim expression.
Ravenvale, The name was enough to turn her mood sout.
The only Empire on the vampire continent, There was a reason continent was named after vampires just like others.
Vampires weren't just dominating populating race here, they were bloody predators. They didn't like anyone other then themselves walking around in their territory.
And Natalie and Eren were desperate enough to walk in vampire's blood thirsty mouth.
" Tell me something nat.." Eren looked far in sky, Searching something deep within his memories and soon his eyes were glistening with tear remembering yuta's gentle smile.
But he was strong, Strong enough the bear the love and pain inside, With mirthless smile he asked,
" How are our chances in Ravenvale?"
Natalie sighed, Defeated and tired trying to come up with a satisfactory answer.
" In past many tried, living nicely together with vampires but their selfishness to live independent far exceeded other's expectation.
They massacred every other living race from this continent, And slaved what was left." She gritted her teeth in anger talking about vampire's cruelty.
" After taking innovative idea of individual groups, even dragon joined the frey. Taking over one continent for themselves, It was age of darkness, Where people fought for the land and freedom.
Soon even humans joined the group, seizing one continent for themselves. Left with nothing else elfs compromised with beastrals and took last piece in United association.
Can you even imagine what it would be like, thousand.. No millions of people died for what?, So People could differentiate themselves and feel superior, sitting around in their home build on blood of innocents." Natalie raged in boiling anger imagining the dark history but sadly, No matter how sadness and anger she would express, it wouldn't change a thing.
" I'm sorry, I got off topic but yeah.. In an empire such as this, It'll be hard if not Impossible." Her head fell down in wallowing sorrow.
" And I suppose that will be the case anywhere, Ofcourse other than neutral continent." Eren expected as such, There was a reason it was called a neutral continent.
" Yes, It's a place where all can live happy together." A beautiful smile appeared on her face as if earlier rage was nowhere to be seen, ofcourse those pained expression were just veiled proficiently,
Eren wasn't someone easily swayed by words, But neutral continent really gave him hope.
" I think it was noble idea, I don't know who he is but just the fact that he created a utopia is admirable in my book." Ofcourse the world wasn't like a simple fairytale.
No matter how noble that creation was, It was built on trust that people will accept each other and Live in harmony. But trust is fickle thing. Trust is like a Glass, shiny and brittle, easily broken.
Ofcourse eren had no desire to corrupt noble Natalie of cruel world just yet, she'll find it soon enough how dirty it is, on her own.
" Why did you say he?, It's she, An empress." Natalie rebuked, Unaware of his thoughts and angry at something he didn't even consider could be a problem.
" You men are all like this, Thinking that you're superior to us women." Eren stared at her blankely, petrified to her words.
' What's she on about?' Ofcourse he didn't say it out loud, maintaining a unaware expressed face.
" I didn't mean it like that my lady, I Think gender is the stupidest reason to differentiate individuals from their capabilities.
But I do apologised for my misguided wording." His words were laced with honey, afterall he knew to never engage in ego battle with a woman.
Women were emotional creatures, And emotions, which most men discarded aside as obstacle into path of strength and intelligence, were really cause of often if not everytime the reason of women's wrath.
Eren wasn't stupid enough, Atleast not after learning his lesson from Alena.
Natalie finally stopped glaring, ready to sleep as if she found further conversation meaningless.
" Anything else?" She asked, to which eren nodded.
" Last thing, do you know any stealth technique?" Natalie shook her head in denial and asked,
" Why?"
" Passing through forest is dangerous as it is, Ofcourse I know a safe way out but it won't be a smooth ride.
I atleast want to confirm that we wouldn't be dying because you stepped on dried up branch or leaf." Eren half joked, Other half was a serious question whether she was capable of not.
But Natalie didn't see it that way, His sarcasm hit her right where he patched up before. Her red face fumed with anger and even before eren could react, His body was flying away.
' I feel nostalgic.' He sighed and again crashed, This time on the green field.
Eren got himself up like usual, as if nothing was wrong and walked back to Natalie with expression that said,' I probably deserved that.'
Getting closer Eren became bewildered, He rubbed his eyes and again confirmed what he was seeing.
Natalie's hair was changing inbetween, vermillion red and ocean blue.
Abrupt change left eren speechless, Before he could process what was happening, Natalie's body flew up in the air.
Her eyes open yet there was no consciousness in them and her body shined brightly with prismatic glow, Ofcourse now eren was aware of what that glow was.
Mana, Lots of it and it was gathering around her like a cacoon.
Yes, Her long dormant bloodline was awakening.